I've always had an interest in little bags that add a decorative note to my outfits but are useful as well. The pair in the first two pictures below are made of remnants of textiles from India. They're just big enough for a comb and lipstick, a little cash and an I.D. Sometimes I wear them as crossbody purses and sometimes I put a knot in the cord to shorten it and wear the bag around my neck like a dramatic pendant.
The bag on the bottom of the pair is pieced and embroidered. The top one appears to be a remnant of a Kantha textile. The Madison shop where I bought them is long gone and I don't really have any information about them other than what I can tell by looking at them.
Another Indian bag is pictured below. This one is from Sri, a wonderful on-line source for textiles from Japan and India. That's where I found this mid-20th C. bag from the state of Rajasthan. It is about 14 inches x 8 inches (35.5 cm x 20 cm) and made if cotton. The two bags pictured above are half that size.
I use the small bags frequently but mostly keep the larger one on display in my red room. I have a tendency to overfill it because of its size, and worry that I will tear it or the strap will come lose. Rather than restraining myself from stuffing, I just enjoy looking at it instead.
In the first two pictures, the bags are resting on an African Kuba skirt, probably dyed with mud. The bottom display surface is a Japanese window screen/shutter.
I love your little bags but understand your concern about overfilling. I bought several bags when we were in India. They are mostly made from material remnants, very colorful. I wish I had bought more.
Posted by: Jenny | Friday, February 21, 2014 at 11:39 PM
Fun pieces. I too like little bags. I have a couple.
Posted by: Lisa at Greenbow | Saturday, February 22, 2014 at 05:49 AM