Introduction
Every so often a project comes along that isn't really about the finished piece. It's about the process. This clutch bag is one of those. I've been wanting to try working with a net-weave material for a while, and this was the first time I actually used it as a base, working T-shirt yarn onto it. A technique I hadn't tried before. The result surprised me a little, in a good way.
The Bag
The front is beige, kept simple so the texture does the talking. The rest of the bag, the sides, the back, and the closing flap, is in duck blue, a colour I keep coming back to because it sits somewhere between blue and green depending on the light. Working the T-shirt yarn over a net base gave the whole surface a diagonal pattern that, from a distance, looks like traditional crochet. Up close it's something else entirely. I finished it off with a gold chain, which adds just enough shine against the texture of the weave.
Working with a new material always throws up a few surprises, some good, some frustrating, and that's exactly why I keep doing it. This bag taught me things about tension, structure, and pattern that I'll definitely carry into future pieces. A shape here, a colour combination there, a fragment of the diagonal pattern reused somewhere else, that's how ideas tend to move from one project to the next in my work.
Why It's Not For Sale
This one is staying with me. Some pieces end up like that. They mark a "first try" of something, and I'd rather keep it as a reference than send it off. That said, if you love the colour combination or the diagonal texture, keep an eye on the shop. Alongside bags, I also make bag charms, made in Malta just like this clutch, and a lot of the same colours, shapes, and little design details end up in them too. If you liked something about this clutch, there's a good chance you'll find a piece of it in one of my charms. I'd love for you to check them out and see what's currently in the shop.
Conclusion
Not every handmade piece is meant to be sold, and that's okay. This clutch was really about testing a new technique, and it did exactly what I hoped. It left me with new ideas, new patterns, and a bit more confidence to try something different next time. Thanks for following along with the process. More new pieces, ones you can actually shop, are on the way.