Never Too Many Handbags by Prudence Mapstone

ISBN 0-9580443-2-5 Softbound, 51 pgs, $16.95, Prudence Mapstone, Kingswood Press, Brisbane Australia, www.knotjustknitting.com or order at www.threadsandmore.com.au  

Prudence has authored three books and several articles in magazine publications.  Her third book, Never Too Many Handbags, is full of exciting and new ideas for freeform crochet. 

She uses purse mesh blanks and mesh pieces that can be shaped to form a purse shape.  These mesh pieces have perforated holes so you can work directly onto the piece or make motifs and then stitch them on, or create a combination. 

Crochet is the main subject; however, you could follow her directions for designing and add beaded, knitted, woven and other craft techniques to the bags. 

You will learn how to design your own bag, add a lining, finishing the edges and adding embellishment.  Crochet patterns are provided to make leave, corkscrews, ruffled flowers, bullion circles, spirals, tri-color flower, little fish plus, a knitted flower.  You can use these motifs as add-ons for the bags. 

The bag examples include a clutch, tote, and several handbags.  There are color photos of finished bags, depicting various motifs combined to make a work of wearable art, including one that has a knitted background and crochet added for an underwater theme. 

Every one of her bags is exotic and stunning.  Prudence’s creations are very organic and feminine; you will want to make more than one bag.  I love Prudence’s work and her books.