Water Lily Purse
13.5" wide x 11.75" tall + handles
I got these handles on the free table at my last guild meeting. I was so excited, because I had a plan. Cut the old fabric off, sand and refinish the handles, then make a purse. I have been collecting sample fabrics for many years. Lately, I have been thinning my stash. While going through this process, I pulled out several pieces that I particularly liked. This is one of them. I first used one layer of batting and backing under the flowers and bud. I cut away the excess before doing the all over quilting. The flowers and bud stand out a bit more. Everything is rather subtle. Rather elegant for a wood handled purse. Of course I painted gold on the edges of the wood for a little extra glitz. This also covered up the plywood edge.
Water Lily Purse, detail
I quilted everything at least once in gold thread. I found the only way to keep it from shredding, even using a metallic needle, was to go at the tortoise speed on my machine. Around the leaves and flowers, I sewed three to five times. I am very happy with the way it came out. I tried several brands of thread. I had the best luck with Sulky Metallic. It is a very fine thread, so that it way I had to go over the stitching many times.
Inside Handles and Purse
Inside Purse
I used raw, washed canvas on the part of the purse next to the handles because that area will get a lot of abrasion. The lining fabric is polyester for its' strength and softness.
Purse Back
I quilted this in a wavy cross hatch pattern using the gold thread.
Original Purse
I mistakenly cut the fabric off the handles as soon as I arrived home. As I was taking the purse apart, I noticed how lovely it was and regretted taking it apart so carelessly. The fabric is a hand woven wool. After I felt it, it will become part of my felted wool stash.
This is seventy, number 17
For more information on "seventy", please see the post below.
Original Purse Fabric after Wet Felting
This shrunk more than anything I have ever wet felted. Apparently it is not a good idea to felt hand woven fabric. Look at my mistake and learn. It is just a thick blob full of bits from the other things in the same load. Needless to say, it is very disappointing.
9 comments:
Very pretty!
Great bag.
Ann what a beautiful way to re-purpose.
You updated that purse frame in such a lovely way. Much better this way! Sweet of you to realize that the original fabric is handwoven. It does not make much of a statement as a bag - you'll find a much better use for it in your artwork.
Ann...I believe that this is one of the first piece of fabric used for a purse, (not a pieced nor appliqued piece, but a piece of fabric, manipulated, stuffed,) which is decorated to perfection, attached to a wonderful purse frame and yelling out to me to stay a while and look at it closely....very beautiful! Thank you for posting the link to share on qa
Kristin
Wonderful use of the fabric and the handles. So many people don't have enough vision to repurpose and reuse such treasures. Thanks for sharing! Janice
Ann, your purse is absolutely beautiful. I love it. It is indeed a beautiful repurposing. I always check out purse handles when I am in the thrift store. You never know beauty you will find. Maggie
Your purse looks terrific. I'm sure you'll find a use for that little shrunken bag, altho it must have been surprising to see it when i came out of the wash.
This purse is lovely and worth all the effort you put into it.
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