*ugly duckling

Every summer starts at a certain point of time. For me the sign that summer has come is either seeing the first lizard resting in the sun or having to do my first jumpy moves around a cockroach that is going for a walk after a long winter.

Last year apparently we had a very short winter since my very first contact with one of those summer signs happened to take place in early March: I met a big, dark, ugly cockroach in front of a supermarket. But this cockroach had been fallen too early out of bed - despite this outing it was rather cold and its moves were very slow, which meant that I hadn't have to be frightened to the usual *Alex-meets-a-cockroach-level* and could easily escape.

Still, I took that event as a bad omen for 2005, which wasn't unfounded as I later in the course of the year had to see.

This year started perfectly: April. A lizard in the park, dozing on some stairs that were warmed by the sun. I can't help it, I am superstitious and seeing this lizard made me happy.

Before I moved to Japan I didn't have much experiences with cockroaches. There are some in Germany (surely more than I'd like to know of), but Japan with its extreme heat and humidity during the summer and moderate temperatures in winter (at least in most parts of the country) is just perfect for those creatures and they are very, very common. Fortunately living in a rather new house on the third floor usually prevents us from  hosting these unwanted guests. They don't bother us. They are no threat. I could look at them like at any other insect with great interest and even fondness since insects come with amazing details which I just love.

And still, it seems impossible to me to approach cockroaches with the same attitude as the other richly detailed creatures of any kind. I find them ugly and disgusting. Their moves are so unpredictable, they can run very fast, climb any surface and even fly! Once I was standing on a train which just held at one station, doors open, early evening... cockroach coming in, by wings, landing on my chest...! I was so horrified and embarrassed at the same time, as this cockroach, resting on my body felt like a stigma - nobody wants to be connected to cockroaches!!! (But apparently most of the people are, since the amount of weapons against the unwanted visitors sold in drugstores is overwhelming)...

But despite of this deeply felt rejection against them, year after year I experience feeling pity for these creatures, which are surely no cute bugs, but at least a bit bug-alike, have some fancy sensing device on their heads and, after all, what harm do they do to me?!

I am thinking they just suffer the same fate as the Ugly Duckling of the Brueder Grimm.

Wandering for the whole summer and fall, being unwanted everywhere, must fear for their lives, going back into their caves and by the early end of winter still being alive, lingering around in front of the supermarket intending to scare superstitious Alex and maybe hoping for a better year, just like me.

So, being in the middle of an so far smoothly developing year without any bad surprises yet, I think of this bag as a sign of peace and dedicate it to all those lovely, tiny and not so tiny, generously detailed  creatures. All of them. Even the just bug-alikes.

I used one of my most favourite fabrics, Fortune Flowers by Junko Onishi, ramie and wool. A zipper closed pocket inside with two smaller pockets on top, train ticket sized (I always put my ticket into the back pockets of my trousers which means they are totally soaked by the end of the ride and not usable at the automatic gate when leaving the station). Candy Pop handles, available at Kitty Craft. Ah, I almost forgot, the flower is detachable.

Edit: The upper, woolen part and the printed part are machine quilted, the middle part where I handembroidered (splitstitch) the insects is lined with some strengthening, iron on material. The top edge is decorated with piping. The bottom of the bag is supported with strong, flexible plastic for keeping the shape.

Edit#2: Big excuse to everybody reading this blog via Bloglines... this text needs constant editing. Writing tiredly in the middle of the night leads to interesting results ;-) (Maybe writing in the Morning after having no sleep, too.)

Comments

[katrin]

oh my goddess! i´m unworthy, i´m dust beneath your shoes!

this is just *so* lovely... i don´t find the right words for it.
look at the embroidery! (not that i *really* like bugs... except ladybugs... but this time i could make an exception, i think.)
did you do it by hand? what an elaborate work!
you take the bun!
always in awe:
katrin ^.^

[Sabine]

Oh, mal wieder eine von Deinen bezaubernden Taschen - perfekt in Stoffkombination und den liebevollen Details!

Ja, auch ich mag Kakerlaken gaaar nicht. Es stimmt, in D sieht man sie äusserst selten und dann meist auch in Winzgrössen, aber spätestens im Urlaub in südlichen Gefilden laufen sie einem über den Weg und - baaah....

Liebe Grüsse
Sabine

[Egater]

It's really great!!!!! bag.

[myra]

Holy cow Alex! Does your talent know no bounds? The bag is stunning! The embroidery is absolutely amazing, and the flower is perfect. And the addition of the cockroach is brilliant!

