Refashioned Bags: Upcycle Anything into High-Style Handbags

by Faith Blakeney, Justina Blakeney

Reduce, Reuse, Refashion!

Handbags are the ultimate accessory. Fortunately, you don't need a cookie-cutter designer bag to make a fashion statement. In today's greener, more fiscally responsible world, it makes a lot more sense–and is a lot more funâ to make your own. Whether your closet is already an amalgam of hand-made clothing and remastered mash-ups or you're diving into DIY for the very first time, bags are one of the easiest accessories to make over and require little more than a needle, thread, and everyday items you can find in the closet, garage, attic, or flea market.
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That's why the authors of 99 Ways to Cut, Sew, Trim & Tie Your T-Shirt into Something Special show you how to make boutique-ready bags on the cheap. The Blakeney sisters twist and weave, turn inside-out, and reappropriate just about anything and everything to fashion radical accessories with mad style and a message.
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In Refashioned Bags, you'll learn how to create carryalls, clutches, laptop bags, totes, and more. And all of them will get a unique look, whether from the use of an old wool sweater, an ex-boyfriend's neckties, extra shower curtains, dad's hand-me-down suit jacket, a quilt, an umbrella, or even a bath mat. Some of the inventive and one-of-a-kind bags you'll learn to make
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• Boho Hobo Bag
• Sweater Computer Cozy
• Dapper Diaper Bag
• Dolce Doily Purse
• Le Zip Sac
• Tux Redux Bag And more!
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Helpful diagrams accompany the step-by-step instructions, along with bonus crafting ideas, fun facts, and tips and tricks from top bag designers in the DIY field who work with, at times, unusual materials. By following just a few easy steps that require little more than cutting, folding, gluing, and basic stitching, you'll be able to add refashioned bag designer to your repertoire.
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Genres: Crafts, Sewing, Nonfiction

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Kelly (Maybedog)]

This book is awful, truly awful. I love the idea, but the execution is extremely flawed. Everything is messy. I get that reusing and putting stuff together isn't always pretty and that's part of the charm. The deconstructed look is chic. A book that does this kind of thing well is The Sweater Chop Shop: Sewing One-of-a-Kind Creations from Recycled Sweaters.

But not this book. Whoever made the samples in the book couldn't sew a consistent line to save their job if it depended on it. It's really truly messy. The sewing is awful in these pictures in a professionally produced and published book. What would these bags look like if I did it?

On top of that, the bags are ug. ly. UGly. Really UGLY. The one on the cover is the most interesting one and if you look closely, you can see how poorly it is sewn. It only gets worse from there.

There are actually a few gorgeous bags but they are samples of work from designers who are introduced in the book not patterns. (These designers didn't contribute patterns. I can only guess they didn't know what the end result looked like.) Those designs were innovative and interesting. One was a purse that when laid flat looked a lot like an S crossed with a Yin Yang circle with a zipper around the edge. But when zipped up, it made a cute bag. Lovely.

This book? Not lovely.

[JH]

Cute, for those who are craft and can sew.

[Alicia Bayer]

I got this from the library, hoping it would have some fun patterns I could do with my kids. Some of the bags are really creative but they're sort of elaborate works of art from crazy materials, not something the average person at home could ever do. Some patterns are provided, but not of bags I'd like to make and they are still not the sort of thing I could do with my kids. Fine for inspiration, but not a practical guide for how to make cool bags easily with repurposed materials.

[Kim Wyatt]

I read the 2010 edition. I don't know if there is a newer one. I'm not that impressed. There are some good ideas but the results look more amateurish than handmade. I've seen some excellent purses made from men's ties. When done right they look and feel lux and you may not even know they are ties. Not this sample purse. It's proof that ugly ties grouped together are still ugly.

I am considering the woven magazine purse, or "magbag" on page 96. I think I have the perfect old silk skirt for the boho hobo bage on page 60.

[Ligaya]

I've read three of so books by the author and was already prepared for the ugly designs and poor craftsmanship but I was hoping for more... Nope. With the recycled tie bag the designer has you using cardboard to stiffen the bottom of the bag. Yeah, like, how long will THAT hold up? So, there's inspiration to be had here but the actual designs and patterns and even the directions will cause the finished product to look like a big fail. Beware.

[Dona]

Clever but way beyond my skill level

[Anna]

How canyon even rate this book? Brilliant ideas and inspiration. I hope some ideas from this book will surface in some bags I'll make (and sell), yet I fairly sure I won't follow any individual bag's instructions. Well, it's not the point either: get some ideas for what you can do, with the materials you have. Whether it's old coffee or rice bags, bath mats, old jeans or jackets, or something you considered plain trash until you got the idea. Get some inspiration and then ideas, then do something.
Pretty pictures, a good variety of projects and styles, ranging from easy (without needing to know how to use a plain sewing needle) to fancy expert ones. A good size for this type of book. More could have been too much, yet it just was missing a bit of something for me. Maybe the great idea for the next bag? 3.5 stars; solid good and should give you some ideas,

[Frances Saad]

Waiting for me at the library

[Dolldiva]

For all you recyclers out there.

[Sarah]

I'm not wild about the projects, although many are clever. The profiles of designers are interesting.

[Nancy]

Cute ideas and good step-by-step instructions, but I haven't yet been inspired to go upstairs and dig through my fabric boxes.

[Cherie]

Okay, but not very inspiring.
Good pattern on cargo pants turned into crossbody.