5/27/2011

Harris Tweed Bags, and a.... Giveaway!

And so to the final Harris Tweed post for now. No doubt, the subject will crop up from time to time, but for now I'll show you some photos from a visit I had with a long-time friend.
Don't you love the Harris Tweed curtains she made for her Family Room?

And don't you absolutely love her wooden cabinet. That was bought in a thrift store, and it's absolutely gorgeous. How I love wood. How I love love old wood!

My friend, Anne Marie, uses Harris Tweed and makes gorgeous bags. Here are some of her materials.


It's unbelievable how much work goes into what she does.

The leather she uses in the straps comes like this.

Er, Anne - how on earth did you think leather came?


The leather is cut up into countless, equal strips - some narrower than others, depending on the kind of straps going on the bags.

The strips are then glued, back to back, to make a strap.


Then every single strap has to be edged - by hand - top and bottom.

Every single strap. Cut. Glued. Top snipped to curve; bottom snipped to curve.

And that's only the straps...

The inside of the bag is finished beautifully with a cord lining.


And her own personal ticket: Sunny bunny 

The bottom of the bag supported and finished with lovely studs.


Some of the tweeds are in traditional tartans. The bag below - finished, apart from the handles - is the MacKenzie tartan.


Other tweeds are plain, or herringbone, or have modern and bright colours.



Each bag is finished with the Orb mark, proving that the material used is, indeed, pure Harris Tweed. Even the badge is finished beautifully.


All in all, it's a work of art, and..... you guessed it, I have a bag to give away.

In the MacKenzie tartan, this bag will make you stand out amongst your friends. Hey - few of them will have a totally handmade Harris Tweed bag. Certainly not in the MacKenzie tartan. And most certainly not from my blog!

So, to enter this Giveaway, all you need to do is leave a comment.

If you are already a follower, I will enter your name 3 times.

If you follow as a newbie, I will enter your name 2 times.


And if you don't want to follow but want to enter the Giveaway, please feel free. I will enter every name.


Please mention in your comment either:
I was already a follower;
I am a new follower; or
I am entering the Giveaway but not following.


This Giveaway will remain open until 6pm (GMT) on Friday 4th June. That will be 1pm Eastern Time, USA.


All the best guys!


43 comments:

  1. I am already a follower. I've really enjoyed these posts about Harris Tweed. And I hope I'm lucky enough to be a winner of such a beautiful piece of art!

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  2. I am already a follower, from the states. I have really enjoyed your posts on Harris Tweed as I had no idea what all went into it.
    I think all of those bags are stunning. I have not seen good handcrafted work like that in ages.

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  3. Hello!
    I just signed up as a follower and I'd love to be entered! The bags are beautiful!Thank you!
    Morgan

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  5. Anne Marie is my personal bag maker! Much as I would love yet another one, please don't enter me in the giveaway, but leave the chance open for the other ladies who haven't yet had the chance to experience the delight of her lovely bags.

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  6. Thank you so much for hosting this give-away! What an incredible work of art...I would love to have one of these bags! I have enjoyed your "Harris Tweed" posts. I am already a follower.

    Hope you are all having a very blessed day...on the Croft!
    Laura

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  7. I'm already a follower and I'd like to be entered in this giveaway. I really enjoyed seeing how she made them!
    patrice@everydayruralty.com

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  8. I am not a "follower" but just a "linker," (if that is a word) from my blog to yours.
    The bags look wonderful. I don't usually enter giveaways but I'll give this one a try!
    -Lillibeth from The Pleasant Times

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  9. Oh, Anne! :) I am *dying* to enter this giveaway! I think I might faint for the first time in my life if I actually won! ;) So anyway, thanks a million for doing these posts! I've loved every one of them! :) And yes, I'm already a follower.I think this is one of my favorite blogs! Scotland and a gal with a great sense of humor who loves my country as much as I do...how much better can you get? :D -Rachel

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  10. Please enter me!!!!!
    I would love to win this special bag. I am not a follower in the official "Follower" column, but please know that I do read every post.

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  11. I am a follower already. Really neat bags!

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  12. I am already a follower. Thanks for the opportunity to possibly win one of these great bags! AWESOME!

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  13. Thanks so much for this grand give away. I am a follower and would love to win a beautiful bag...(though I tend to call them keri-ons! :) )
    Thanks for the fun drawing, Anne!

