We’ve all got those boring reusable fabric bags floating about don’t we?! You know the ones I mean – you get given them for promotional reasons and they usually serve some kind of marketing goal – or you’ve bought them from a supermarket for your groceries. Well, seeing as I like to reuse and recycle things (I always feel guilty throwing things away), I’ve accumulated many of said bags.
So, when I came into possession of yet ANOTHER one, I decided to revamp it! Here is the original bag:
Boring. But it had a zip! Fancy
I could’ve just used the bag as is, but it was SO boring and was advertising Baby Bunting and some website who supply bags?! Anyhow, I got my creative juices flowing by visiting my fabric scrap box.
My recycled wooden box full of fabric scraps
I decided to use some precut fabric squares which I bought at a secondhand store in Witchcliffe, WA. My plan was to use the squares to create a patchwork design and cover the advertising on the front of the bag. I played around with the placement of the squares until I was happy with how it looked. Then I stitched the patches together. I had one larger patch which was such a gorgeous fabric, so decided that would be the focal point and subsequent centre of all the patches!
Once the patches were all stitched together I ironed the entire perimeter seam down. I then was ready to attach it to the front of the bag. I would’ve stitched it with my machine, but I was in a hand sewing mood so decided to do a decorative stitch using some red thread (vintage red thread might I add!).
Angled edges are cool
Finally I jazzed up that zip with a tassle made from a scrap of cotton jersey fabric and a metal ring.
I use my refashioned bag to store my baby carrier when it’s not in use. One day it will become my daughters book bag for library visits… although I suppose I could just makeover one of the many other bags I have laying around!
Hope you enjoyed reading this post, and are inspired to do a bag makeover of your own!
~
Fancy Nanna
fancy nanna 