My bag has arrived from across the world and I love it. As do my children who immediately sugggested a use for it! Thank you partner.
We loaded it up with 3 sketch books (all A3 size), pencils, watercolours, brushes, water and some afternoon tea and we took it along with us to the Botanical Gardens for some fun on an autumn afternoon. I was thrilled to get such a clever package. As it was my first swap, and I haven't done that much sewing, I really didn't have much of a clue about fabrics and choices. So, I didn't give my partner much to go on. She knew I liked gardening because when I signed up for the swap I hadn't started this blog, instead I was using my gardening blog as a link. Other than that, I suggested no preferences for colour or style. Yet it is absolutely perfect. How funny is this?
It matches the colour on my lounge room wall - both are a bluey/green colour. Yvette's bag (now mine!) is also made of a strong woven fabric so it has quite a bit of internal strength. I like that about it. The one I made was a bit soft for my liking. I choose a linen but it was a very drapey, soft linen and once the bag was all sewn up I was a bit concerned about how wrinkly it would get. Perhaps my swap partner can always try ironing it if it's too crumpled for her taste.
The other lovely little things about my gift/swap were the extra hidden goodness inside the bag and the lovely matching up of Yvette's country of birth with my part of the world. Yvette is from Sydney (I mostly grew up in Sydney from when I was 11-29 years old) and so when I opened up the parcel and found this, I was tickled with all the connections. Yvette had made me a fabric covered notepad. Very clever, with beautiful and thoughtful choices of fabric.
There's a pocket for some notes, a holder for the pen, a pad of paper and some pretty double coloured ribbon to tie it up. I'm a bit nutty about making lists and I love stationery so it was all so perfect. Thanks Yvette. I have to include one more photo so you can see how cute the front fabric is close up.
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