Artigianati.com

by Michelle Pelletier Marshall

Elizabeth Berthoud has always been comfortable around a sewing machine. As a girl, she stitched clothes and even designed her own prom dress. As an adult, she often duplicated brand-name fashion dresses, pants, shirts, hats and belts for her children — simply by examining the original item briefly, then going to work at her machine to create a near-exact replica.

As her four children grew and the task of caring for them did, too, the Rowley mother didn't have as much time to sew. Then a new idea came to her one day when her husband received a lot of neckties from a family member for a new job he was starting.

There were so many beautiful, silk ties that he couldn't possibly use them all. So Berthoud starting thinking about what she could do with them. She decided to sew them all together and create a handbag.

"People really liked the bag, so I started making some for gifts," she said. "Then I began picking up any fabric or remnant I could. ... It was all great fun."

From a pair of shorts found on clearance, which made for a great handbag with outside pockets, to colorful place mats that brought a new texture to her bags, the early versions all sold for $40......

Read more at  -  http://www.newburyportnews.com/pulife/local_story_105233005.html?keyword=topstory