Reclaimed fabric project bags

Knitting bags and notions pouches, all from thrifted fabric

I've been experimenting for a while now in sewing project bags. Drawstring and zippered bags, little notions pouches for stitch markers and thimbles, large sacks big enough for a sweater knitting project. I wanted to develop a reliable method to sew a range of sizes and shapes of bag, each designed with recycled or reclaimed fabric in mind.

I see so much discarded fabric in one form or another, on an almost daily basis. From a pair of jeans my father-in-law decided weren't worth mending, to the half-finished tapestries donated after someone passed away, to the remnants generated by my own sewing practice. I wanted to develop a range of bags made from this discarded fabric, something beautiful but functional, more than the sum of it's parts.

I'm still experimenting but the first few hit the shop recently and I wanted to share them here with you. Each piece of fabric is small, meaning there may be only one or two bags made from each design. The quilted fabric African wax bag is my special favourite, I love the thick, padded fabric created by quilting together a remnant of African wax, with recycled blanket batting and thrifted denim lining (from the aforementioned pair of jeans!).

I'm also particularly happy with the tapestry bags, made from half-finished works in progress donated after a sewist passed away. I love the idea of taking these projects and finishing them off, giving them a new lease of life, and providing a functional piece for a fellow craftsperson. A fitting way, I hope, to memorialise someone's work. There’s a drawstring tote, and a medium project bag, as well as various smaller notions purses, perfect for stitch markers and snips.

You can see all the project bags for sale here, there's only a small selection. If these do well, I would hope to do a limited collection every few months, as I collect remnants and thrift fabrics. Each one will be different, unique, and hopefully beautiful and functional. I've made several for myself and been using them for months now, so I can attest to their usefulness!