Glorious Ribbon Roses

What an absolute pleasure it was today to sit and stitch with Catherine Howell and the other lovely ladies in our Geelong Fibre Forum Class. Handstitching must be the most therapeutic activity I know and when it is with a tutor as lovely as Catherine it is bliss. A big thank you goes to TAFTA for the bursary to attend.

I am making Catherine’s Venetian bag and my box of goodies is just delicious: beautiful hand dyed fabrics, silk ribbons and threads to work with.

Here is stage 1 of the ribbon roses (looking like Madonna’s pointy bra!)

Then the completed roses sewn with the beautifully coloured silk ribbons:

And the roses attached to the silk velvet front of the bag:

Originally I was supposed to be doing Catherine’s Fruitful Abundance bag but I felt I would have more use out of the Venetian bag, and it would also look great displayed on a mannequin with my Grandmother’s wedding dress from the late 1920’s.

Also this bag may not take as long to make so I’m hoping to make one of Catherine’s Fritillaries, gorgeous embroidered and beaded flower tassels.

Off for some more stitching tomorrow.

Cheers