Friday 14 September 2012

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RETRO RUCKSACK

I promised my daughter, quite some time ago, that I would make her a school bag using some of the tonnage of 70's/80's material that my mum gave me when she cleared out her loft. As she was a dressmaker/teacher she stashed so much fabric and notions away, but over the years she has got rid of most of it.... the last donation includes so many gorgeous, heavy woven wool mixes and trouser weight fabrics that it's going to take me years to find a use for it all!!
I've separated it all into "not likely", "quite likely", "almost guaranteed" and "most definately to use" spacesaver bags. The most definately has alot of shirt weight cottons and polycottons in a variety of colours and patterns... so much choice, so little time!!
When I was 12ish mum made me a lovely bodiced summer dress with ribbon corsetry down the front and big frothy layers in coordinating dark cottons- imagine my suprise when I opened one of the bags to find another 3 meters of each stashed away! Mum never bought in halves, obviously- enough for a garment, then double it, lol! 


I don't use patterns much, and certainly not for a bag, but I liked this so much I am going to make myself a paper template because I'm going to use more of the fabrics to make some others. This one has a heavy plastic lining to make it waterproof, the inside is the stripy fabric with a couple of little pockets and loops for phones etc.
At first my daughter shrieked in horror that it was far too big, but I planned for it to hold 4 or 5 A4 folders and text books plus typical teenage junk, otherwise what's the point if you need another bag too? Once she saw it gathered up and the flap tied over it suddenly looked cute and adorable! 
I've started mine now- I made my felt satchel in 2009 and much as I love it, to me it's old and I'm desperate for a new bag, so I'm getting out my batik squares and stitching them together for one meter of fabric, and I'm going to print onto a purple marbly batik for the contrast fabric...I'll take pics this time and set a tutorial for it afterwards.
So keep and eye out- I shall be making a couple for Etsy at around £40, and if you have any suggestions what to make with the wool mixes I'd be interested to hear from you... maybe I should try it on Ebay?






4 comments:

  1. I am so jealous! To have all that fabric, and the skill to make something like this! Definitely jealous. :))The bag is gorgeous and so practical- I am the pocket person, that's right. If a bag has no pockets, it's not for me. :) Great work Kal! xo!

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  2. Aww! Thankyou Sonja! But you weave- and I can't do that, so we each have strengths...besides- you sew, you could do this! I'll get the tutorial done and you could use some of your lovely woven fabric...I have complete faith.xx

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  3. Kalona is right Sonja,you can make a bag ,anyone who can weave as well as you will have no trouble. And as for you Kalona ,I am always so impressed by the amount and variety of work you create.

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  4. Thankyou Mary- I always struggle to make lots of things in one way...I really cannot manage it... everything I do has to be different in some way. I couldn't ever design and make a large run of something- well not too many- my little charms aren't too bad, at least each is a different gemstone.Still, variety is... as they say! xx

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Hi,
Sorry to add the verification box- I hate them so... but I've been getting alot of spam messages lately! Hopefully I'll be able to remove it in a while.xx

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