Posted Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Bag Ladies Swarm Sip & Stitch!
2008 is the year of the bag and our Sip & Stitch ladies are working them to beautiful result. Click on article title for a photo gallery of works in progress from all over the country.

Here's a test for our many long time customers and friends: remember this "It's A Wonderful Life" canvas? Julie painted it for the Needlwork Christmas exhibition at Woodlawn Plantation in Alexandria, Virginia? The year was 1996. After 12 years it still looks great and provides a vibrant backdrop for the 2008 season of Sip & Stitch.

As stitchers have joined the group over the last month, we've been struck by how many of us are working on bags -- totes, envelopes, hobos, etc. We love the opportunity to see the impact of different color and fiber choices on a given canvas design and thought you'd enjoy seeing these works in progress too. The creativity is catching. (Above, the Carolyn Hobo -- one finished, one in-progress.)

And here are two finished envelope bags with a third ready to go to the finisher. We like the subtle color differences on this one. It was worked primarily with left-over threads (a practice we endorse).

Jean stitched this Retro Hobo as a sample for the shop. How's that for volunteer help?!! Julie then created a matching wallet insert for that true "designer look". She'll be creating one to go with each of the hobo bags.

Ruby's working on the Persian carpetbag. We've never seen one done in these colors -- and we love it. Ruby's planning to give it to her husband, Frank.

Here is Lil's 2008 Persian Tote. It's gorgeous ...and look how distinctively different it is from Meredith's Persian, stitched last year.

Julie's latest bag design is the Louise Bag (who knows where she gets these names?). Here are two examples. Aren't these fun? A great size and quick to stitch. She'll be showing off three versions of the Louise at the June market in Columbus.

More examples of this year's projects. Enjoy!