this is finally off my to-do list

Have had this little project sitting in my head, and then half completed sitting about waiting to be finished. Finally late last week I just DID IT!

I am so so so happy with the results, that I've wanted to use the bag every day. And show it off to the lovely ladies in the lift going to the supermarket, or down at the swimming pool.

Ari drew the picture straight onto the easy-cut stencil paper. It was similar to a drawing he'd done a few days earlier, and I gave him strict instructions to make it a good drawing. (You know when they have the 'good paper' to make a card for a relative and they just scribble, when only moments before they'd produced a 'masterpiece' on a scrap).

So, I hand cut the stencil. Which I love doing. Really fun - maybe I should do more papercuts and work with that more.

Then that stencil sat around while Ari and I waited for some time together without Mishi. So that he could help me with the screen printing.

Ultimately I think he got a bit bored with the whole process of setting up - taping up the screen, mixing the ink, setting up all the fabric and marking it all out. But finally we got to the fun part of pulling the squeegee across that silk stretched taut over the frame. And that perfect sound it makes.

And even though the prints aren't perfect I love them. Actually, it's because they aren't perfect that I love them. I love that my son, my not yet four year old drew (we call it designed), and then hand screen printed his own bag. And I sewed it up for him. We also made one for a friend's birthday, which we gave with a sweet little book about a platypus.

I used the hemp / organic cotton that we use in our Red Seed Studio cushions. The natural as the main bag body, printed with blue ink, and then teamed with blue handles and a blue collar (well, the inside top bit of the lining - as the bag isn't fully lined due to the fantastic weight of the fabric on it's own).

More bags will be coming soon. I do think we have enough bags in our house, but I love them. So, more gifting needed. Also, if anyone is interested in a custom design bag or purse or cushion, I'm really interested in moving in that direction.