Altered Swag

   DIY Customized Messenger Bag: a tutorial of sorts

Anyone attending a conference these days is expected to take possession of, and tote around, a sizable load of low-quality bag/shirt/cup/pen/toy trinkets. An odd custom – most swag is destined for the landfill in short order – but ubiquitous none the less.

Last year I received a conference bag that actually got my notice. As to be expected it is poorly made and lacking in features, but I rather like the square-ish shape and rakish flap.

customized_messenger_bag
Finished Bag (larger)

Right off I envisioned the bag with swirly cabbage roses on the flap. I have no idea why that particular vision came to mind, but inspired I was. So off I went to the local mega-craft store to get a bunch of inexpensive fabric paints: spray-able white, matte pink/fuchsia/blue, and silver metallic.

I started with a Sharpie permanent marker to black out the white advertising text on the back of the bag. This worked remarkably well: you can still see the writing if you look closely, but it’s well camouflaged.

Covering up the bright orange background on the front flap was more of a challenge. I used the spray-able white paint which has a whitewash consistency and applied it with a foam brush. After five separate coats the orange was barely visible.

Next, I put the bag on a shelf and forgot about for many months. Suddenly this week I got the urge to finish it.

Painting

The image on the flap took about two hours to paint. The paints blend and mix easily and dry quickly with a nice matte finish. I did most of the painting with a foam brush, but also used my fingers to push paint around and soften edges.

First I put down a layer of sage green paint in vaguely leafy shapes. Then I laid out the flowers with swirls of light pink, followed by dark pink, light blue, and around the colors again until I liked the result. I finished up the background by applying the green paint in more specific foliage shapes, using the lighter green to suggest highlights and edges.

Lines of metallic paint made for interesting texture on the flowers but looked a bit stark to me. I went back in with the flower colors on my fingers to soften the silver lines here and there: that did the trick. Finally, I took a look at the image as a whole and added blobs of color where I thought it would help with balance or light.

The piping around the painted area was white to begin with but i had to use heavier white fabric paint and a real paintbrush to cover splotches and restate the white. Then the black sharpie came out one more time to cover some paint that had found it’s way onto the black canvas.

Voilà! The next day I was able to use my new bag. I am quite pleased with the result, I must say. I do wish the bag itself were a bit sturdier, but for now it works nicely.

What’s Next?

Now that I have this project done, it is time to customize a better bag. Any canvas bag should take the paint well, although Timbuk2 and Case Logic make bags specifically for personalizing.

Have some conference swag lying around? Bags or T-Shirts perhaps? Consider using it to experiment with. The design needn’t be elaborate: a border of dots or swirls or a small image would be enough to make it one-of-a-kind. What have you got to lose?

12 Responses to “Altered Swag”

  1. Rowlandwithaw Says:

    Lovely idea. and I love the irony that not only do you NOT advertise the event/product but have the nerve to recycle their gift !!! Excellent!! 🙂

  2. E-J Says:

    Oh Martha, that’s a cool idea! My husband goes on many of these otherwise pointless conferences … would be great fun to transform one of the bags he comes home with into something a little more aesthetically pleasing!

  3. africantapestry Says:

    Hi MArtha, I notice you haven’t posted for some time? Maybe I’ve missed a post explaining somewhere…I hope you are doing OK?
    Ronell

  4. Casey Says:

    Great tutorial! Thanks so much for posting this.

  5. mARTa Says:

    Your instructions for coptic binding are part of my bookbinding bible. Not only do you inspire me with your beautiful travel sketches, but your creative soul just pours forth in so many interesting and creative ways. This looks like a lot of fun!!! You would love joining our twice a year weekend long quilt/craft camp!!!

  6. Lisa Says:

    You ARE carrying this to Santa Fe, aren’t you? Can’t wait to see it (and you!)
    Lisa

  7. Jana Bouc Says:

    Brilliant and beautiful! I love the colors and design. Did you use the WordPress “insert gallery” tool to display the set of pictures. I’ve been wondering about using that.
    Jana

  8. dinahmow Says:

    AS you say, what’s to lose. And if “painting” scares you there’s always the time-honoured potato print!
    This bag looks as if it would hold an A4 sketch pad comfortably.

  9. Gerald Says:

    Tah-dah! You did a great job with the custom bag flap.

    Have fun at the Texas Crawl. Sounds like fun!!!! I did a small Arizona crawl and the hot weather got the best of me. Cheers!

  10. Rosemary Says:

    Very cool! You are always so clever and creative. I am so impressed!

  11. Lisa B. Says:

    From corporate cr@p to sketchbag chic. Very cool.

  12. a brush with color Says:

    I love the cabbage-y roses!! Thanks for the “how-to!” lovely–soooo much nicer than what I’m sure it looked like before from your photos. Could you use it for en plein aire “stuff?”

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