Silk Work-in-Process Bag

If you were a fine lady, what would you want for a workbasket? Wouldn't it be made out of stunning fabrics like the ones you see in this bag ?

This is the lovely new place where I stash a bunch of little items that are being worked on all at once. I usually have at least 10-20 projects comprising work in process at any one time. (I think my ADD tendencies have been mentioned before.) Most of the projects are small, so a whole flock of them fit in here together.

This elegant bag, called "The Stand Alone Bag," was designed by Gillian Wallis who teaches its construction in a class in Vancouver, WA. If you live nearby, I really recommend her class. The process of making the bag seems to go so much faster than it would if you were home alone working on it. It's so great to have the bag designer and other students there with you while sewing it.

You can also just buy the pattern and make it yourself. Gillian has just opened an Etsy store and is in the process of listing her pattern for sale there. You can also contact her through her store if you're interested in taking her class.

One of the best things about this bag is that it is cleverly designed so that there is no hand finishing work. Everything is done on the sewing machine. Yowsa! My kind of project!

My bag has an exterior of a gorgeous gold and cherry Chinese brocade. The inside and sides are a lighter weight gold silk fabric that had been hoarded since I found it in the NYC fashion district a few years ago.

The bag, which opens wide and conveniently stands up by itself, is a great way to tote projects to guild meetings. I carry it from my studio down to the TV room at night to work on projects while I watch a movie. The bag makes me feel like a Victorian lady.

Now where is that bag resting so casually? That the new-to-me Ashford spinning wheel that has been sitting so convincingly in the living room for the last two months. Finally I have signed up for a class, so next Wednesday night, I'm taking it out of the house for a spin.

So much to do, so little time. It's the same old story.