Inspired by the weather of the Pacific Northwest, Rainy Day tote features a little person ready for stormy skies. The back and handles are made from black canvas.
After layering my base bags to create my blue background I picked out colored plastic bags to make my image from.
Because it's difficult to cut shapes out of plastic, I drew the shape I wanted on paper first and pinned it to plastic. Be sure to have at least one pin inside the lines of your drawing so that your template stays in place until you're done cutting.
If you're pinning your template to several layers of plastic (if you want to make more than one rain jacket for instance) I suggest pinning your layers together first before pinning the template on.
After pinning each segment of my image onto the bag base, I appliqued them on using a zig-zag stitch with matching thread.
I chose to applique my person onto the bag before quilting it because the some of the lines would need to be on top of my image.
Now my little person is happily secured to my bag. I chose to attach my raindrops after quilting because I wanted them on top of the seams.
I used a normal sewing machine foot (when I say normal I mean non-free motion foot) to make black diagonal lines about 1 1/2" to 2" apart. While tighter quilting is sturdier, 2" distances seem to be adequate.
The one big (dis)advantage of using opaque thread is that you will have to consider how your seams compliment the design.
Construction: This tote is 15” X 18.5” with 6” long handles. It required 4 grocery bags, 1 shopping bag, and enough canvas for the back and handles. Cost came to about $3.50 for the canvas. Straight line quilting and using a cloth back shortened the total project time, but I still spent a good couple of hours cutting out and appliquing my design. Thus the total project time was 3 1/2 hours or so.
Performance: Unfortunately the plastic front is vunerable to snagging on objects. Only one or two layers will tear, but this can still be tragic. It hasn't been weight-tested yet, but I'd bet that it will hold up pretty well thanks to the canvas back.
Disposal: Again quilting different types of plastic together complicates recycling. However the canvas can be easily removed for reuse.
1 comment:
Hi Esther -- I found you through Allie -- she's coming to stay at my house when she teaches in Baltimore -- Just want you to know that this rainy day bag is probably the cutest thing I have ever seen -- The sky's the limit for you -- you need to open an Etsy shop!!
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