Carrying the Viking Ship embroidered bag
In early September I returned to the Maker Space that I haven’t been to since before Covid. While initially I went with the intention of finishing a laser cutter project that I started before the pandemic, once I popped my USB into my computer to look at the files – I remembered all of the machine embroidery projects that I had wanted to do. The files were done (or nearly done) but I hadn’t yet had the chance to get to the embroidery machine.
(I also did a few new designs too…)
One of the files is an image of a Viking sailing a dragon-head longboat, based loosely off of an illustration by an illustrator I used to follow on Instagram – Jorundrmott. Unfortunately, he is no longer on Instagram, so I can’t properly reference the artwork. I am not sure what his original source or inspiration was for the design.
Above- Instagram video of the stages sewing this design on the embroidery machine
Some hand work on the ship machine embroidery design
After I took the embroidery off the machine, there were a few areas that still needed some hand work to be cleaned up. I did this with regular cotton embroidery thread (two strands) rather than using the silky machine embroidery thread.
Construction
With the panel of embroidery complete, I chose the handles I wanted to use to make this bag. For this version, I am using the “chairback” style of handle, in a mid-toned brown stain. I THINK it’s Tudor stain, but am not entirely sure. I cut out the rectangles for the front and back of the grey wool, as well as a lining of black linen, leftover from my black linen underdress.
I sewed each rectangle together with a small gap at the top of the side seams left open. I also ‘boxed’ the bottom of the bag which I think makes it feel roomier. From there I put the lining inside the bag, and hand-stitched the side seam openings to enclose the raw edges. More grey wool made some tabs to attach the handles to the bag, and these tabs went into the opening between the wool and the linen lining.
With the wood in place, it’s a lot easier (and cleaner looking) to sew the tabs in place by hand, so I did just that, with small whip stitches connecting the lining and tabs on the inside, and wool and tabs on the outside.
Carrying the Viking Ship embroidered bag
Strap
For the strap, I tried doing fingerloop, but got totally twisted up because the yarn felt so “sticky”. I ended up just doing a twisted rope of the yarn instead. I keep thinking I should really re-learn fingerloop, or make a bunch at once for this kind of thing, because it’s just perfect to use for these… but every time I go to try again, I seem to lose the practice and get frustrated with myself.
Maybe something to bring up if we ever have in-person A&S nights again for my barony!
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