Vermillion "Stu tote" and "Nancy Zip clutch"

Here is the set I finished yesterday. This is an amazing bag...I love the work I did on it, but more than that I LOVE what this bag represents. Many of you may recognize this uniform...some of you may not. This is a Vietnam era top. I do believe this is my all time favorite Military uniform. Simple, great green color...gusseted pockets set on a slant...and the history in this top. I bet it has stories to tell. My dad was in Vietnam in 1969, he has some great stories to tell, when you can get him going. He tells some really amazing ones about helicopter pilots. I wonder if this man was one of those pilots?


Nancy, the lady I made this set for, is the mother of another one of my lovely clients. She saw Cheryl's bag I made a couple months ago and wanted one for herself. I hope you like it, Nancy and I hope it is worth the long wait!


I am trying to read Waiting Wives by Donna Moreau but every time I pick it up I get a lump in my throat and feel too panicky. I guess it is my own form of PTSD after my husbands deployments. I lived through them...my Friends lived through theirs but I am not strong enough yet to read about the ladies of Shilling Manor. I will be...but just not yet.



Anyway, let's take a look at this bag.

This is the back. I decided to quilt this bag with a thin black cotton thread. I love the movement and dignity it gives the project. Down in the lower corner you can see "3FU" that stands for three fingers up, which in sign language is "I love you" and is how this couple would say goodbye over the years. I thought that was so beautiful.

I got a little carried away on the pocket panel inside the bag. Liberated log cabin pockets, French knots, the buttons from one of the arm cuffs. There is also a wee pen pocket there. I love the pen pocket I put in one of my bags, so I will be trying to put them in most of the bigger bags from now on.

Here is an overhead shot of the inside of the bag. Heaps of pockets and this bag will look fantastic inside out.

I also decided to make a little Zippy Clutch. It is basically my "Erica Pouch" just bigger. I used the other lower blouse pocket for this bag. And the weather was so lovely yesterday I took my sewing outside and did a bit of embellishment while the kids had bike races.

Here is the front of the "Stu tote" all quilted up and with some well pressed in creases.

This is the front of what will the the "Nancy Zip Clutch" the little side bit is from the other arm cuff.

Here they are Nancy! I hope you love them and carry them in Health and Happiness! Thank you for entrusting your uniform to me.

XO,

Tia