an embroidered bag (under protest)

I have thought long and hard about whether or not to share what I am currently working on, mainly because it really isn't "me". Why would I make something when my heart isn't in it? Let me explain. Last year I joined a small sewing group. We meet fortnightly and, up to now, we have worked on our own projects while we have a good chat and a laugh. Recently one of our members had a yearning to make a heavily embroidered tote bag called 'the embroidered village bag', but thought she needed the encouragement of doing it with others if she was going to be successful and she implored us to join her.



Most of our group (including especially me) had to be picked up off the floor when we saw what she wanted us to attempt, but agreed it would be a good challenge. I haven't done any embroidery for years and had been thinking I would like to do a small project, so somewhat reluctantly I agreed. I have now decided it might help ease my pain if I share my progress.

However, there is a limit to my compliance. As there are a lot of elements on this bag which I do not like at all, I intend to put my own interpretation on it. How will this be accepted by the group I wonder. Will I be regarded as an embroidery renegade?

I have made a start. This is going to be Rose Cottage and it will form a pocket on the front or back of the bag. Some of you will know that I have a weakness for roses and cottages so this part of the project should be relatively pain free.



Here are my first roses.



Yikes, there are so many more to come. My biggest concern is that there is so much work to do on the bag that all my other projects and especially my quilt ufos are going to be ignored. I must try not to let that happen.