Customising a Simple Bag

I bought a basic cotton crossbody bag to experiment with. I wanted to see what I could do with fabric paints.

I washed the bag so it would take the paint properly. Once it was dry, I mixed the fabric paints into water. They didn’t mix in completely, so I only dipped the tips of broad brushes in the water, trying not to touch the bottom of the bowls I was using. I painted broad stripes on the back and front of the bag, letting the colours merge as I went. I stuffed the bag with a carrier bag so the paint didn’t run through to the other side.

I let the main part of the bag dry, then used the same technique to colour the strap. The result was a kind of ombre/tie-dye effect, with the creases from washing adding to the effect once I’d ironed it all flat.

Initially, I was going to try embroidering a design onto the bag, but then I thought I’d have a go at adding some beads instead. I used a small cookie cutter as a template for the heart shape, drawing it in pencil so I could follow the shape.

I found the easiest way to add the beads was to get enough on the thread for the area I wanted to cover, secure each end and then use small stitches every few beads to hold them in place along the design.

I’m quite pleased with the result.