Do you like my bag? I have two of them. I use them for work. One is slightly larger and I use it to carry books home. The other one (pictured) is more suitable as a general handbag.

I am a real bag lady. I love bags. I hang them in our closet and they serve both a practical and aesthetic purpose. I think I collect them. I like them more than shoes. I like them more than scarves.

I also enjoy sewing. I like repurposing. I like vintage textiles and I’d say I’m a bit of a collector of them too.

The thing is, my bag is made from a vintage table cloth. It is lined with a sheet I no longer wanted. It is made from repurposed materials, including the button, which was made from scraps of another sewing project of mine.

I really like the fabric. When I was growing up in Adelaide I had curtains made from the cream version of this print. The fabric not only has lovely colours but it also brings back memories of growing up and having a bedroom with French doors that I never escaped from. Ever.

I got the instructions for this bag from this book:

It’s a great book, which has lots of ideas for repurposing fabrics.

I thought I’d make more bags like this, but to be honest, I don’t really need any more bags right now. Or maybe I do…