Wear it proudly, it is fantastic!

PS We have some huge flying roaches in Hawaii. I don't mind them too much either as long as they stay outside the house!

[Alison]

You'll not be wanting to come stay with us in the summer then - you walk along the footpaths and things crunch beneath your feet....

Alex - that bag is glorious - you have an impeccable eye for colour and combinations and proportion. And the little embbroidered bugs and the story behind it all - I love it. I am so inspired by what you do.

[miliana]

what a wonderful bag! there are so many details that make it incredibly unique and loveable.

like,
great handles! i'm so relieved that they aren't those bamboo ones. (which are nice but very omnipotent in the craft blogosphere, you are refreshing)

[eireann]

I love the combination of fabrics, subjects, and colors you picked. Fresh & very pretty.

[mo]

Wow! Everything about this is lovely. The details- the shape- the embroidery. It really is a wonderful bag!

[Katalina]

oh, liebe alex,

wie ich deine kleinen alltagseschichten liebe. und wie recht du hast, diese schaben sind schon ein ding fuer sich, wir muessen hier in neuseeland auch mit ihnen leben. und zack, sind sie die naechsten wand hoch, haengen an der decke und freuen sich. aber so schlimm wie in japan trifft es uns nicht, ist eben nicht so feucht. gegenmittel? staubsauger! und weg sind sie. okay, in der u-bahn eher ungeeignet ;-).

aber wenn sie dich so so supertollen taschen anregen, kann man sich ja nur noch mehr tierchen besonderer art wuenschen (auf bildern *grins*).

sei ganz lieb gegruesst
katalina

[Julie]

So so so so so BEAUTIFUL Alex!!! Everything about it! You create exquisite pieces..wow..I love the embroidery and the flower and the fabric!!!
I HATE cockroaches, especially the flying ones!
But I LOVE butterflies, dragonflies, ladybirds, catterpillars :)

[mariannealice]

I have a great dislike of cockroaches as well and I live in a city that cockroaches just love! There is something so wrong about a creature that you can squash the living daylights out of, that then can somehow still muster the strength to crawl away....uuggghhhh! They make me shudder - but your bag makes me smile. Especially the handles!

[Tami]

I have to say that this is one mighty fine looking purse. Here's some cockroaches that anyone would be proud to be seen with. Beautiful entry!

[kathy]

Your embroidery work is beautiful, design and stitches. I love your fabric choices and how you've combined them in the design of the bag. Great job!

[Carmen]

Beautiful bag! Love the texture and the colors.

[Carmen]

Beautiful bag! Love the texture and the colors.

[Kelli]

I absolutely love this! The special touches, the story, the fabric choices, the hand work. Such a nice job!

[Amelie]

Oh ja, la cucaracha... davon gibt's hier auch mehr, als mir lieb ist ;) Mein 3-Monats-Ticket haben die Automaten erstaunlicherweise auch am Schluss noch akzeptiert, obwohl es nicht mehr wirklich gut aussah. Die naechste Tasche bekommt definitiv auch ein Ticketfach! Ob ich auch eine RV-Tasche hinbekomme, weiss ich noch nicht... Deine ist jedenfalls sehr schoen geworden!

[Marti]

Very groovey handbag. Totally unique.

[Sandrine (alias Didine ♥ )]

I never seen such beautiful bag before !! I'm in love with it !!!!! It's amazing :)

[sally]

Lovely bag. So original!

[alexandra]

Alex, du schaffst es nicht nur, über Kakerlaken einen netten Beitrag zu verfassen, sondern auch eine Tasche mit diesen Biestern drauf zu zaubern. Und was für eine Tolle, ich bin schwer begeistert.

LG Alex

[corinna]

ach mensch, ich hatte doch neulich einen begeisterten kommentar geschrieben, aber da war irgendwas mit typepad nicht in ordnung.

also: ich finde besonders die kombination mit den kakerlaken einfach genial!!! super idee!!!
und das rosa blüschen, das man auf dem foto sehen kann ist ebenfalls ein hit. :)
lg,
corinna

[Fiona]

Great, great bag! I really admire your eye for detail. Lovely work!

[Laura]

What a beautiful bag! I'm curious how you embroidered the bugs, did you trace a picture or draw them yourself? Are you entering the skill category or the fancy...you have my vote!

[pip]

I was just looking for a good source for japanese fabrics and came across your blog. Impressive! The bag is incredible, of course. Do you have any good online sources for fabric that you could point me towards? Thus far I've only found the Japanese fabrics on Reprodepot.com.

Thanks.