Tag Archives: zipper pouch

New Utility Bag

Posted on March 31, 2020 | Leave a comment

I’ve been ‘gone’ so long I hardly know what to do! So this will be short and easy. I hope. Here is a new utility bag, made from repurposed fabric, painted with the ‘squeek’ from paint rollers. Useful and sturdy.

It’s available here in my Etsy Shop.

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Posted in Creativity, functional art, Original Bag, textile art, Uncategorized

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Abacus Bag

Posted on March 24, 2016 | Leave a comment

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abacus7This bag has traveled a creative journey from a beginning nearly opposite in appearance. Pulled from my completed projects it seemed gawky and unacceptable to my present eye.

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Cut apart and laid flat, its makeover has begun….

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Paint applied – I used fabric to absorb excess on the tape – nothing wasted!

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First mask removed

 

 

 

 

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Brush handle as paint applicator. (A sheet of glass is laid over neutral fabric on my work surface.)

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Big mistake! Slapping paint without much thought. I sensed it immediately, but I finished all the way across knowing that mistakes can lead to good things. Later, after a little masking, I hid the yellow with more paint.

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I had recently carved a flower stamp so I grabbed that and laid it on using black.

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A day or so later I sanded lightly to expose hints of the yellow, bring it out as texture and soften the colors a bit. I added more black to the design.

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Available here in my Etsy shop.

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Posted in textile art, Uncategorized

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Tall Gray Pouch

Posted on December 27, 2015 | Leave a comment
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Utility Pouch of Upcycled Work Pants

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Unplanned embroidery

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Under Construction

I’m not certain what I thought I was showing you here, but you might as well look. (I did add another small pocket inside the outer pocket.) Raw pieces of used trousers that I clean my paint rollers on. I just hate to waste anything. The orange and red are from working at my mixed-media table, again just ‘using up’. Then one evening I picked it up and started stitching the red lines because I had nothing else in my mind to do. The fingers need to do something, even when void of inspiration.

Painted and hand embroidered pouch is here in My Etsy Shop.

This small chunk of fabric is visible in an earlier post – not too far back, just a few scrolls or clicks will probably get you there. See that circle one? It is completed too. I’ll post photos of that another day.

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Upcycled + Textile Art Bag

Posted on August 25, 2014 | 1 comment

The truth is that not all things creative are born of inspiration. Some are just built a day at a time like Life until suddenly a direction is determined. It appears this piece started aimlessly to use up paint or maybe I just didn’t know what I wanted to do that day.

I liked the painted strip but decided to combine it with other fabric and somehow 'mesh' the two.

I liked the painted strip but decided to combine it with other fabric and somehow ‘mesh’ the two.

Sandwiching fabric and batting with a bit of modern Trapunto technique (the added circles)

Sandwiching fabric and batting with a bit of modern Trapunto technique (the added circles)

With a theme of circles and connecting lines I 'marry' the light fabric to the painted insert.

With a theme of circles and connecting lines I ‘marry’ the light fabric to the painted insert.

 

Painted and quilted fabric pieces and planning the bag.

Painted and quilted fabric pieces and planning the bag.

I know that’s quite a jump. It’s not hard to notice that more painting has been done. Alas, I couldn’t find any photos for you of the process. Continue reading →

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Barbed Wire Bag

Posted on May 5, 2014 | Leave a comment
Barbed wire art was further embellished with machine stitching

Barbed wire art pouch.

Fabric is upcycled from uniform trousers.

Planning first side of bag using wire art

Planning first side of bag using wire art

This insert is based on  a charcoal study of barbed wire. I further developed it with a wash of liquid textile pigment (after using school glue resist). I did some quick stitching roughly following the lines of my drawing. I stitched it to a firm stabilizer with tightly spaced meandering rows of machine stitching. The ‘oops’ in the upper left corner inspired the next machine stitching: Continue reading →

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‘Circle-Purple’ Painted Canvas Pouch

Posted on April 12, 2014 | Leave a comment
Painted Canvas bag with zipper and 4-strand leather braid zipper pull

Painted Canvas bag with zipper and 4-strand leather braid zipper pull

This canvas zipper pouch began as a way to save every drop of liquid pigment applied to another fabric. It went through the ugly stage as art often does. Even after applying acrylic paint to save it from doom, my vision was to add thread embellishment. But here -without machine stitching – is the Circle-Purple Pouch with process photos:  Continue reading →

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Gray Lace Bags

Gray Lace Bags

Ghost print of the lace used on the denim in previous post. I always have something handy – or find something fast! – to use the last of anything. This material was once worn as a working man’s uniform trousers. Sturdy stuff. I liked the incongruity of the lace on the durable fabric that was already carelessly paint splotched with the blue. (See, it does look blue here! A previous post would tell why I couldn’t resist this comment.) These bags could also be further painted or embellished but I’ll leave that decision for someone else. Grunge bags for brushes or long tools, paper rolls or knitting needles. Available in my Etsy Shop.

Long one – SOLD

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Posted on May 26, 2013 in Uncategorized

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Landscape Bag

Posted on March 3, 2013 | 1 comment
I like the way the thin pigment traveled along the threads. I'll be using this technique more often.

I like the way the thin pigment traveled along the threads. I’ll be using this technique more often.

Start to finish!

Start to finish!

Continue reading →

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Happy Accidents

Posted on February 21, 2013 | Leave a comment

Coin purse completed with key ring and clip, slice of upcycled leather on zipper pull

Coin purse completed with key ring and clip, slice of upcycled leather on zipper pull

First bag made
Fabric from 'Starts' and selected lining

Fabric from ‘Starts’ and selected lining


Sometimes improvement is only a hazy possibility. I pulled this fabric from my Starts box. (I’m not telling you how many of those I have.) Or perhaps it could be called the To Be Continued box(es!). It lay on my cutting table for weeks. I couldn’t decide how to develop it further. I liked the colorwash quality of what was no doubt a casual experiment or discarded result of another work. Perhaps I could have made something wonderful from it – or perhaps I would have ruined what was good. This is always the big decision for any creation.

One day I just felt like sewing so that is what I did. The bright red orange cotton worked perfectly as lining.

I made the handy size zipper pouch, then a key ring pouch using the remainder.

Available in my Etsy Shop.

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