Checkered Travel Organizer

Hi!  Welcome to my shop.  So, you want to get to know a little bit about me?  My name is Diane.  I was born and raised in Colorado. I have lived in West Virginia, Nashville and currently North Carolina.

As a child growing up my mom was always doing something crafty, usually knitting, crocheting or sewing.  She encouraged her love of crafting with me in so many ways.  I can remember doing paint by numbers, the Tandy leather kits, making tissue paper flowers.  She taught me hand embroidery, cross stitch and how to crochet.  In junior high I took home economics class and started to learn to sew and again my mother taught me a few tips and tricks for sewing. I made myself a few clothing items and then life got crazy for many years, and I didn't sew again until later.

I met my 2nd husband in 1999 after being a single mom with 4 boys.  We moved from Colorado to West Virginia where he decided he wanted to make knives.  Long story short, we got involved in pre-1840 rendezvous where he could sell his handmade knives.  In order to do that he had to have clothing for the time period.  Well after not sewing for 15 years I started making clothing for the time period for the family so we could attend.  Then I started sewing the men’s clothing to sell at events that we went to which included waist coats and knee breeches.  We did that for 8 years and then our health got in the way where we could no longer do the rendezvous and our kids had grown up.  

I still wanted to sew but wasn't sure what I wanted to make. I decided I would make my own purse.  I was having a hard time finding one that I liked with the things I wanted it to have.  So, I created my own purse. I have found some patterns and tweaked them to my liking and started selling purses online about 6 years ago. I was formally Diane's Diversions (Di's Diversions) and that shop name came about because I was making all kinds of items.... tile coasters, crochet beanies and scarves as well as purses.  I have found I really enjoy making bags and am keeping my focus on what makes me happy.

I take pride in the purses and bags I create.  I cut out one piece at a time from the fabric, so the placement looks good on the bag or purse.  That could mean 3 pieces, or it could mean 10 pieces, each one cut separately.  Yes, I may waste a lot of fabric this way, but I would rather have a good-looking purse rather than worry about wasting fabric.

The picture of me was taken at my local fabric shop showing them the custom order bow tuck purse I made with fabric I got from there..

I hope you enjoy my shop and thank you for shopping handmade items.