No matter that I have bags to burn, I fell in love with Kris's bag in Silken Dreams,
Inspirations Magazine Issue 66. This is a variation of a bag that Monique Johnston teaches at Country Bumpkin.
Colour was the key factor factor for me. This bag is a wonderful combination of gold and dusky pink dupion, with embroidery in shades of pink to match the silk.
The design is a simple trailing vine with bullion roses and leaves.
Both the outside and the lining are constructed from two equal pieces, gathered around a circular base. The trailing vine was in Papillon black/gold metallic thread I found it much easier to work with than other metallics I have used.
The rose clusters are slightly different colours, making it more interesting to stitch. It was, however, the final addition of the three different shades of green that unified the design in a miraculous way. This was a great lesson in the importance of just the right shade.
Construction would have been easier if I had read the instructions more carefully, rather than skimming and assuming I knew how to do it. I have made a number of bags in this shape, but the construction of this one was different. It gathered the bag and lining together then added the bottoms by hand.
I machine-stitched the outer bottom in before realising my error. Rather than unpick the silk, I left it machine stitched, but added the stiffened lining bottom by hand.
The sides are also deeply split, so the bag opens almost flat. I'm not sure how necessary that is, since the bag is very full and opens wide anyway, but it was good to try it.
The bag is quite hard to photograph true to colour, because the gold reflects so much light, but this image is fairly close.
It is proving to be useful - and lovely to look at and feel.
The rose clusters are slightly different colours, making it more interesting to stitch. It was, however, the final addition of the three different shades of green that unified the design in a miraculous way. This was a great lesson in the importance of just the right shade.
5 comments:
Oh Jillian, what an absolutely beautiful bag. Stunning!
I am a bag person too I have discovered; you can just never have enough and it is a good way to play with different techniques. I do love yours, it is a work of art!
I loved this bag also. The colours were gorgeous, as you say. I didn't realize each group of roses was different! Did you buy the kit, or did you already have the materials on hand?
No, I bought the kit. While I have a few bits of dupion in my stash, the colours were what attracted me and I thought if I was going to do it, I'd get the recommended colours.
The kits ARE convenient, aren't they? And I think they save you money in the long run, if you have to shop all over to get the materials. I had bad luck with CB kits last year - perpetually out of stock, but maybe they've got that sorted now.
Hopefully. I have ordered two from the latest Inspirations and had an email to say the order is being processed.
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