EINE TASCHE ZUM GEBURTSTAG

Yes, when I threw that heap together I had already a small idea what to do with it, because it was after considering and rejecting a lot of other possibilities. The thing I for sure wanted to use was the cross stitch embroidery. 

I was given a small bag full of unfinished embroideries by my friend Aiva, I don't know where they came from. One piece was probably meant to be a little table map once, but did never arrive to be one. It is a pity that I forgot to photograph it. It was maybe 60 cm square, a house with some trees near it was stitched in the middle and several flowers had been started at the border, divided by a single black cross stitch line all around. I had no intention to finish it, but had something else with it in mind - a bag of course. 

I had an order for a birthday gift to a sister, a large bag, suitable for shopping, and was sent a photo of the receiver together with some information on her. The colors green and orange were mentioned too. So I imagined this woman really good in my mind to figure her out. To be 50 years old, lovely looking, wearing a romantic shirt, smiling sweetly. Husband a landscape gardener, three grown children. She is tending to a big vegetable garden behind the house, she did grow up on a farm near a forest.

Should I also tell you that she is a cousin I never met? But that is entirely another story, told by life itself.

So this is the bag I came up with, a big roomy tote in somehow the wanted colors. The pale orange is linen, the flowery material is decorator fabric. The homey house is inserted at the front, the pretty flower embroideries are appliqued at the back. The red strip was added to pep it up a bit, but I found it too dominant, so I added the ribbon, after toning it down a bit with black tea.

The handles matching the fabric at the bottom give it all some harmony. Inside are two big pockets, one zippered. I used up all the material to the last piece. After I finished the bag, my eye fell on the waste basket - hm... I fished out enough small scraps to patch together a pouch to go together with the tote.

I always like a challenge and I loved creating this bag.
Thank you unknown embroiderer, I honored your work and I admired it.