Sunflower

Sunflower

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Weaving a purse

   While I wait for the Orlon I ordered to make the scarf for my co-worker, I figured I would make myself a new purse, hobo bag style, since my current one's straps are rapidly fraying.
  I had woven this a good while ago in a diamond twill of a thick lavender linen and 16/2 undyed linen, and didn't have enough for the project.  Shocking, I know.
   Anyway, it has been sitting in our closet with the other stuff I have woven and not sold. I knew it would be strong enough for a purse, but that I would also have to line it.  Fortunately, I also had some bleached muslin left over from another project which I will use to make the lining.
   I am pretty much winging it with the design.  I figured the body of it would be a thin U of the lavender fabric, with the strap, woven on my inkle loom, sewn down the sides and bottom of the U.
The loaded loom, outer fabric, and inner lining fabric.

   It's kinda hard to see, but the design on the inkle strap is called wandering vine, woven in dark blue, half-bleached, and light purple linen.  I hope it will look better once it is washed and dried.
   The fun part will be figuring out how to do the lining, because I like pockets and compartments in a purse.  I don't like the black hole where everything goes in and good luck getting anything back out.  I had woven some little purses on Styrofoam forms that I might sew onto the front, for keys or cellphone or sunglasses.
   Once I have figured out how to do this, I will make a few others to sell on Etsy.
   We'll see how this goes.