WITCH BAG

This is a funny bag, only for decoration, I created a while ago for an exhibition. It is crocheted with paper yarn together with painted tyvek bands. Sisal and torn fabric strips are used for the fringe. I made creepy ceramic faces and ceramic beads. I gladly incorporated all kind of found rusted stuff and dry plant and tree material, little twigs and shriveled and wooden fruit, like petite pomegranates, cones, and pine needles tied into a broom, tiny stones with holes from the beach and snailshells. Every thing I saw fit and thought a true witch would grab, was inserted and hung on it, together with all sorts of beads, with fragile feathers and strange yarn, an old thread spool my friend Aiva gave me, one big bead carved from bone, glass beads from Hebron, pieces of Bedouin embroidery and crochet doilies, shells and little bells, and ruined and tattered cloth patches I found half buried in the sand near the shore. What ever suits my fancy I will collect at the fleamarket and pick up from the ground on our nature excursions, stuffing the pockets of my trousers, while my husband is photographing flowers. I am a collector of free stuff, can't help it - like many of you, I know!
My son-in-law Ilan built the very fitting stand for the bag - such good hands he has!

 

It is very hard to photograph the bag as a whole -  only the details show you how versatile it is. Please zoom in! I had great pleasure to create this bag and I think it is worthy for any witch living in the woods!

First I had to make the ceramic faces and beads, this needs time, till it is bisque dry and then fired. After I had those ready it took about one day to prepare the crochet  materials, to tear the fabric into strips, to paint the tyvek and cut it into rounds to get long bands and then roll it into large balls. It took then two full days to crochet and embellish the bag, most of the stuff is right incorporated with the crochet, I think there was no sewing on at all. The bag was constructed in three parts, front and back and a long piece of gusset together with the handles.
Of course it took many trips and excursions over a long period of time beforehand to collect all those things! :-) Size of the bag:
15" (38cm) x 12" (31cm) x 3" (8cm), the fringe is 14" (36cm) long and the handles are 20" (50cm) long.