Cut Out + Keep

Dyed/Bleached/Printed Messenger Bag

The perfect "catch-all-for-the-girl-on-the-go" bag

https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/dyed-slash-bleached-slash-printed-messenger-bag • Posted by edie d.

OK, here's one project I really threw the kitchen sink into. Starting with a couple of bleach pattern techniques, I then dyed a bit of this and screen printed a bit of that and tada... a super cute messenger bag!!

You will need

Project Budget
Cheap

Time

2 h 00

Difficulty

So-so
Medium printed bag 1254752702

Description

OK, here's one project I really threw the kitchen sink into. Starting with a couple of bleach pattern techniques, I then dyed a bit of this and screen printed a bit of that and tada... a super cute messenger bag!!

Instructions

  1. Small handbag1 1254752900

    This 15"x25" panel makes the body of the bag. Using the wide tip of a bleach pen, I made the stripes. After washing/drying the fabric, it was overdyed. Here's the recipe: Mix 1/2 bottle RIT Petal Pink dye and 2Tbsp Scarlet dye in 1 gallon of very hot 140º water. You can heat the water in a tea kettle if your tap's not hot enough. Immerse in dye bath for about 15 minutes. After removing from dye, rinse in cool water til it runs clear, wash with mild detergent and hang dry.

  2. Small handbag2 1254752976

    Then I made 2 pockets for the bag. The small YUDU screen printed pocket was 6x7. I just like to use my fun screen printer for this type of thing but you can use anything like a design cut from an old Tshirt maybe. The larger, 8.5x9.5 pocket was bleach'd with dot pattern using the fine tip of a bleach pen. So easy, I love these bleach pens!!

  3. Small handbag3 1254753174

    OK, this looks a little tricky so bear with me. The striped panel gets folded into a box construction making the front, bottom, back, and finally the top flap looping around. I cut strip of fabric 8x48 for the shoulder strap. Fold this in half lengthwise and sew up like a tube. Then I sewed the strap (from the reverse side) from the front, around the bottom and halfway up the back creating the sides and square bottom of the bag.

  4. Small handbag4 1254753255

    And there you have it! One super cutie of a messenger bag.