Slow process…

February 16, 2014 by mostlypurple 7 Comments

sketch for a bag

Ready to sew…

handle template

stitch detail

Oval…

… or round?

Final felt bag with handles

Handle detail

“Make bags” said a friend recently, and I took this to heart and sat down sketching out some possible designs. Why is it that if something has handles people don’t question the size or shape of a vessel, yet without handles the recurring questions is ‘what do you use it for’?  Anyway, I liked my drawings, made some felt panels and got ready to sew… when the sewing machine broke! I have to say here that I have had this machine for almost 30 years after I inherited it from a friend when the machine was already more than 20 years old… it did well, didn’t it? So, that slowed things down a bit! I was very reluctant to let go of this trusted and familiar machine, but went ahead anyway and am now coming to grips with a brand new sewing machine. It takes a while to feel comfortable and confident with new equipment but things are coming along. 

As I have often found in the past – it is one thing to have an idea in your head, make a drawing on paper and the actual, physical object. During the middle stage I was still following my original idea from the drawing, planning a  special handle and made a template for it. But once I start handling something I am working on – things start to change! It is the material here and now, the feel of and character of the object that in the end decide how I proceed. Which means that I started to move away from my drawing- I added a rim which led to a different handle – again a design that emerged after various different attempts. After this long drawn out process I have finally made a felt bag! Whether it is the first one of a series or not I am not sure yet – still working on building up that momentum again!