Sunday, April 17, 2011

My take on a Bowling Bag (from a recycled dress!) .

Above in all it's glory, is my take on a Bowling Bag. To explain about the recycled dress comment in the post title, in April 1991, my then M-I-L (RIP Margaret) made me a dress for my new job that I was about to start (Telstra, although it was Telecom Australia when I started). Then a couple of days ago, I found the dress in a box (still unpacking from the move!) and the fabric is soooo not something I'd wear nowadays (don't know what my 'taste/trend' was back then by the way!) so, with it being cotton fabric, I of course envisaged a bag being made out of it.....I washed the dress yesterday, and un-sewed it (rippit rippit) and VOILA a bowling bag was born.

Above you can see a close up of how I attached the handles/straps (depends on which you prefer to call them!) They shouldn't EVER come off....they're also sewn into the seam just below the "X" too, so very sturdy.
It's kind of not that visible in the pics, but the tabs at the ends of the zips are triangular....coz I just had to be different! The above pic shows the end/side of the bag. On one end I put a pocket. On the next bowling bag I make, I'm going to shoot for the stars and put pockets all around! Think I'll make tabs or flaps over the pockets on the front/back though, as I've noticed the inside pockets gape a bit and that's not such a good look when it's on the outside of the bag...on the inside, I can close the zip and hide them....or I could sew press studs on them I guess...hmmmm I might just make that design alteration now I've said it...lol

So, as you can see from the above pic, if you look close enough, there's pins still in there....that's because I was too excited about showing the bag off, that I haven't q-u-i-t-e finished it yet...hee hee hee. Once I've finished this post though, I'll go do the hand stitching on the inside and plan what accessories I'll be making myself to go with it, out of the rest of the ex-dress. Any suggestions????

8 comments:

  1. Hi Naomi, I like your Bag. How great that you used fabric from a dress, So its kind of a memory bag.
    What about a wallet. Cyndi at Bluebird's Wing has a nice tutorial on a wallet.
    http://bluebirdswing.blogspot.com/2010/06/my-very-first-tutorial-lets-make-wallet.html
    or a Hanky bag, at Luxquilt you find a great Tutorial.
    http://luxquilt.blogspot.com/search/label/hankie%20bag%202
    Have fun. Looking forward to see what you come up with.
    Kerstin

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  2. What a wonderful way to recycle your old dress. Great bowling bag. Don't think the handle will ever came off you secured it so well.

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  3. Love the bag. Suggestion - necklace and earrings with pieces of the fabric? Granted that won't use a lot... you could also make a belt or scarf maybe?

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  4. That is just way to cute!!!! and Clever!

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  5. You clever girl you. I love recycling. And, it is just a wonderful bag. Is it big enough to hold one of the small Janome sewing machines?

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  6. Great use of your old dress, Naomi. And I agree, that fabric looks much better as a bag, although back in the early '90s I'm sure it was in vogue! Ha, I agree with Kerstin...you should make one of my wallets! :o) Oh, and one of my nifty notebooks, and a tissue cozy, and... I think the choices are endless and there are so many great tutorials out in blog land. Have fun!

    XOXO,

    Cyndi

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I love reading all your comments and will try to respond to each and every one.