The plan is to use a circular warp to make the bag and its shoulder strap, using the complete warp and not cutting the fabric. The banana silk, which is quite a thick yarn, will be used for the bag part, and the cotton will be used for the shoulder strap so the bag part should be a warp-faced fabric, and the strap part more of a balanced weave.
update: 04/07/09. The banana silk yarn is very stiff, rope-like and hard to pack down, much more so than I would have imagined! It is also an overspun single, so I am unwinding the twist where necessary as I go. I'm debating whether to unweave what I've done, and use a soft cotton filler to fill in the gaps, or carry on, as the bag will be lined. Its quite likely the banana silk will soften with washing and use and spread out to fill the warp. I was originally planning on folding the shoulder strap in on itself, but may pull the weft tight instead to shape it. Photo coming.
update 20/07/09. This poor warp has now been transferred to a backstrap loom. The yarn is no softer, but the texture is wonderful, as is the colour. This particular skein has long runs of colour instead of the usual mish-mash found in Himalayan recycled yarns.
27/07/09: Is it possible to kill a warp? because I feel like tossing it on the ground and jumping on it! And as for the weft....words cannot describe!! So, I have shelved it and will go back to it once I'm not feeling so grumpy.