Oldies But Goodies

Remember that old pile of raggedy patterns that I pulled down from the shelf last month? Well, I got tired of looking at them and returned them to the shelf that they came from. I've recently discovered that I have no desire to recreate those bags again. Over the years, I've managed to keep a few of the old handbags so I will show you some of those instead. Unfortunately, the ones that I did keep are mostly dark prints and we all know that dark colors don't photograph well but I will try my best. Some have faded with time and others are wrinkled, but with a little ironing and primping, they should be presentable enough.

I designed this handbag in the late 90's and continued with it up until the early 2000's. During that time, there was a huge Hawaiian print revival going on here in islands and everything possible was being made from it. Thus, all of my early handbags were made using Hawaiian print fabrics. This was one of the most widely requested designs back then and every once in a blue Hawaiian moon I still see people schlepping it around.

This bag was the 3rd in a series of eight that I designed for use with Hawaiian print fabrics. It is a soft tote with a drawstring liner. There are two large pockets on either side between the liner and the outside fabric. It is interesting to note that I was heavily into drawstring closures back then, a rather obvious and repetitive trait that you will see pop up in many of my early designs. I can still recall how torn I was over the decision to retire this design. It was obvious that I was bored with it and needed to move on.

For just a wee moment last month, I was considering bringing back some of the old designs. After regaining my senses, I decided not to revive any of the old simply because I have already been there, done that, and need to concentrate on what lies ahead. I think you will agree after seeing several of the bags that my design sense has changed considerably.

Over the next several days, I plan to post a couple more bags from my old collection just for old times sake. Seeing them again has been good for me and has allowed me to realize just how far I've progressed in handbag design. A stroll down memory lane was a trip worth taking but it is clear to me that I should continue down the path laid before me. No more looking back, only straight ahead from now on.

Take care, everyone!

Aloha!