A long time ago …

in the summer of 2008 to be exact, we went to the Burrell Collection in Glasgow where we saw, amongst other things, an exhibition of suzanis.

Which inspired a piece of needlepoint, which was going to be made into a bag.

I finished the embroidery, bought the backing fabric, zip, clasp etc. and found some fabric for the lining in my stash, but unfortunately it became a UFO*, and lived in a plastic bag in the cupboard. But just before we went on holiday it fell out on me again and I decided to finish it.

There was a bit of resistance when it came to putting in the grommets [not my favourite activity] – but today I plucked up my courage, my hole punch, my hammer, and my grommet setter – and it is finished. I wish I could have got a brown clasp – but it will do – in fact I’m quite pleased with it. So much so that I’m thinking of designing another piece of suzani inspired needlepoint – probably in even more non-traditional colours …

Today’s picture is one of my ‘textile words with two meanings’ ideas. Not sure it works – but trying out ideas is surely the point of a sketch book – or even an unsketch book.

The letters are self adhesive fun foam – also used for some of my alphabet tags, which are languishing a bit at the moment as the result of bag finishing. Wish I had a bit more stickability– that’s why I need the discipline of a formal course.

* Unfinished Object