I was once told by my tutor that if it looks good in calico, it will look good in anything. This phrase has proven true as my calico bag was an instant hit. In fact it went over so well that I was commissioned to make one for a colleague of mine.
This was a very easy project as I was provided with all the materials, including this glittery gold fabric. The front of this fabric shows a floral pattern that somehow reminded me of a Cheongsam fabric print. As interesting as this fabric is, my colleague and I agreed that the reverse side of the fabric is more contemporary and suited her more.
When it came to sewing the bag, the floor in my room looked like an aftermath of a children’s disco-dust party as the fabric frayed and spread to every nook and cranny. Thank goodness I have wooden floors and a powerful vacuum cleaner!
I was actually quite surprised by how this bag turned out. Although the fabric does snag and fray a bit, once all of the layers were sewn together, the bag holds up very well.
While making the bag, I thought of the end-user and how it could benefit her, so I made a smaller, detachable bag inside this back pack. This could be used to store anything from toiletries to art materials. As it was made in the same glittery fabric, it could also be used a clutch bag.
I just delivered the bag today but as she was not in, I was not able to get some feedback from her. From the first prototype to this current one, this Tomb Stone style bag has gone a long way and it is through trial and error as well as user experience that I am able to improve on the pattern and come up with the current design. After all, it only took me 3 years!
Stephen Yong 