A handbag thing

I have never been much of a shoe person. For most of my late teens and early twenties I wore steel toe cap Dr Martin boots or big heavy motorcycle boots. I teamed them with strange net skirts and velvet dresses and thick black tights and fancied myself as looking like Madonna I suppose. The comfortable boot years rather spoiled me I am afraid and comfort in shoes has been a must ever since. In recent years I have begun to embrace uncomfortable shoes a little more and my collection of towering heels is growing but shoes are still the afterthought of the outfit and I do still love a boot. On the other hand, bags are certainly not an afterthought and the money I have saved on shoes has been well and truly spent on bags. I spend a great deal of time and effort hunting down the perfect everyday bags and I especially love pretty evening bags.

My return to sewing has produced several bags so far and of course there are also more than a few knitted bags amongst my collection. These two bags were sewn for a recent trip to Chester Races, as usual I left things to the very last minute and they were hurriedly sewn the night before, one black, one white because my decision on what to wear was even more last minute and this covered both options.

Grace Kelly was in my head when I made my drawings, and a browse through one of my Japanese Craft books produced something close to what I wanted. I used very stiff interfacing and boning in the handle. The bags are made of off-white linen and black silk and decorated with some of my precious vintage buttons, so ridiculously hard to make myself use those buttons! I am so pleased with how they turned out, for once exactly as I imagined and hoped. They are now decorating my bedroom along some of the rest of my collection. Incidentally, as you can perhaps tell from the attached ticket, the white bag went to the races in the end although needless to say, 5 minutes before I needed to leave I was still tossing up between two choices, I do wish I was more decisive....

Comments

Linda said…
Wow, what gorgeous bags! I too love bags but buy them and then end up using the faithful old one I always use!
They are both sooo pretty, it's too difficult to choose!
Anonymous said…
How pretty and creative! I'd be like you -- unable to decide and reluctant to use my buttons. They are just beautiful.
Anonymous said…
Very beautiful bags!
I do the exact same thing. I always go back and forth on the more appropriate outfit and then when I get to the event, decide I have chosen the wrong one. Every time.
Anonymous said…
The bags are beautiful, though being someone who doesn't really own any black clothes and always feels ridiculously formal in black shoes, I'd go for the off-white one every time. I love the buttons as decoration - they give a professional-but-quirky edge.
Charity said…
These are wonderful, so elegant looking! :0)
Cornflower said…
Rebecca, you are so talented! Those bags are gorgeous - you'll have to start taking commissions (if you don't already, that is)>
Michele said…
sublimely beautiful - both of them
Anonymous said…
I used to wear DM's all the time too, now as I get older I find I'm going down the sparkly girly road.
Those bags are GORGEOUS.
Bethany said…
You are so creative... I just love them both! I think Grace Kelly is the epitome of beauty. You probably look just like her with that purse!
alltangledup said…
the bags are beautiful.. Isn't it odd that we collect things like vintage buttons but besitaate to use them? they are perfect with these bags
Anonymous said…
They are so elegant. If I wouldn't know that you are an excellent seamstress, I would think they were designer bags from a shop. Excellent work.
Sabine (mindfulknitting)
Anonymous said…
Gorgeous!! Wel done for using the buttons. I keep resolving to use all my preciouses, but also keep baulking!
Anonymous said…
I love the handbags Rebecca! I too, was a Doc Martin kinda girl. Still am I suppose. Not sure if you get the Martha Stewart show over there, but on Friday, most of her show was dedicated to handbags.
gilraen said…
I love your bags!!!! What a lovely idea! They are good enough for Grace herslf! :)
Flavaknits said…
They are stunning bags - not much of a bag person myself, but those babies are gorgeous!
Anonymous said…
I can understand the reluctance to use your buttons - my stash is full of fabulous little items that I haven't quite found the right project for yet. I have to say tho' I think you made a perfect choice in using them on these bags. Beautiful and very elegant.

Bet your boot wearing younger self never thought she'd be elegant ?!;0)
Arianwen said…
I love the bags, they are a wonderful back drop for your buttons. I think you can probably date all of us by the DMs. I love inpractical shoes and bags but always go back to the comfortable old faithfuls. Much to the horror of my daughters!
Sue said…
You are so talented, those bags are both gorgeous. What a great addition to your collection.
yvette said…
Your handbags are gorgeous Rebecca,
I love my doc martins but I do like pretty girly shoes too.
Anonymous said…
Gorgeous bags. I'm a bag addict too. Just can't resist bags. I knit most of my bags now. I wish Icould sew. I was stunned when Iread you had made them yourself. They're stunning.
M said…
Lovely bags. Buttons are such a lovely way to decorate.

I too am more of a handbag person. I'd love to love shoes but my feet are all the wrong shape. You can never be the wrong shape for a beautiful bag.

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