August 30, 2016

baggin' it

wowsers! as the very wise Inspector Gadget would say ;). It's been quite a while hasn't it? And not much to show for it either :D, just this bag. But here I am again, probably/hopefully more constant. Have not been around your blogs a lot either, hope you're all doing okay and I will catch up over time.


so for now a miniature bag I made after one I had many years ago, twice even.


the first was one my grandmother had brought home from a vacation in Spain many decades ago. My mom got it from her, who gave it to me in my teens. I loved it a lot and used it everyday, but unfortunately I lost it someday on my bike home from work. Didn't even notice it missing until I got home.. I guess as a teenager I 'traveled' light, haha (had gone back to look along the route I took, but didn't find it..)
 

after losing it, and still loving the kind of bag, at that time I just thought I'd make something similar. So for that purpose I looked for something suitable and in a fairtrade-shop I found 2 African crocheted (?) tableclothes that'd be great for it. Made an inside bag, stitched it all together, braided a shoulder 'belt' and knotted some fringe at the bottom and this was the result. I've enjoyed that bag for quite a number of years as well, I think I still have it somewhere. This is an old photo of it (the folded part at the top was because the tableclothes were longer than I liked for my bag, but didn't want to cut it of and solved it this way):


and now I have miniature version of it, well a different version of it, which I actually like better than it's RL-counterpart :D. I made it with pieces of lace from Art of Mini (they don't sell lace anymore unfortunately) I thought were right for it and have that crocheted look. While my lifesize bag had a creamcoloured inside bag, I decided to give this one a black one for contrast and to better see the pattern.


this is all I had photographed from the process, but you get the idea I think ;)

and since this is the first post I'm writing since receiving it and it also fits the 'theme' of crocheted miniatures, I'd like to show you what the very sweet Susan of Mini Crochet Mad made for me a while ago! As you might recall I had a bit of a disappointing experience with an online webshop where I'd ordered a miniature baby-hat for a future bookbox-babyroomscene, well: Susan has seriously made up for that!


she not only very kindly offered to make me a hat as a gift, as you can see she did much more ;). I was so humbled by all she's made for me. Besides the lovely hat with a tiny flower and leaf (!), she made the cutest tiny babyunderpants with tiny buttons, the smallest babybooties, a babycardigan with a pattern that cannot be easy to do and a spare hat!! That's already great in itself and I felt very spoiled, but I was even more excited by how beautiful & perfect Susan made it. It's so small but só fine and evenly crocheted, it's just amazing! Thank you so much again for your more than generous gift Susan, it means a lot: it will make such a lovely part of that babyscene to come!

next (I will start this soon): the butterfly - or golden - palm using my cat's naturally shed whiskers, with tutorial! Hope you've been able to collect some yourself if you'd like to make one.
example, image found on Google


34 comments:

  1. beaucoup de charme et d'éléganceau 1/1 et au 1/12

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  2. Hello Monique,
    How nice to see a new post on your blog. The bag you made is gorgeous. What a beautiful piece and such a great memory!
    Susan's work is just amazing. what lovely miniatures.
    Big hug
    Giac

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    1. Thank you Giac, it's good to be back :D. Thanks for the compliments, always great to read :D

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  3. this bag is great! it reminds me a bit of the hippy times (gee, I am that old already...) but since fashion is always repeating itself this is absolutely fashionable !!

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    1. thanks Marion! Haha, it's those facts that make you realize your age doesn't it? I could very well have been from that time ;). And I agree, I guess this year the bohemian (other word for hippy-ish?) made it quite fashionable :D

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  4. It is so good to see you back.

    That bag brings back memories. Your miniature one is wonderful. I love the way you added the fringe. It looks like there is a little knot at the top of each piece.

    Congratulations on all those beautiful crocheted baby things. They are just perfect.

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    1. Thank you Catherine, it's good to be back and thanks for the compliment! :D Haha, well, the knots are real, I made them as I did with the RL-bag, I put a few strands of yarn through the bottom of the bag and knotted them as close to the bottom as I could. Susans items are indeed perfect, it absolutely baffles me how she does it, not being a handiwork-person myself (had greatest trouble making this bag look a bit decent and is far from perfect if you look closer).

