Saturday, February 17, 2007

When Cannibalism is a Good Thing

I've long admired straps on purses at various retail stores; running my fingers along the details; wondering where I could obtain similar straps for the bags I want create using traditional crochet stitches, felting or freeform techniques.  I'd visit various yarn/craft shops and look at the straps/handles they had to offer, and often times think I found one that would fit the bill.  Some of which I purchased and added to my stash, waiting for that perfect project.

I often wondered what other creative options I had; what else could I use?  I was in an Annie Sez store a few months back, checking out all the new arrivals that featured crochet when I rounded one corner and found a huge display of belts.  Beautiful belts.  Belts of leather, belts of metal, belts of rhinestones.  Had I hit the motherload of creative options?  I wasn't seeing the belts as "belts" ... I was seeing them, after a few "cannibalistic" thoughts, as straps for the bags I had in mind to create!

I didn't buy any belts that day, but the creative juices were flowing.  From that day on I made it a point to visit the "belt" section of every store I shopped at.  Then it happened: I visited Kohls yesterday, and due to their end of season clearance, I feasted.  I feasted on leather, on metal too.  Finally I'm going to have the straps I've long desired for my bags.

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