klimt bag

This one burns the eyes: it's a heady mix of reds, pinks, oranges and magentas, with some eye-popping gold, turquoise and yellow accents. It it warm and not at all subtle. Sometimes things take on a life of their own, a personality which dictates the direction for itself. I did the actual knitting over a year ago, and was a bit non-plussed by the final objects. It rested untouched in my UFO box for AGES, until a week ago, when I finally got myself together enough to sew it up into a bag for my niece F, who loves pink and purple (gawk), and who is the loveliest kid on wheels.

She is a teenager, so therefore quite choosy about how she adorns herself- we'll see if this graces her presence or not. It's a tough call- but I DID ask her about colors, and she gave me a very very clear, firm response of "pink and purple". Duly noted.

I lined it with some very soft silky stretch oyster colored velour (left over from a pair of palazzo pants a friend had made and passed onto me, until they got too worn in the seat and ended up in the craft-fabric bin. It's lovely stuff, but did I really ever wear these??
did they look good? It's hard to imagine- I am rather short, and long drapey light colored flowing pants do not really sound like a good idea...)

I then caged several vintage buttons from friends I am visiting. These I stacked to make the clasp, which has a velvet ribbon stitched with silk yarn to wrap around it. I am away from home, finishing this, so it is the product of improvisation and unforeseen results.
Yes Virginia,
this is another last-minute-before-Christmas-on-the-road-craft-project ...
I did my usual three-ribbon strap, a rather gaudy mix of coral Velvet, pink giant rick-rack and orange grosgrain ( Thank you local Jo-Ann fabrics in the mall!) I am not so sure about the colors, but hey, it's not for me.

The bag is knit in a soft mixture of chenille, wool, angora, metallic yarns and a few fluffy novelty bits and pieces. It is tactile to the nth degree, and the design of the big ovals was inspired by the wonderful knitting of Kaffe Fasset.
I hope that she likes it.