Private collection

We’re off on our holidays soon and as usual it’s a cruise. I wouldn’t say we like them but this will be our eighth and we’ve got another three booked... Instead of the usual cruising the Mediterranean we’re heading north – a round trip starting in Copenhagen and sailing to the land of the Midnight Sun.

I usually like to try and make a new dress for one of the formal evening. However with my back not being very good I haven’t been able to.

What I have made though are a couple of bags for my private collection (it’s basically bags I made just for me but ‘private collection’ sounds much better).

I wanted a bag that I could use for when we went ashore. As I would be in Wizzy* it needed to be small enough to lie between me and his arm rest, have plenty of room inside, yet not be too big that it impedes me when I’m wheeling him.

A couple of years ago my mam bought me a lovely suede shoulder bag which fitted the above criteria except it’s getting on a bit. I made a note of its vital statistics and designed a new bag from that.

 As I had some black leatherette lying around in my fabric box I used that for the main part of the bag and some light blue cotton fabric for the lining.

You can never have enough pockets in bags so there's one both front and back and each compartment has an internal zip pocket.

One of the problems of walking with Stickies is you can't carry a clutch bag as your hands are otherwise engaged, so I also decided to make two formal drawstring evening bags that I could slip over my wrist.   

The bags were very easy to make and as I had plenty of leftover fabric from previous evening dresses I made them out of that.

Till the next time.

Gertie xx

*Wizzy is the name of my wheelchair

The passing of time

It’s true what they say – the older you get, the more time passes by so quickly. I can’t believe my last post was January.

As I mentioned last time my physical health still isn’t good. The pain management clinic I was attending suggested I try a course of acupuncture for my back.

I’m not a big fan of alternative medicine (it’s all a bit too hippy and new aged), however my back pain was horrendous so I was willing to give it ago. I had about 12 sessions and it did ease the pain a little, though how it works is still a mystery to me.

I certainly don’t like this getting old business – seven changes of sweaty bed clothes every night is not funny!!!  I’m still waiting for my HRT to kick in as it’s supposed to be the wonder pill for all things menopausal so anytime now would be good....

Trying to fit in sewing whenever my back is having one of its very rare pain-free moments and when I’m not exhausted, has been few and far between. However I did manage to get some made for Gertie’s Bags and I’ve even got a product – beach bags.

 

They should all be up on Etsy and eBay in the next few days.

Till the next time

Gertie xx