My brain is bursting with ideas right now about the next bag. For ages I've not been able to even start thinking about the next bag, but suddenly this morning ... ding! ... ideas are tumbling over themselves to get out.
So ... next bag ... rock pooling (yes, again) but on a bigger scale. Type of bag ... across the body - the kind you would take to the beach. It will have a 'flap over' style at the front ... ie, you lift the flap to gain access to the inside of the bag. The flap will be made to look like rock (somehow!). The 'across the body' strap will be made from some fake brown leather stuff I found in a charity shop the other day. With that, I'm thinking that I could cut out the shape of various types of seaweed but rather than having individual pieces stitched together to form the strap (which will create areas of weakness along the strap), I'll just piece the pattern shapes together and cut out their sillouette in one long piece of this fake leather stuff - 2 pieces actually top stitched together to add strength. To add additional strength to this strap I was thinking that I could insert a piece of ribbon (it has to be something that is flexible yet flat - so wire, plastic boning strip or string are no good) through the two layers of strap and pull tightly at each end. This will help prevent weaker areas of the strap (ie, where two pieces of seaweed join together) ripping apart when the handbag is filled with everyday 'useful' crap!
Back to the flap ... under this rock looking flap I was thinking you could have the seaweed around the 3 outside edges (1 edge being against your body when you walk, therefore needing to be plain) hanging outside and dangling and bobbing around when you move. Under this overhang of seaweed I could attach applique shells, fish etc to make it look like a rock pool. Other things, perhaps a prawn or a starfish etc I could make as broaches and attach those onto the bag so they look as if they're part of the bag but they can be removed if the wearer wanted to use them as an accessory.
I hope this spiel makes sense ... my brain seems to be projectile vomiting ideas out!!
As for making of the overhanging seaweed, I don't want to make it out of acrylic paint again. It does give a good representation but (a) it's too fragile and (b) when it gets cold it gets really hard and crispy which is not good for scraping hands against it nor does it help with the fragility issue! Anyway, we had a textile artist come and talk to us yesterday - Nicola Donovan - very interesting and entertaining lady. She suggested I try something called plasti-dip/plasti-coat. Apparently there's a website which I can go to direct. All you do is take your acrylic piece of seaweed and dip it into this stuff which gives it a smooth and supple plastic coating that retains its 'bendability' whatever the weather. Another idea I was thinking of was to make clay molds of my seaweed pieces and then fill those molds with latex. The problem with this one is I need to know how I can colour the latex ... for instance, if I paint it with anything afterwards, will the paint peel off over time ... or if I add die to the latex will that work (mainly because latex seems to come in strange colours in its raw state)? Mind you, saying that, there is some latex solution up at Hobbycraft which might be ok - and that stuff looks white ... hmmm ...
I haven't read this through yet, so I hope you're all keeping up with my brain! My body isn't!!
The outside of the bag ... (it's time for a cigarette and more coffee)
... right, the outside of the bag. We did an experiment in a paint workshop at uni using palette knives. I've never used them before (I'm not a painter remember) so thoroughly enjoyed using them, slapping down great thick sweeps of acrylic paint and then blending colours together. I was thinking ahead slightly at that time (unusually!) and used a variety of blues and greens - wondering if this technique would be any good for my rock pooling bag. I'll attach photos of the finished experiment:
To me, it does look quite sea like. I was initially thinking of knitting the outside, like I did with the original purse - but this is a bag so will be much bigger and I've already shown my knitting skills with the razor bag, so I want to do something different and something a little unusual for this bag. The problem I have with this experiment at the moment is that it is very fragile. I had to paint the acrylic on to cling film as I didn't have any baking paper at college. I think baking paper would allow me to use thicker layers. The other problem I have with this experiment is that it is quite rough to the touch in places - where there are peaks of paint. This is no good for cold hands that will scratch easily or for delicate fabrics (if I were to wear any) with the bag brushing against them repeatedly while I was walking. So, I need to think a little more about this and experiment some more. But I like this idea ... and, it's rain proof. I could probably use this technique as well for the 'rock' looking flap. Hmmm ...
If I do go with this acrylic outside, it will of course be lined to give strength and I'll use expensive, top quality acrylics which will be harder wearing hopefully. I wonder if that plasti-dip stuff will work? Hmmm ....
Anyway, that seems to be it for now ... the ideas are out there and my brain feels empty now.
The razor bag, by the way, is coming along nicely. Hopefully it will be finished by next week.
:o)
Byeeeeeee ...
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