Purse "Let The Good Times Roll" - Updated 9/29/22

September 29, 2022--Won Honorable Mention Ribbon for Canvaswork/Needlepoint category at Rehoboth Beach Museum's 10th Annual Needlework Exhibition in Rehoboth Beach, DE.  So pleased.

March 9, 2022--Won 2^nd Place Ribbon in the Canvaswork-Multi-stitch category at Woodlawn's 59th Annual Needlework Exhibition in Alexandria, VA.  So pleased.

September 19, 2021--Three years after I completed the stitching of this project (see all the details below), I finally had it "finished" into a beautiful clutch purse.  I'm over the moon happy with the results.  I worked with Karen at Rittenhouse Needlepoint (1216 Arch St. 2A, Philadelphia, PA 19107, telephone 215-563-4566 ext. 113) and she helped me decide on lots of little details.   The purse is very sturdy (which is what I wanted) and has lots of interior room for my iPhone, keys, etc.  Love the zippered compartment and six credit card slots.  Imagine how chic I'll look at the casino carrying this.  Right now it's on display in my dressing closet with other goodies.  I smile when getting dressed just looking at these beautiful things (the photo is of my husband and myself taken over 30 years ago).

Purse Let The Good Times Roll Finished Front

Purse Let The Good Times Roll Finished Back

Purse Let The Good Times Roll Finished Interior

Purse Let The Good Times Roll On Display in Dressing Closet

August 20, 2018--As predicted in my July 10th post below, I did get the stitching on this beautiful purse done in August.  Hurray!  I'm seriously thinking about finishing it myself into a clutch purse and have found an old Vogue pattern (#8974) which might work perfectly as a guide.

I originally contacted the shop who finished Janet Zickler Casey's model purse, but they are no longer doing this type of thing.   So I either do it myself or try to find someone else to finish it (understand this type of thing is very expensive).  I'm a DIY kinda gal (does this equate to fearless), so I'll give it a go myself.

Purse Let The Good Times Roll Completed

Vintage Vogue Pattern 8974 Clutch Purse

July 10, 2018--Yay!  All the black diamonds are stitched and just a few white ones to complete.  Maybe by the end of August, at the rate I'm going, they'll all be done.   Then I'll have the fun of finding a purse "finisher".

Purse Let The Good Times Roll as of 7-10-2018

May 27, 2018--Still working on the diamonds--it's a very slow process.  But I am making progress and hope to complete the stitching by the end of the year.  Odds are out to see whether or not this happens, or if it gets done at all.  LOL.

Purse Let The Good Times Roll at 5/26/18

January 7, 2018--I've been working on this purse off and on over the last few months.  Over 25% of the diamonds are now filled in.  Whew.  Each diamond takes nearly two hours to stitch due to the fact there are two different stitches which use different threads that must be "laid".   Also, this is a huge canvas - 14" x 22" and moving your hand around it takes time as well.

In actuality, however, the purse is more than 25% complete since the beaded fleur de lys is in place, the diamonds are outlined in silver Kreinik, the beaded handle put together, and the black diamonds are painted in so that white canvas doesn't show through.

Here's my progress so far:

As of 1/7/18 Close up

As of 1/7/18

November 2, 2017--Began stitching the diamonds.  The lower right 2 rows are done.  Not a difficult stitch, but each diamond does take time.  A good project to stitch while watching TV.

Let the Good Times Roll Purse as of 2017-11-02

April 11,2017--Steadily working away on this project.  Finished stitching the outline of the diamond shapes in silver Kreinik, painted in the black diamonds so that white canvas won't peek though the stitches (no stitches done yet), AND, beaded the Fleur de Lis in "brick stitch" pattern.  I'll wait until the end to add the black "tie down" beads on the Fleur de Lis.

Let the Good Times Roll Purse as of 2017-04-11

Beaded Fleur de Lis Side View

April 5, 2017--I started stitching this purse at the ANG 2016 Seminar in New Orleans, LA in a class taught by Janet Zickler Casey called "Let The Good Times Roll.  This is a very large piece which will be made into an envelope clutch with a beaded handle. I spent much of the class time making the handle since my beading experience for items such as this is practically nil.  It came out well and I hope some day to do more in the way of beading bracelets, necklaces, etc.

Janet offered two colorways for this purse--black and white like the one I'm doing; Mardi Gras colors in green, purple and gold.

Here's my progress to date and a picture of the handle.

Purse Let The Good Times Roll at 2017-04-05

Purse Let The Good Times Roll Beaded Handle

Here's the project photo.  This picture shows the red beaded Fleur de Lis positioned on the back of the purse.  Mine will be on the front.

Purse Let The Good Times Roll Project Photo