Bright Bag

Promo shot - no-one I know!

I had a few days away from home again recently and needed a project to take with me that didn't need too much equipment. I decided on a Charles Craft Bright Ideas cross-stitched shoulder bag I had bought from The Fox Collection some time ago. It comes as an already made Aida tote, with a set of three suggested patterns and colour charts. It is designed to showcase DMC's neon acryllic thread range.

I had the yellow bag with orange handles and decided to go with the pattern on the bag in the promo shot.

I tried to get the border and large flowers outlined before I went travelling, so I could have bits to do that didn't require a lot of chart scrutiny.

The bright yellow Aida is lovely - very cheery and quite soft to touch. Working with a hand inside the already-made bag wasn't too bad at all. The bag is large enough. There is one angle that is a bit awkward, but on the whole I could avoid holding the bag in that position.



It turned out to be a good travel project - a bit of work that required close reference to the chart, but a lot of area that was 'colouring in'.


As soon as I put in the white petals, it took on a dimensional quality - quite exciting to see.



It took me a bit longer than I had thought it might. Although the Aida is easy to work, there is quite a lot of detail and the ribbon and roses have three shades.








While I really like the effect, and I will use the bag a lot, I dislike working with the acrylic thread, which shreds, catches and frays at every opportunity.

The effect, however, is so bright, cheery and dimensional that is has been worth persevering. The key, I think, is using the neon acrylic thread for highlights rather than the total embroidery. The cotton thread was such a joy to work with after the acrylic. There was enough cotton to keep me sane.

I am very pleased with the finished effect and the bag will be very useful.

Would I make another one? I'd certainly be happy to work a couple more of these bright bags. I'd prefer to work them in cotton thread - but  I think I would make judicious use of the acrylic thread - it produces such a pleasing effect.