Accessories and ribbon embroidery

 Last year I made a set of late Victorian/ Early Edwardian clothes I was finally satisfied with but the set sorely lacked accessories. 

So I set out to acquire some.

First I perused the local used stuff bidding site, and loo and behold there was the perfect umbrella.  Dark red / bordeaux, just like the fabric of my skirt and waistcoat, long enough and it handle is made from some kind of bakelit, that looks like carved bone. It was priced higher, than my range, but I loved it, and I had a birthday coming up (yes, it was a year ago), so I bought it for myself.

And there was the question of a bag. 

Ribbon embroidery fascinated me for so long, and when one of the museums we reguraly do events at offered a workshop, titled kind of "lets make a ribbon embroidered handbag" I was there like a lightning to sign up. It was a special day, as a few of us from my reenactment group came, and me made a day out of it. 

At the workshop we learned the basics of ribbon embroidery and two motifs, a rose and a leaf.

I never even finished that bag, because I knew, if I sit down, I can make a much better one, but the workshop was so important to see that I CAN do this, and show me a way,where I can research it further, and go into more depths.

When I made my blue bustle dress in January, I have tried to make embroidered bag, but failed, because I could not drag anything thicker than a thread through the velvet, so I ended up decorating it with soutache.

However, I also had bits of fabrics left over from the dress which I could embroider with silk, and I decided what would be better for a trial piece to embroider, than a small bag? 

I wanted to do the embroidery a bit organically, not on a fixed, totally simmetric pattern, but more natural. Adding leafs and buds here and there. 

If you are a reader for a while, you know that for me, how the inside of a piece I made looks is just as important for me, as the outside. I have two antique handbags, I don't use them anymore, because they are falling apart, for both I love, how the line they are sewed to the frame is covered, so I did the same with this bag.

I loved (and still love) that little bag, and I then I had big embroidery plans...

Stay tuned, because I am going to show you soon. 

I have to say thank you to Gyöngyvér Nyiklai for teaching me the basics.