Vintage Basket Purses

A basket purse is the perfect accessory for a transitional August day. An alternative to typical leather or cloth bags, they are like picnic baskets that hint at the looks of the cool, brown-leaved, preppy days to come.

This is the sturdy purse my great-grandma used nearly daily in the 1960s. Now I use it to hold sewing notions.

This peppy little purse was my mom's in the '60s. The fat raffia flowers and mustard yellow handles add cuteness to the otherwise simple, woven cube.

I bought this $1 vintage purse at a church rummage sale for its slightly scalloped bottom, smooth handles, and crest-like clasp. Vintage basket purses are relatively attainable thrift finds, and they come in a variety of functional but pretty shapes, colors, and sizes! Plus, the fact that they are still kickin' around in such good condition proves their durability! 



Straw Hat Restoration

I don't wear hats very often so I can't call myself a "hat person", but I'm all for restoring something to its former beauty (and adding some extra beauty while I'm at it!). This dishevelled 1990s straw hat needed some TLC, so I made a few repairs.

I removed the damaged ribbon around the edge and replaced it with some mustard seam binding.

Now it's all set for summer use, and can be embellished in many different ways!

 

Here I whipped up some fabric flowers to decorate it with a gingham ribbon.

This version is reminiscent of a boater hat.

And oh hey, look! Another use for the multipurpose sash! Versatility is a great thing!

Something old can almost always be made fresh again with a little time and creativity!