Tag Archives: Bag

Jacqui’s Tote of Many Colors

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Jacqui's Tote of Many Colors

Hopefully I’ll get this off in the mail after work, on it’s way to my friend Jacqui in England.  Years ago we used to send each other decorating magazines, so they were the first thing to pop into my head when I felt the urge to send her a little gift.  Then I remembered that I can sew now, a skill I didn’t have back then, and thought I’d make her a little something, too.  My “little something” morphed into this roomy Tote of Many Colors made with part of a Michael Miller Cotton Couture charm pack and a yard of fabric I bought while shopping with my Mom in Tennessee.  (That’s the lining and straps.)

The little tag was so much fun to make, I’m sure I’ll end up making more!

Jacqui's Tote of Many Colors Tag

Diego watched me turn the bag right-side-out when I was done sewing, and I swear his eyes lit up when he realized that was something he could crawl inside.  He followed me around until I set it down for a picture and he tried to see if it might be a good place for a nap.  Yep, I’ll be packing it up right away.  (I’m trying to keep the cat fur off it, Jacqui!)

Tote of Many Colors with Deegs

He is such a quilter’s cat.

sarahsigres

My Twitter Luggage

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My Twitter Luggage

I get weird ideas sometimes.  I had an urge to buy an old piece of luggage and paint something on it.  I’ve learned to just go with it and see how it turns out.  I found this bag on Etsy for about $25.  (From Mail Order Vintage‘s shop specifically, if you want to search for some good stuff to alter.)  It looks like it’s never been used, so I’m not sure if I should think of it as new or vintage.

Here’s what it looked like when it arrived.  My daughters thought it was hideous, but I kind of like it’s offbeat salmon color.

Vintage Carry On

I originally wanted to paint a quote on it, “Half the fun of travel is the aesthetic of lostness.”  But I got tired even thinking about cutting out a stencil like that, and the textured vinyl bag was going to give me fits trying to keep paint from oozing underneath a stencil.  Lots of curvy letters could be a nightmare!  I decided to keep things simple and cut a Twitter bird body and main section of branch from a piece of Contact paper.  I pressed it down as best I could against the grain of the vinyl.

Can you see it?

Contact Paper Stencil

This just gave me the starting point, which I filled in with brown fabric paint, chosen because it’s flexible when dry.  The rest was freehanded after I carefully peeled off the Contact paper.  Sealed with a little matte varnish, I hope it will be durable.  In the next few months I’ll be traveling to Tennessee, North Carolina and New York, so we’ll see.

My Carry On

I’m happy to give something old a second chance, and happy to have a one-of-a-kind bag that suits me so well!