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  5. Hi Monique, welkom terug :D! Jazeker, dit soort schoudertassen is voor mij jeugdsentiment en jouw mini examplaar is zeer gelijkend, prima werk :)! De babyset van Susan is absoluut prachtig werk, erg fijntjes. Ik word daardoor gelijk nieuwsgierig naar jouw babyscene, "die eraan komt", zeg je?!
    Ook die palm heeft natuurlijk mijn interesse, maar helaas heb ik geen katten/snorharen, want ik ben superallergisch voor katten......zal ik een andere oplossing moeten bedenken hiervoor ;O!!
    Groetjes, Ilona

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    1. Merci Ilona, haha, leuk dat het herinneringen oproept bij mijn medebloggers ;). Ja ongelooflijk he, wat Susan heeft gemaakt, echt knap! Oh nee hoor, die babyscene is nog slechts een idee, nav iets en een boekdoos dat ik bleek te hebben (was theedoos in vorm boek) en wil eerst wat andere dingen afmaken. Maar in de toekomst ga ik er zeker mee beginnen en het ontwerp heb ik wel en heb er al wel wat dingen voor verzameld wanneer ik iets ervoor tegenkwam.
      Wb de snorharen, ben je ook allergisch voor de snorharen zelf denk je? Heb nl. altijd begrepen dat het de huidschilfers zijn wat de allergie veroorzaakt. Ik vraag dat omdat ik waarschijnlijk wel wat overhou en dan zou je die mogen hebben, maar niet als ik je daarmee in de problemen help natuurlijk ;). Weet niet of dat genoeg zou zijn voor een hele plant, maar mss dan een wat minder volle? En ik ga sowieso denken over een alternatief ervoor, dat zal niet zo'n mooi resultaat geven als de snorharen, maar omdat ik het altijd fijn vind dat zoveel mogelijk mensen een tutorial kunnen doen.

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  6. you've made a great version of a bag in that style, and the minis Susan made are absolutely lovely too! How sweet of her to do that for you.
    Great to see you online again!
    Hugs,
    Gee

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    1. thanks Gee, it's great to hear from all of you too! Thank you, I love to hear that, and Susan has been too kind and the items are indeed lovely!

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  7. Hi Monique! It is wonderful to see a post from you! The "hippy" bag is so true.... I guess it dates me to remember those things! Your tiny one is beautiful and has all the details of those olden days... fringe was So freakin' cool!!! :)
    And your tiny crochet baby clothes are adorable and perfect! What a great gift!

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    1. Hi Betsy, thanks, it's great to be back! Haha, fringe is still freakin' cool! :D
      thank you for your compliments, it was an easy but fullfilling little project. It is an amazing gift indeed, very spoiled by Susan and her magic hands :D!

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  8. Muy bonito el bolso y los regalos que te han hecho.

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  9. Welcome back! Lovely to see you; and wow, both your lace bag, and Susan's gifts are just amazing. Mini people, like book people, are generally so generous and caring, aren't they?

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    1. thanks Azteclady! Haha, mini-people and book-people, my imagination sees actual mini-people and bookpeople, weird, especially the last categorie ;). But you're so right, they definitely are and I feel so spoiled.. :D

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  10. Your lace bag is lovely Monique and I enjoyed the story behind it as well! As Marion has mentioned, it reminds me of bags used in the late 60's although I think yours looks more feminine and romantic than the ones I recall from that era.
    Also I have to comment on Susan's mini crochet items- they are MASTERPIECES! She has so much skill and her work is so fine and delicate. You are one LUCKY LADY! :D

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    1. thank you Elizabeth! I wasn't even born then so I don't know, but I've always been fascinated by the 60'ies. Fun fashion mostly. They are indeed masterpieces, I don't know how she does it, it is indeed very skilled, fine & delicate work, I couldn't belief my eyes when I received them.. :D And I certainly am that!

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  11. Una bolsa preciosa y los tejidos de Susan son una maravilla!!
    Besos.

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  12. Oh, I love your miniature bag! And your big bag too! Glad you enjoyed the baby clothes :)

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    1. thank you Susan! And I definitely enjoy the babyclothes as I mentioned before, although 'enjoy' is a big understatement! :D

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  13. Monique! you are so talented!! Your bag is delightful. Well done
    Si

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  14. The bag is lovely and beautifully made. I can't wait to see what you do with the cat's whiskers!

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    1. thank you Irene! Haha, they're the best for making a realistic butterfly or golden palm, I think you'll agree ;).

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  15. Beautiful bag and wonderful baby items what a lucky lady you are. Always enjoy reading your posts, hope you have had a great summer.

    Jenn

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    1. Thank you Jennifer! And I am indeed very lucky to have received such an amazing and generous gift! For what I'm used to, I've had a wonderful summer :D, I hope you too?

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  16. Hi Monique, so nice to see a post from you and even better to hear you've been busy and had a lovley Summer.
    Love the style of the bag...very boho/chic and what lovely gifts from Susan. =0)

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  17. Thanks Pepper! :D Well, busy is something else entirely ;), but I have been able to go outside a bit and have a smell of life again and that was absolutely awesome! Hope you had a good/great summer too?

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  18. Oh my word, those baby clothes are amazing. The bag is gorgeous.

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    1. they are aren't they? I was pretty baffled by the quality and delicacy when I received them. And thanks Polly! :D

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