Friday 26 August 2011

A Bag for Life!

I'm a great one for carrying around a couple of those 'bags for life' - you know the ones?  

Where you paid 50p for a smart looking plastic bag that you could fold up and keep in your handbag, and proudly whip it out just as the cashier is about to pack your items into a standard plastic bag!  Love that moment!

Well it turns out these 'bags for life' aren't so immortal after all!  I keep 2 in my handbag, and they are both wrecked!

Now as a 'bag lady' you would think I would have had one of these babies made a long time ago, wouldn't you?  I guess it's just another one of those things I haven't gotten around to.

But we can thank the lovely Ayumi for inspiring me into action (check out her gorgeous grocery sacks).  I designed this shopping bag to fold up neatly and keep in my handbag:



Truth be told there is another reason why I needed to get on with making this.  I'm in the process of designing a new handbag (not as a 'bag for life') and I wanted to experiment with some shapes & sizes.
  
Not one to waste anything, I thought rather than 'waste' fabric on a trial design, I'd make good use of prototype 1 - ok the fabrics aren't that inspiring, despite an original bit of vintage thrown in, but it is sturdy!


Really this is an early draft of what I will tweak with and play some more on until I get the bag that I can see in my mind (just not yet in reality!).

I would like to make a few more of these 'bags for life' style ones, but to also work out a cunning way of holding it together when it is all folded up, like the strap you secure an umbrella with. 


I don't often get the time to just 'play' and design, I miss it and would like to do it more.  If only I didn't need to sleep or eat!!

I'll leave you with my inspiration mosaic for the upcoming mugrug & goodies swap being hosted by Fluffy Sheep.


9 comments:

  1. I am in love with your MOSAIC!!!! I think we share a few inspirational photos :) We'll kick this swap off soon enough, miss Judith!

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  2. Love the bag - have had one of these on my to do list for ages, but when I eventually get around to it, mine won't look anything near as classy as this!

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  3. Good idea, I should make a couple of bags that I actually carry with me too. That is a beautiful mosaic, but I am resisting for now.

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  4. Its a gorgeous bag Judith, I keep telling myself I'm going to do my own bag pattern but I always find something I just "have to" try in the mean time... good for you for doing your own!

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  5. Bag ideas are cool and your mosaic is yummy - you like some complicated stuff!!

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  6. Lovely bag! I always have a simple tote bag in my handbag but didn't put one of those pac-a-mac type pockets on it (an umbrella strap is a great idea!) so I use a hair bobble so it doesn't unravel. Have you thought about making a pattern for the bag - you could sell it on your blog/Etsy! Love the owl in your mosaic!

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  7. Great bag and lovely mosaic!

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  8. Great bag. Can't believe it is just a prototype. Looks pretty perfect to me. Gorgeous mosaic too. Can't wait to see who I get in the swap!

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