A Girl's Best Friend: Her Purse

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My Purse ...My Life

How many times have you heard or said this?  "My whole life is in my purse." Uh-huh, more times than you care to remember.  

With society as it is today, I've scaled back considerably with the size and contents of my everyday purse.  My girl's best friend exists in the form of a handy, somewhat worn, clutch I can tuck under my arm. But that doesn't stop me from enjoying my Sunday and special occasion purses that always accompany a nice pair of heels and hose.   

So as I chat a little about purses, I'll sprinkle in photos of the latest yarn creations from the First Tuesday-Third Wednesday talented club members, starting with Karen's Entrelac handbag.

 (Left - Handbags - Karen Duell)

(Karen's Entrelac Handbag)

(Toni's Socks)

A Girl's Best Friend

I adore purses, handbags, a girl's best friend... whatever name suits you.  I even dig products shaped like a handbag.  Have you seen what they're creating in bakeries, patisseries and chocolateries, lately?  Here's a hint?  They're designer handbags you can't pass by no matter how hard you try.  Yes, you'll find a Gucci, Coach and even Juicy Couture.  I haven't seen a Kate Spade cake yet, but it still may exist. 

Well, you'll love these designer handbags even more in chocolate and cake form that look almost too real to eat--almost.

Is it a Handbag?  Is it a Cake?

 (laura Templton)

(Kelly's Cupcakes)

How cool is that?  They look so real!  Don't try to put your cell phone in one.  Want to learn how to make your own Gucci handbag cake?  Now you can with this video.  And once you give it a whirl, send us photos of your yummy Gucci delectables.

It's not surprising that knitting petite purses is one of my many passions.  I look at it as a wonderful stepping stone to creating my someday soon, big girl purses. 

But what about you?  Did your eyes light up when you spied the colorful handbag display at the beginning of this post and the colorful knitted ones to the right.  It did?  Then yes, you too have purse love. 

(Raspberry Stitch Knitted Bag Ravelry Pattern)

Add a skein of yarn and needles ...and I'm marrying my two loves:  purses and knitting.  It's legal in the knitting/crocheting world. 

(Toni's Knitted Afghan)

Perfect Little Pink Purse

I love this pink purse, especially the flower embellishment and vintage feel, which reminds me of my knitted Moderne Purses. Correction, I'm marrying my three loves: handbags, knitting and everything vintage.


(borsettaboutique.com)

ModernePurses

ModernePurses

Crocheted and Knitted Handbags

This shaggy green crochet handbag can easily pass for a designer original. Create one for yourself with this tutorial.





Women of Substance

For us women of substance, we carry anything from cell phones, hair paraphernalia, E-readers, beauty products, medicine, knitting/crochet tools ...anything we need in a flash. 

We're comforted knowing we have the solution to any emergency in our faithful handbag.  Stomach feeling a little queasy? You pull out a mint or Pepto tablet.  Got a hang nail, grab your tweezers.  A button pops off, you give it a temporary safety pin fix. 

My Hammer & Me

Many years ago, I started carrying a hammer in my handbag. (for a brief season) No, I wasn't singing "If I Had a Hammer," on a street corner.  I carried it along with my mace, shortly after a mugging.  Why a hammer?  Why not a hammer?  I think it was more for me than the potential mugger.  It helped take away my fear.  Maybe that's why I create petite purses, so a woman can keep it inside her jacket, coat or carry it in her hand.   

Hmm ... this sounds like a Dr. Phil moment.

(Karen's colorful blocks)

Handbag Style

But let's get back to the fun aspects of this important accessory--fashion and style.  Back in our grandmother's days, women wouldn't leave home without their dress, handbag, shoes and hat matched to perfection.   

Whew!  I can't remember the last time my shoes matched all three.  Sure, I'm a vintage girl, but not the matchy-matchy type.

After seeing the dress and purse to the left, I just might take a few trips back to the land of matching.


 Your Purse ...Your Style

Simply put, there are no longer any rules ...and no handbag police to cite you for indecent fashion style.  These days you'll find every handbag imaginable made with unique materials.  Sure, yarn isn't so unique, but the stitches and designs knitters/crocheters use take us into a new handbag dimension.

You can weave it, knit it, felt it, cable it, raspberry stitch it, Tunisian it... and so on.  Armed with ideas and plenty of yarn, you can make your purse as unique or traditional as you like.

(Knitted Felted Handbag - Ravelry Free Pattern)

(Knitted Wedding Purse)

(Grey Knitted Handbag - Etsy.com)

 

(Knitted Handbag - Stick-Legged Girl)

 

 (Crochet Handbag - Download Handbag Instructions)

First Tuesday-Third Wednesday Knitting & Crochet Club

Here's the perfect photo segue. Like these granny block crochet clutches, May's First Tuesday-Third Wednesday gatherings were side-by-side--only a week apart--instead of on our usual third Wednesday.  They were awesome!

We Continue to Grow

As always, we welcomed two new members to our First Tuesday Club and two new members to our Third Wednesday.  Yaay!

Welcome Betty Ann, Matthew, Chantal and Janet.  Fourteen-year-old Matthew is our 4th teen to join our age-diverse club.  In fact, he also joined Tanya in our First Knitters/Crocheters unofficial sub-group.  And just like fourteen-year-old Tanya, he caught the knitting bug fast.  

Speaking of Tanya, congratulations Tanya, on completing your first project -- a knitted bracelet -- last Tuesday, May 6.  You go girl!   Hooray!  We're so proud of you.  A grinning Tanya wore it home with her proud mother.  With her mother's permission, we'll hopefully include a photo of her modeling her bracelet in our next post.  

We Knit/Crochet Blocks

Thanks Toni and Karen for submitting the knitted blue 10x10 blocks for our Compassionate Afghan, we're creating for a dialysis patient.  Here's another one of Toni's knitted masterpieces for your viewing pleasure.

(Toni's Baby Hats)

We're Fancy ...We've Got Name Tags Now!

Thanks Audrey for creating our cute name tags.  She got the idea when I made everyone play the name game.  I'll have a photo of them in our next post.  

The Name Game is where you use the first initial of your first name to describe yourself in one word and then say yours and repeat the person/s before you.  A month later, Tanya was the only one who remembered everyone's descriptive name. (he!-he!)  All I can say is, thank goodness young minds absorb information like sponges.

(Karen's Socks)

We're always inspiring each other, last Tuesday's was no exception. Toni inspired Karen to create a new sock design.  By our Wednesday, May 14th meeting, (the next week) Karen revealed her latest addition to her husband's sock drawer.

More News You Can Use...

We're looking at Saturday, June 7th for our first First Tuesday-Third Wednesday Knitting & Crocheting Club Chew & Chat.




Well that's it for now ladies and gent. Keep sending me your photos and stop by iCafe Woman Moderne with your favorite hot beverage and pastry. 

Happy knitting and crocheting!