Sunday, June 26, 2011

Hawi Collection















A few weeks ago I designed a new bag. I have been making them like crazy and am starting to add different embellishments and use different textiles. MM said to me yesterday, "You must really like this bag, it's all you are making!".


I really do! I actually love this bag because it is a nice size and it is stylish. It could fit inside a larger tote or get tucked under your arm. It can be casual or it can be dressy. The fabric completely changes the bag! So here are a few of them that I made this week.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Teaching an old dog new tricks - zippers!




My vacation was fun and stimulating. We visited San Francisco and took a day trip over to Sonoma and Napa Valleys. We took the ferry to Sausalito one day too. I LOVE that town. I came home refreshed and wanting to try new things. One of the obstacles I face daily is having enough time. What? You too? (high five!)


What is a girl to do? Well, I have decided that sometimes, you just have to take a deep breath and follow your inner voice. Take a humble pill and acknowledge that "I just can't do it all!"


For months, now, I have been wanting to learn a new zipper technique. Something a little more complicated than the way I have been installing zips for the past couple of years. I have looked up tutorials online and purchased patterns hoping that by having them in the house, somehow, perhaps through osmosis, the knowledge would seep into my pores and become part of me and "Voila!" I would just instantly know how to do it. But...that wasn't so successful. So, this week I actually took two days to myself and was determined to teach myself a new trick. (Don't laugh at me just cause I just had a 'big ole birthday! )


I spent half of one day just reading, re-reading, kicking myself and then reading again. Some of the tutorials out there just wouldn't work with burlap. It is an unravely, creature to work with. By about 4pm Saturday, I was at the point where I was ready to start trying out my newly learned technique.



The first bag I made was pretty simple once that light bulb went off and I "got it". In fact, it sold within 2 hours after I had placed the final stitch into it. But I know myself. I have to do something a few times before I can trust myself to remember it.





The next day, I made 3 more bags using the new technique and am actually starting to enjoy it. Now I am feeling more confident and am looking forward to seeing what applications I can use this technique on. I have 200 metres of zipper on order so you can expect to see many more Sasaki Bags with zips in the coming months.


I do believe that life is full of lessons and one that I continually have to remind myself of is to take the time to stop and smell the plumeria. Sometimes to take a step forward, you really do need to just take a break!



Thanks for joining me on my journey.



a hui hou