Since people have always needed to carry items with them, I suppose bags have been part of the human picture for thousands of years, for both men and women. That need has not changed through the ages, but bag materials and styles have. Think of all the things from which bags can be crafted: string and twine, wool and felt, leather, metal mesh, beads and quills, fabric – the list goes on. In my spare time (that means when I’m not working on the Temple) I like to make bags out of whatever I have on hand.
Bags are not only relatively simple and fun to make; they also lend themselves to being upcycled from existing items or scraps. Here are two which were crafted from shoulder pads removed from new dresses. They each have two compartments. The white one fastens with a hook, and the red with a magnetic snap.
Bags can also be made of felted wool from other garments. The small bag below was made from a felted yellow sweater. The handle is made from a felted green sweater, the spiral is needle-felted, and the edges are embroidered by hand. The lining is cotton, and there are interior pockets. Two magnetic snaps hold the top flap closed.
The purple bag was made from a felted woolen skirt, and the spiral was needle-felted. This bag is lined in cotton, has interior pockets, and fastens shut with a zipper from the original skirt.
Upcycling wouldn’t be complete without some bags made from the pockets of discarded jeans!
And last, one of my favorites is this tiny bag (2-3/4″ X 5″) made of scraps.
All the items above are available for purchase.
