Back in 2012 my mom sent me some coffee bags from Hawaii. She saw some tote bags made from coffee bags on a trip to Hawaii and brought me back some bags to cut up. Last weekend, as part of my sewing-for-me month, I pulled one out and made a bag.
Here is what the bag looked like originally.
I turned it inside out so it would lay flatter before cutting it apart and some beans fell out.
I learned that I don't really enjoy working with burlap, at least the burlap that was used to make this coffee bag. When I cut up this bag it shed little bits of burlap that stuck to everything. The little bits were itchy too, like the little bits of hair that cling to your clothes after you get your hair cut. Maybe I should have washed the coffee bag before cutting it up?
Anyway, the bag turned out pretty cute.
This is just a simple tote. There are no pockets. I used webbing for the handles.
The interior is a cotton print from my stash.
I have quite a few more coffee bags. I think I will try washing the next one before sewing with it. I will also not worry so much about preserving all of the printing on the bag. This bag is about 14" tall by 20" wide by 5" deep. The height to width ratio is a bit off because it is wider than it is tall. I learned that I prefer bags that are taller than they are wide.
Here is what the bag looked like originally.
I turned it inside out so it would lay flatter before cutting it apart and some beans fell out.
I learned that I don't really enjoy working with burlap, at least the burlap that was used to make this coffee bag. When I cut up this bag it shed little bits of burlap that stuck to everything. The little bits were itchy too, like the little bits of hair that cling to your clothes after you get your hair cut. Maybe I should have washed the coffee bag before cutting it up?
Anyway, the bag turned out pretty cute.
This is just a simple tote. There are no pockets. I used webbing for the handles.
The interior is a cotton print from my stash.
I have quite a few more coffee bags. I think I will try washing the next one before sewing with it. I will also not worry so much about preserving all of the printing on the bag. This bag is about 14" tall by 20" wide by 5" deep. The height to width ratio is a bit off because it is wider than it is tall. I learned that I prefer bags that are taller than they are wide.
3 comments:
This bag is totally cool -- unique, usable, and I bet it'll be an attention getter and the start of a conversation or two.
My mom always had flour bags and grain bags back in the 1940s 1950s, and her goal was to bleach, bleach, bleach out all the pictures and words so she could use them as kitchen towels. She gave the leftovers to me recently, and I just wanted to cry, thinking about the graphics that used to be on them.
You lucky lady! I'm sure the coffee bags are all as luscious as this one!
BTW--I doubt that prewashing would have helped much with the burlap. Cutting it always makes such a mess.
Love that bag. What a clever idea. You did a great job making it.
Nice job. I've always wanted to make one. But my friend makes them. So, I bought one of hers instesd. haha.
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