Bedouin Jewellery

All the galabeya dresses I buy to recycle into bags come from local Bedouin ladies living in my neighborhood.

One particular Bedouin lady I visit, her elderly mother usually comes out of the house to sit on a rug near to me.  She is very polite and always asks if I am happy and healthy.  I always ask the same of her.  I feel the inquiry is genuine.

The old lady has shown me some of her personal  jewellery.  I particularly like the ankle bracelet she wears.

Women wear a range of jewellery that represents the family wealth.

I did a little bit of research regarding ankle jewellery.  Apparently some bracelets are hallow and they fill them with small stones to make a noise.  The rattle of the stones also has a practical side, the men of the family can hear where the women are and a stranger would be warned of her approach.  Of course this harks back to when the family lived a nomadic lifestyle in the Sinai desert.

A beautiful bag

Here's the finished bag I blogged about the other day "Good things take time".

I fall in love with all my bags but I am a little fickle and my love is easily forgotten when I create the next new bag.

But I think this time it is real love.  I will never forget this bag, it will always be the one that got away.

Fortunately the new owner is lovely and so I am happy to see it go to a "forever home" where it will be loved and cherished.



Bron
xx

Good things take time

Where does inspiration come from?  I usually let the design details of the original galabeya dress do the talking.  I tell my customers, the galabeya dress speaks to me.

This galabeya dress has the most beautiful colour combination of green, teal and blue.  The horizontal and vertical black stripes dictate a rectangle shape bag (in my opinion)

.

The unique bead detail make this a real stunner.

Gorgeous cluster of beads 

Before I can start making a bag, I have to give the panels some tender loving care to strengthen and reinforce the areas that will feature in the bag.  Repairing and mending is just part of the process toward obtaining a gorgeous one-of-a-kind bag.  As they say, good things take time.

Come back soon to see the finished bag.  You'll not be disappointed!

Happy Eid

Eid Muburak!

Today there is a buzz on the streets of Dahab.  Bedouin children of the area are taking over the supermarkets and bazaars spending Eid money on sweets and toys.  The boys buy plastic guns and fire works while the girls like to buy sparkly hair accessories and plastic jewellery.  The girls also decorate their hands with henna dye.

Henna dipped hands of Bedouin girls celebrating Eid

Bedouin girls like to henna their hands on very special occasions such as Eid, weddings and any other special parties to look attractive and eye-catching.

These young girls have also improvised with modern marker pens to make flower designs.  They were very happy to show them off and have their personal works of art photographed.

Bron
xxx

What's in a name?

Where did the business name Peace Road Designs come from?

Firstly, I live just off the main road in Dahab, it happens to be called Peace Road.  

Most large cities in Egypt have a street named Peace.  

I also felt that since the turbulent years, from Egypt's 25th January 2011 Revolution through to the present days of Abdel Fatah Al Sisi as President, we need a bit of PEACE in our lives.

Lastly, I like the way it sounds.  It felt right for me and my business.

So there you go!

Bron
xx

A bag is born

Hi guys!

I hope everyone is having a great week? I am so excited to share with you the King-size Carryall Shoulder bag I have been blogging about recently.  It's a beauty in pink with heavy multi-coloured bling!   It's super stunning.

I lined the inside in purple.  Every time you open the bag it's like a Prince song inside!  (Purple Rain .... get it?)

And at the end of the day, it's good to have a bit of fun too.














Have a great weekend every one!

Bron
xxx

Making a Galabeya bag

I loved this galabeya dress as soon as I saw it when visiting my Bedouin friend.  My customer felt the same way when I showed her.  Due to the large beaded embellishment, the bag had to be big.  So we agreed to make a king-sized Carryall Shoulder bag.

My first job toward creating a bag is to manipulate the Carryall Shoulder bag template pattern to best fit the entire embellishment to the front of the bag.  When I am satisfied with the shape, I chalk the outline directly onto the cloth so I can begin to cut out each piece that will eventually be sewn together.

Next I study the embellishment to check if the beads and trims are securely attached.  If not, I hand sew the beads and any areas of the embellishment or fabric that needs attention.  This part of the process can take half an hour to many hours, depending on how much restructuring and mending is required.  For this bag, I estimate I spent two hours preparing the panels.

When I am finally satisfied the embellishment is secure, I cover the back of the panel in a strong fabric which reinforces the panel from the reverse side.  Sometimes I can machine sew the reinforcement directly to the panel, however in this case due to the neck line shape and heavy beading, I had to hand sew the panel.  Good thing I enjoy hand sewing!

A few hours later .... I am ready to construct the bag using the sewing machine.  

About me

My name is Bronwyn Jones.  I am a New Zealander living in South Sinai, Egypt. A small coastal village called Dahab .... world famous for the Red Sea and scuba diving.

I design and make original one-of-a-kind bags using local ethnic textiles, pre-loved Bedouin galabeya dresses and one of a kind treasures.

Well, check out my blog, where I write about the Bedouin people and the place I call home, Dahab, that fuels my inspiration,  Also take a look into my day-to-day events inside a busy design room. Plus get a sneak peek of samples and products to come. 

The Bedouin Galabeya Dress

A big part of my business is recycling second-hand Galabeya dresses.  The dresses come from the local Bedouin women living around Dahab.  I usually visit the women in their homes.  

As soon as I arrive, I am welcomed and a rug is immediately spread out on the ground.  Sitting cross-legged on the rug I am first to be served hot sweet tea in a small glass.  Some times I am offered Bedouin bread.  It tastes amazing, believe me!  

Photo (above): Baking Bedouin bread (fetir).


We always ask about each others family, is everyone well?  Perhaps a little bit of gossip is exchanged too.










After the customary exchange of news, I begin to look at the selection of galabeya dresses.  Each one is laid out for me to study. 

I look for nice colours and colour combinations, interesting embellishments such as embroidery, beading or trims.  I am also attracted to interesting textures in the fabrics such as jacquard or brocades. 


Finally a deal is struck.  


I usually have another cup of tea, then I jump on my bicycle and return to the workroom to begin the transition from dress to bag.