My Linen Bag

I am excited to share this bag because I LOVE IT!  I've been thinking of a bag like this for a while now, with some fabulous Japanese sewing book in the back of my mind as inspiration.  It is a tote with some angles and my new silk screen design and sturdy over stitching in a turquoisey blue.  Here,  see what I mean.

I kept the selvage edge as it came, frayed but unable to fray any further, with a red thread running across.  How could I hide it!?

And the straps are roughly stitched in an intentional sort of way, adding what I think is an interesting detail, but also makes this bag so easy to make without a pattern or fuss, not to mention making it strong and sturdy.

I think I have come to sewing in the right era.  The art of designing things is more fluid and open ended- sort of an anything goes philosophy.  My dear friend's mother, who has a beautiful and magical touch with the things she makes, says that what you sew should be able to be worn inside out because it should be that well finished.  That is the era she was reared in with her sewing machine or needle and thread.  I would have run away screaming, it is so diametrically opposed to how I am able and willing to do things.  I want things finished nicely, I do, but my self-imposed rules are quite a bit different.  I like raw edges.  I like my stitching to show.  I like to take what could be a mistake and turn into into a cool detail.  I am not always successful with what might be a willy nilly approach, but when it works, even I love it.  The rest is chalked up to the learning process, which has it's good points.  I do love to sew!

I am going to make some more bags like this one and sell them in my ETSY shop.  Just click on My Etsy Shop above and see what I have there.  I am always making new things, so keep checking.  

I am thrilled to announce that The Crafty Crow is posting my Spring Birdy project, as seen in my last posting.  I hope it is my first of many on that fabulous site.  Let me know what you think of the tutorial and if it is clear.