Soutache Swatch

Soutache at Stitches From The Heart Shop

Soutache Swatch. Say that three times, fast! Yesterday at about noon-ish, I received a call from Brandi, Manager of the Stitches From The Heart Yarn Shop in Santa Monica. My office is about 5 minutes from the shop. She breathlessly told me that they'd just received a large donation of soutache. Soutache is trim, used in decorating clothes, pillows, home items, etc. In the late 80's, early 90's, soutache handbags were quite the rage. Carrie Forbes was a major designer of these bags for Saks, Barney's, Neiman's, etc. They cost over $150 and up at the time. I used to crochet a lot of handbags out of soutache and corde'. This practice was resurrected from the 1940's and 50's when crocheted handbags were the rage. I have many old pattern books highlighting these bags.

I rushed over to the shop on my lunch hour and picked out a few different colors of soutache and some rat tail too. Rat tail is also trim with a satin finish. It can be worked up into quite a nice evening bag. Later in the day Brandi called and told me that a customer came into the shop and purchased the rest of the cache.

My Soutache and Rat Tail Choices

I've sold most of the old soutache bags I made years ago. I still have a few that I use once in awhile. I used to purchase soutache at Kagan Trim in Downtown L.A. Kagan Trim moved to the City of Vernon a few years ago, but most of this stash was purchased there in the late 90's...Kagan dates their labels!

Crocheting with soutache can be hard on your hands. It's quite stiff. I thought it might be easier to knit with the soutache, so I did a knit swatch and a crocheted swatch. The knit swatch is springy. The crocheted swatch provides a sturdier fabric. I may combine both techniques for an upcoming handbag.

Knit Swatch - Size 8 Needles

Crocheted Swatch - "G" Hook