Waihi Oratorio


I was all set to buy a bag off Felt.co.nz until I remembered about the mechanic's bill. So I found the inspiration and time to make a bag I've been contemplating for a long time.  The outer is red wool tweed which my sister gave to me after a trip to Wales. I boil-washed and dried it to get the strength I wanted. The inner fabric and the lace are from the wonderful collection my father in law gave me after my mother in law died. The inner fabric, red and blue hats on calico, was probably meant for dresses for my twin sisters in law more than four decades ago (I have the same version with green and blue hats as well). The beautiful lace is from my parents in law's travelling shopping trip through the traditional lacemaking towns of England. Even the toggle and the thread are from either my mother in law or grandmother in law's collection.  The pattern is from Tiny Happy.  Thanks Melissa for making this available online for us all to use - I've made this four times now.

 The top picture is a better indication of the colour of the bag.  I'm really pleased with it.

Tomorrow the school holidays finish.  We've all had a wonderful time.  Last night we went to Blackball to watch the Waihi Oratorio, written by Paul Maunder with songs by Heather Fletcher.  It tells the story of the Waihi strike of 1912 and how it was brutally supressed and the strikers run out of town after one was killed.  It was an excellent performance, and good to attend something for May Day after a couple of years missing activities for health and family reasons.  We took the children and although they couldn't understand everything, they understood some things.  We'll be taking them again next time.

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