Trying to Capture a Spirit

While strolling through the variety of fabrics on ebay, I was arrested by the beauty of the vintage Kimono offerings.  Living in Gardena, California, I have become familiar with its history.  We have a large population of Japanese people.  Many are first generation Americans.  They brought their culture with them and so I have come to admire their arts and food.  
I had never thought to mix my ideas with their arts.  But seeing all these luscious fabrics, my resistance was broken down.  One thing about buying the fabrics directly from Japan is that it took 3 - 4 weeks just to get to me.  Then it takes me a while to think and dream on how I want to construct the purse.  With this purse, I wanted to honor the Japanese Arts of the past.
The fabrics that I used here are vintage "everyday" Kimono fabrics.  This fabric would have made a Kimono that a person would put on after coming home from work and not a holiday Kimono.  I used six different pieces of fabric and I quilted them with an organic batting on the back.  The purse is quite structured to give it some shape, as the fabric is cotton, vintage and very floppy.  
Also found on ebay is the carved white Jade that I hung from the handle.
I enjoyed every step that I took to make this bag.  It has been a long journey, in that my life constantly intervened but now with a few days just for myself, I finished it.