i am pleased to announce that Miss. S. Machine and i have been cooking up quite a stir the last few days...apart from all the usual slip making we have been working on a few new bags...so if you are sitting comfortably then i shall begin with this weeks 'show and tell' which really i should rename 'show and click', you'll find out soon enough. it's a bit different from usual though, because this time i shall do some showing and then i hope that you will do the telling, so pay extra attention as questions will follow!
i have had an order for some bags from a lovely clothing boutique in the UK, i have been procrastinating about it since mid March, not good i know. however, last week a custom order came through that made me 'pull myself together' and get myself into gear...both the store and the customer require bags with a real vintage feel. and so i got busy and here are the results...
now for some close ups. first we have two tote bags here and here...nothing new there. but for sometime now i have been thinking i need to work on a shape that is a little bit more 'elegant' for want of a better word...to compliment the old lace and buttons. taking inspiration from my lovely new craft books, i redesigned the top of the tote bag and also changed to one handle (that's the best bit of all, only one handle to make, yipee)...so here it is modelled for us today by the beautiful Maud
take a good look at the front, the back this detail and the inside (i just love this fabric)...here are two others along the same lines...#1 and #2 and just so you get an idea of size here's moi modelling one...i am perfectly happy with the results, however...
dear readers, i'm asking you for your in put. i have been told before that people like a nice big opening to their bags...i can understand this after all most of us carry around everything but the kitchen sink in our bags...however i feel that a bag like this should have a more delicate, smaller opening, what do you think...also some of the lace that i use is very very old and has certainly seen better days. in fact the bits i use for my bags often date back to victorian days, some of the pieces are marked or stained (just like near the buckle in Maud's bag). do you think this adds to the charm of the bag or would it put you off the bag...just interested to know, basically i feel like i am standing in the street doing a 'customer survey'..."excuse me madam, could you possibly spare five minutes of your time to answer a few quick questions?" if you can i would really appreciate it...
so after all that important thinking you have had to do, i shall reward you with a snap shot of dinner at my house tonight...just little old me by myself, do you think it has anything to do with the "unrecognisable food" in the bowl...
'no more gray for today' ~ Tif
12 comments:
I really like the new bag design. I'm a sucker for linen and vintage. I would favour the smaller opening every time. The reason being that whenever I've carried big bags with big openings, I worry about pick pockets. Very Oliver Twist I know but there you are.
I love any item with a history (I sold vintage clothes in the UK) especially lace and trim but I have to say that a stain would put me off and I'd choose the bag without the stained lace. Hope that helps.
I'm sure that some people are going to take the opposite view to me. Interested to know what you'll do if you count up the votes and it's a dead heat!
Maud's looking well!!
Since you asked...
I vote for the smaller opening on the bag as I've had far too many embarassing spillages in public to trust anything too loosey goosey. I do love the bags you've done though, the very first pic I looked at was my fav. You're truly a genius Tif, hats off to ya!
I have been in the rag/antique/interiors trade for 24 years and i think that your "stuff" is lovely, lovely, lovely, and believe me i am very hard to please!, i have a theory about vintage, either you are a purest or you just want to dip your toe!. So if you have a bit of lace that has seen better days i would probably put it into a piece that is totally vintage, this then would appeal to a purest or someone who is shall we say a little avant-garde! i hope you understand the method in my madness, i have not had my second cup of coffee yet, back later have a good one ! Stephne x
They are beautiful!! I agree the smaller opening is good!
I love the new look bag and the bag with the lace and buckle is my most favourite bag of the moment - i went straight over to your shop to see if it was for sale!
Alas for me it ain,t!
As you can tell the slight marking on old lace would not worry me at all - HOWEVER..... from having a shop for 3 years customers do notice marks and will ask for a discount even if they are told (with care and respect!) that the item is old, battered and worn.
So.... if you need a new home for that bag where the mark will only add to the charm of it then my credit card is ready for action x
Tracy x
lovely bags
I wouldn't mind the stain-if you love old things you must know they are care worn,that adds to the appeal.
I love the look of the small openings but personally like to have a big opening for practical reasons.I tend to struggle getting things in and out in a rush.I am always in a rush!
I love vintage items to show their age so spots and stains add to their appeal for me.
I am a sucker for the vintage "look" without the vintage wear. I feel a stain or some such thing would put me off a bit and I would choose something with the look that is not authentic but in good shape. I think these types of items appeal to the masses, with a select population choosing authentic vintage regardless of the shape it is in. I also prefer a bag with a large opening that can be securely closed. You are completely adorable and I love your site!!
I would hesitate on making the opening to big,because the owner will proceed to pack it quite full,beyond capacity even and spillage will occur. I love the patina and age on the beautiful vintage lace,and think others will too.They are certainly lovely.
P.S.The wee little trailer you showed us a few posts back.I just realized(by seeing someone else show and tell about it) that it was a toy! I know if I had looked closer at the pic,I would have noticed the dishes around it,perhaps I thought you had parked it in "The Land of the Giants".Did you know Cath Kidstons,teenage daughter has a vintage trailor(or caravan)for a fun room ,painted in her inmitible style?
I have to leave my second comment of the day because I just happened upon this blog http://vintagepleasure.typepad.com/vintage_pleasure/ from ANOTHER blog I was reading, and as I was scrolling through the pictures I realized I was looking at another one of your slips that has made it's way out into the world. You're EVERYWHERE!!!
I love all your bags!
I think I would use the smaller opening for a purse and the larger for books and magazines.So I would buy one of each. (don't tell my husband )
As for stains if it was slight or blended in I wouldn't mind.My favorite bag is a barkcloth sewing bag with a few age stains.
ps your hair looks great!
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