Winged Backpack

It's wings AND a lightweight drawstring back pack AT THE SAME TIME.

I made this with convention cosplay in mind.

Drawstring backpacks are my favorite way to carry things when I am in costume if I don't have a back or purse that matches my costume, because the strings are slim and subtle and the bag isn't bulky or heavy; it hides well in photos. Then I figured, why not take it one step further and make it a part of the costume by sticking wings on it? Viola! Instant cosplay for any cute dress.

View the Winged Backpack on AvalynArtistry.com

Wonder Clutch

I made this on New Years Day!

The clutch is made of red silk, with a yellow "lasso" wrist cord, zipper, and hand-beaded detail.

I hand-beaded the star with an assortment of silver beads, with silver thread for a whimsical accent. The lining inside is removable, for easy cleaning.

Mermaid Drawstring Bags

I saw this fish scale fabric at JoAnn's last Halloween and couldn't resist. I never got around to making a Little Mermaid costume (sorry, Hubby), but I had the brilliant idea to make little drawstring bags that look like mermaid tails.

So fun!

I added little glass beads scattered on it (hard to see in the pictures) - they look like bubbles!

Want to buy one? View the listing on Etsy.

Hand-Beaded Drawstring Bag

I made a little beaded drawstring bag! I hand-beaded this flower years ago on a scrap of pink fabric and didn't know what to do with it. I came across it and realized I had more of the same pink denim and I thought it would make a really adorable bag.

Hand-beading like this is really not too difficult, it just takes time. I'd never done anything like this before.

Secure your fabric in an embroidery hoop. This will keep your fabric taught and make it easier to sew through.You'll need a thin needle for beading, the eye of the needle has to fit through your tiniest beads.

Try something organic - like a flower - first. Let your beads guide the design and the shape! Or you could trace a pattern onto the fabric using a pencil, then bead within the lines. To make this flower, I beaded the outside lines first to make the shape, then I filled in the spaces (kind of like coloring within  the lines).

Tokidoki Bag has a friend

My friend decided to join me on my cosplay fun so I had to make her a TokiDoki backpack to pair up with.

Damask Drawstring Bag

Drawstring bags are great to have around if you need somewhere to stash money when you are in the middle of dancing.

Just slip it around your wrist, stuff the money in, tug it closed, and keep on groovin' to the beat!

My sister asked me to make her a "money bag" that she could use for the money dance at her wedding. Knowing she likes the nouveau-French style and had pink as a wedding color, I came up with this style. I found the cute damask fabric in the remnants bin at JoAnn's, and I already had the wide grosgrain ribbon on hand.

To make the bag, I cut out the circle bottom then measured the circumference and used that measurement as the length of the rectangle that comprised the rest of the bag (taking into account seam allowances of course). This is a very simple project that really doesn't require a pattern. I sewed it by hand because my sewing machine wasn't working at the time.

Plastic Bag Zippered Pouch

Ever wanted to melt plastic into fabric? Hehe.

Start with 5 or 6 plastic bags. Cut off the handles and cut along the seams to flatten the bags into flat, manageable rectangular pieces.

Ideally you want big piece so you end up with a big piece of fabric at the end, but if this is your first time trying this I would recommend using smaller pieces, maybe half of the bag instead of the whole thing. If you only use half a bag, then you just need 3 bags and you have 6 pieces!

Lay the pieces on top of eachother, as flat as possible. Put butcher paper (or lots of sheets of white paper, nothing with writing or print on it) on your ironing board, then place the plastic sheets over the paper - this will keep the plastic from sticking to your ironing board. Then place another piece of butcher paper on top of the plastic bags to keep the plastic from sticking to your iron.

Iron all of the layers together. I did it all at once, but looking back I think it might be easier to just add one new layer at a time.

After making the "fabric", you can create nifty little bags like this zippered pencil pouch! It fits my Zune, earbuds and power cables nicely and holds its shape.

This was completely hand-sewn and I didn't use a pattern - probably should have. It ended up being just a little bit lop-sided.

From Placemat to Handbag

Placemat: Hello, I'm a pretty green-striped placemat and I am on clearance. You know you want to make something out of me!

Vintage Ribbon: I am really bored just sitting in this box. Hey, that placemat over there has green stripes the same color as my embroidered flowers!

Placemat: If you fold me over I look like a bag, whee!

Bamboo Purse Handle: Can I join the party?

AND BY OUR POWERS COMBINED, WE ARE... *poof!* A HANDBAG!