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  14. O MY GOODNESS! What an awesome give away!
    I was already a follower :)

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  15. I would love to win one of those bags! I am already a follower:)

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  16. I've been a follower for over 6 months and you have been a great blessing to me. I would LOVE one of those bags! :)

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  17. I've followed this blog for around a year I think. :) I really enjoy your posts and all of your beautiful pictures!
    -Sarah

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  18. Ooh, yes please! I am already a follower and would love the chance to win such a beautifully handcrafted work of art!

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  19. I am already a follower. Thanks

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  20. I am already a follower and really enjoy your blog as does my husband. Harris Tweeds are beautiful.

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  21. Gorgeous! That leather stuff just blows my mind.

    I've been a follower for a while (since you were kind enough to let me know you read my blog, enabling me to find yours!)

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  22. ooh, what a luverly giveaway! I am already a follower- even if only fairly recent!

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  23. Kool! I'm not a follower, but a faithful subscriber.
    Really enjoy the pics!
    thanks,
    cam

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  24. I'm already a follower. Love your Harris Tweed posts!

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  25. I don't follow in the google sense, but I do have you in my blogroll and read when you post something new. You can decide how many entries I get. :)

    Thanks for the cool cultural posts and giveaway!

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  26. Anne, I am a devoted follower and have been for some time. Yes, that means I'm one of the one hundred twenty something little boxes on your sidebar. Wow, when I became a "follower" (that does sound strange doesn't it ;) you only had like forty something followers. Now look! You're fun, that's why. At least I think so.

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  27. Enter me x 3! That bag would look great with my cowgirl boots! I have really enjoyed reading about Harris Tweed. Makes me want to run out and buy some sheep!
    Thanks for praying for my friends that were hit by the tornado.

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  28. Oh wow Ann! Thanks of this delightful giveaway!! YES I would love to enter and yes I am a follower!! So excited about this bag, it is so so beautiful!!!

    MUCH LOVE
    ~ Marie

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  29. Hi Anne,
    This is a beautiful bag! I would love to enter.
    This is "Anne" from 'Revery Alone', which is still in your sidebar, but I have moved to 'A Little of This and That'. Been here and gone; Blogger has caused me problems. So glad I found you again!
    Blessings,
    Anne

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  30. Hello! I am already a follower and I would LOVE to enter to win a bag. It is very generous of you to have such a giveaway. Sorry about your winds and cauliflowers lately. We love your little lambs and visiting on the croft.

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  31. I do not have a blog.Not sure what following is. I am a lurker mostly,that really enjoys your blog. ;-) But i sure would love that bag!

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  32. Well yes of course, I will have to enter this give away, I love the bag, and the tweed, and the leather, and the labels, and your friends talent. Yes, you know I am a follower, and I will be standing by saying a little prayer in hopes that I might win this bag over all the other girls.. :)Ha Ha.
    Blessings Anne,
    Much Love,
    Pam

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  33. Me, me, enter me! I have been a dedicated follower since day 1 ;-)
    Love the bag, and of course love the tartan
    xxx

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  34. I'm officially a new follower but was lurking for quite a while.
    What a fabulous giveaway...some people are just so talented. :)

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  35. Already a follower, I'm in the study with you via email! One of the US girls. :) I have enjoyed reading about the Harris Tweed, fascinating! Thanks for telling us and showing us the pics. I would LOVE a handbag like that, it's timeless and classy and looks to be sturdy, too! I can pretty much promise no one else in my town or state would have a bag like mine! Thanks!

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  36. I'm a new follower from the States! A friend linked your blog of Facebook and I love it! :)

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  37. I found you through Keri-On from a comment you left her! I hopped on in and found that you were from Scotland and that sealed the deal for me! I am following from the States but "oh to go to Scotland"! Wahoo.

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  38. I'm leaving a comment on behalf of Sarah S (deut list) who e-mailed me to say she's been trying for days to leave a comment but blogger will not allow it. I hope there aren't others having the same problem :)

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  39. Oh, if there are some having problems leaving a comment, please e-mail me:
    anneemag at btinternet dot com
    ...and I'll enter you

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  40. Love Scotland...and tweed...and leather...and the sea!!

    And if I win....I will even pay the postage to Tasmania...which I think is maybe a little like Scotland :o)

    Lynda

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  41. I'm not a MacKensie, but I would be delighted to carry such a beautiful bag!

    It is fascinating reading about folks halfway round the world with some of the same interests (sheep, fiber and farming) that I have. All the more interesting since I found recently that I am mostly Scots on my Mother's side!

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  42. This is me again! .... commenting this time for Mollie, who has been trying to leave a comment and cannot seem to either. All the best, Mollie!

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  43. As you know, we've been following for quite a while. I think Tulsa would look much nicer with a little tweed! Thanks for sharing your life with us! --R & S

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