Lace Evening Purse-ME project

For some time now, I had in the back on my mind to create an evening purse but all created with freestanding laces. With the trend becoming more and more towards recapturing vintage looks, the idea was to create a drawstring purse. With that in mind I started drawing several ideas. Kanta Laces are great and a dear friend Carolyn from Creative Needlecraft had devised one for the ASG National Convention 2005 Fashion Show. The purse is beautiful and very rich as she had used a bronze metallics to stitch it out. Absolutely stunning.

I was looking at about the same method but wanted it to be round and a bit short. Playing with the Tambour laces, I realised that the grid panel I had created in Tambour Lace III was perfect for being the center of the purse especially since one of the crochet panels was the same length. With the two designs alone, I  had the perfect setting for creating the purse. First I stitched out three of the Tambour Lace a designs, these were joined together to create the center of the purse through which choice of ribbons,yarns could be woven through. Then I stitched out six of the Tambour Lace III e designs. Three were attached to the top of Tambour IIIa and three at bottom making a long rectangle. 

As I did want to have some sort of fabric lining, I went ahead and attached fabric between the 2nd entredeux from the top of the panel to the bottom of the lace panel.

 Now all that was required was to create a circle for the bottom which I cut out of a satin fabric and with batting in between two layers stipple quilted it (Yup, stippling again, told you I love to stipple, LOL).  Gathering the lace panel a bit to match up to the circle bottom I attached the two together. Now all was left was to weave a drawstring through the 2nd entredeux from the top and clean up the inside by french seams to cover raw edges and my purse is ready.

Not bad at all and the whole process took one day but at the end, one has a gorgeous purse. Now to get more creative, get some of those yarns that  have a bit of glitter and or ribbons attached, sort of  hanging down and make in all colors to match to your outfits. Or, how about using variegated threads, that would be something cool. The yarn I used had a bit of gold flecks in it which really made the center stand out and took away from the boredom of just another off white purse.