Finishing #2:

Another long-time WIP has moved into the FO category this week:

The Tendrils Purse:

When I knitted tendrils, I had part of a skein of yarn left over and I was loath to waste it so I adapted the pattern and knitted a short stretch of fabric for a purse. This was some time ago - the same week I finished Tendrils in fact. Since then it has languised in a bag waiting for some time and the attention of the sewing machine.


On Tuesday evening, when the machine was out for the French Market Bag, I remembered the Tendrils purse and resurrected her. I sewed a purse lining using some cream silk fabric unpicked from a worn-out shirt that the Resident Radiologist's parents had made for him 27 years ago in China. I then set a short zip into the top by hand (this was a new technique for me - I usually use the machine, but this was too small and fiddly).

Finally, I sewed the short sides of the knitted fabric to the zip and seamed the edges with mattress stitch.


I'm pretty pleased with the results and the purse looks great with the wrap.

Now all it needs is a loop of ribbon to go over my wrist, but that could take some time...

Finishing #1:

I may have said this before, but there's something incredibly satisfying about finishing things. Over the last couple of days I've been on a bit of a finishing spree, including proper finishing that included needles and thread as well as the finishing socks kind of finishing.

Here is the finished French Market Bag:



I lined it with some Pucci-inspired swirly fabric I had in my stash that I think tones beautifully with the knitted fabric.


I turned the bag (which has a square base) inside out over a conveniently-sized box and measured up for the lining.


I sewed the lining up on the machine, then attached the lining to the bag by hand, tacking in the corners then going round the top in whipstitch while the outer was still stretched over the box (made things much simpler).



I'm really very pleased with how it's turned out.