I don’t think I will be posting here for a while, but for anyone interested in my obsessiveness being transferred over to yarn form, join me at From the Purl Side.

Hope to see you soon.

x W

via

I could happily live with this. Especially with the marble backsplash…a nice touch.

Really like the industrial texture from the cement bricks in the loo below:

Made of reclaimed wood by sculptor Ariele Alasko.

She also makes lovely painterly/sculptural pieces:

See more here on her blog.

Having coveted a Campomaggi bag from Italy for over 3 years – namely the one below…

…which periodically pops up at Toast or Plümo, and promptly sells out – I started looking at this bag as my starting point.

It was interesting how hard it was to find the actual bag in stock anywhere…and I mean ANYWHERE – not just in the UK but worldwide.

Campomaggi is a relatively small company that hand makes their bags and therefore keep production to a rather limited scale. Not only  are they hard to find, but when the bags become available they seem to sell out in minutes! It is amazing.

They really seem to have nailed the aged vintage mailbag look with their washed leather and have some gorgeous styles, which, I guess is why!

I waffled for a few months trying to decide between the bag above and the one below, not having seen either in the flesh, and not quite willing to spend large sums of cash on a bag unseen (felt/smelt/and pawed!):

Then the new collection came out and all hell broke loose! So many more choices…but so few suppliers. Hmmph.

These ones were added to the possible want list:

Then I saw it. THE ONE:

via

…and the angels sang…

…then screeched as they saw the £524 price tag!

There was NO WAY I would spend that much money on a bag. I just couldn’t justify it.

So I kept looking, and looking, trolling bags online like some leather obsessed pedo.

Then.

I saw my precious on another website, in Germany, this time. And lo and behold it was a fraction of the Swedish one. But sold out. Then weeks later it came back in stock…for a bit more money but still within my range! But before I could purchase – due to a glitch in the checkout system – sold out again. I was really starting to get irritated. And the company was not willing to help in any way, shape or form (Hence my not crediting them anywhere. Trolls.).

So I waited. And fumed. And plotted revenge. And waited. And  one day. ONE FINE DAY (months later)…it came back in stock and I managed to get the transaction through before someone else scooped the bag! VICTORY. Satisfaction. Smugness. And a huge touch of apprehension.

What if I didn’t like the bag in real life after spending all that covet energy and dosh? Eep.

So after much drama she finally arrived – well wrapped in a box…in a bag…in a cloth bag…! (not the most environmental of packaging, but adding to the anticipation of unveiling)

In sunshiney glory!

The shots were taken with my iphone, so the colour is a bit washed out on the back right corner. It isn’t actually two-tone in real life, but a rich, warm cognac colour.

The leather is actually thicker than I expected and will get better with age and last me a lifetime (or until some sketcher steals the bag from me. I DO live in London, after all!).

The front pockets are fully functional and close with a solid magnetic clasp – the top one with the clasp and the leather thong threaded through the one below, so secure to prying hands in the Tube. There is a phone pocket and a large zippered pocket inside for a wallet and other smaller stuff you want to keep from losing in the bottom of the bag.

The only thing I am not thrilled about is the chunky zip they used.

It is sturdy, but due to the wibbles in the thick leather and the fact that the large teeth have to change direction so much (if that makes sense), it isn’t the smoothest running zipper. Which is a bit annoying for a bag in this price range. However, it will surely last for ages, and also has a heavy chain toggle that you can ‘lock’ the bag with or use to hang your keys on which is handy. You can see it on the left, if you click on the image below.

last 2 images via

All and all I am pretty giddy! It is perfect. Sigh. Phew!

via

Quietly luxurious.

Update- I initially thought this was the £580+ Crux blanket but then realised the crosses are much smaller. Lo and behold, Wallén has released a cotton flannel version at a much more reasonable £146!

Well I did it! I have knit my first cardigan!

I started slowly… simple hats, phone socks, legwarmers then more complex stitches in cowls, slowly building up techniques that I would need to do a full garment.

Then I jumped in. I wanted to try the Miriam cardigan by Carrie Bostick Hoge (who creates beautiful knit designs. Nothing gnomey about her knits!). All that beautiful garter stitch. I just couldn’t resist!

I started in early March and just finished. It went remarkably smooth.

I knit on the tube, while watching tv, at galleries, in cafes, at conferences (!), you get the picture. I am one of THOSE knitters! I knit and I knit and then I knit some more.

I learned how to decrease, join sleeves and pick up stitches to add the neckband.

What an amazing process! I have so much more appreciation for knit design now that I can see how a lot of it works. Invisible seam stitches and the like are so damn CLEVER! Who came up with this shit?

Shockingly, there were no major mishaps, though a few things went buggy when reading the pattern and the body is a few inches longer than I would have liked – less of a ‘chanel jacket’ length and more of a straight cardi. Next time I do this pattern (in splurge quality wool – maybe a cashmere blend. Something flat and smooth that will show off all those garter stitches more sharply, unlike the fuzzier yarn I used this time) I will make sure it is the right length, as it looks cuter at its intended length.

This is what it should have looked like:

Here is how it ended up:

Not bad, but just that titch too long.

If anyone is interested in the full details or wants links to the pattern and other versions of the sweater check it out in my Ravelry projects.

Anyway…I am pretty damned pleased with myself, and have some great outfits planned with it!

Yay! Next!

via