I heart purses

This last week I decided to venture into a new world of art (and in this case, crafts). I decided to make myself a new purse.

First, I picked out a rich, reddish-burgundy wool yarn that I used to knit the body of the purse. The color reminds me of a dark merlot wine that has been poured into a glass and held up to the light; there are hints of light red, dark red and black depending on how the light is shining.

I finished the knitting, then went searching for handles. I ended up liking a pair of 10 inch black bamboo circulars; they work well as a handle and are also large enough to go over my shoulder (versatility!). After folding my knit piece in half and binding the sides I wrapped the upper edges over the handles and fastened them.

Finally I had the joy of hunting through the stacks of vintage silk fabrics at a local fabric shop (F&S Fabrics on Pico) until I found one with the colors I wanted; in this case I was looking for reds and blacks. I don't know what it is about being surrounded by beautiful fabrics with deep colors and exotic patterns, but I absolutely love it! The fabric that is laying behind the purse is the left over remnant from what is now the lining. I even went so far as to fashion a little pocket in the lining for keys or a cellphone.

While I have never been much of a "purse person" I can now see the draw. I had such fun picking out the different materials, then hand-crafting everything together. I am looking forward to taking my purse on it's first outdoor excursion. I hope it holds up well. Who knows, this may be the beginning of a whole new creative line... (watch out gucci, coach, chanel...) :)