Bags of colourful fun!

I wanted to try out a new idea for work and over the past few weeks a bag project has been taking shape.

Several fabric choices were given and themes for the bags could be whatever the group wanted as long as it worked, fitted on the bag shape and was created as independently as possible using a range of techniques and materials .

This is my example version. It is made out of a good 100% cotton fabric in white. The double draw string is also made out of 100% cotton cord which has been very good to cut and sew with.

The design was not at all planned and sort of evolved as the project planning developed.

I started off with the flowers which are made of fleece and are left overs from a little fleece top that I made Sophie when she was about 3 years old. I then appliqued the flowers on to the bag using straight stitch. We also looked at how we could add further texture with, say buttons etc. I moved on to adding green fleece leaves and with these I just stitched a straight line of sewing just along the centre to attach them to the bag and give a 3D effect.

I wanted to show the group another way of adding colour and design to their work. So I introduced fabric pens and how to fix them with an iron so that they do not fade or wash out. The pens were used for the stems and spiral bits. They really liked the idea of the pens and after a warning of not to over-do their use on the bags they set to work quite happily.

Sophie has her keen eye on this bag and is really hopeing that it will be her new PE bag for September, which is about when she thinks I will not longer be needing it! It is a little big for her but she looked me in the eye and said "Not to worry Mummy, I will grow into it!" That is what I call determination!!

I did make another one using only fleece which I will show next time.
Off to do some more marking.
Take care
xx