Lines Drawn in Starlight

A severe case of crafting bug caused me to pick up a dead umbrella that I saw on my way home from grocery shopping and turn it into a tote bag. It was the third broken and discarded umbrella that I have seen in a week or so. The other two called out for me to repurpose them -- what a waste of all that nylon cloth otherwise -- without inspiring a design idea. I have grown a hate for Chico bags because they are expensive and made in China, so for some time, the desire for a better fold up, reusable bag has been simmering in my brain. I'd love to come up with something that would be a realistic option that I could take to my co-op. The Bumbershoot Bag isn't it, but it was fun! (For one thing, how would I acquire defunct umbrellas?) It folds/scrunches up and stays that way with the original velcro strap that held it closed when it was an umbrella.

Disassembling an umbrella was where the fun began. (I really need pliers that aren't for jewelry use.) The metal frame was too damaged to turn it into a mobile or something like that. Everything but the nylon and the wooden protective tips continued on to either the recycling or the trash.

An origami style folding and sewing down of those folds took care of the large circumference. I had some salvaged woven ribbon that turned out to be just enough for a ribbon edge and handles. I had a button to replace pointy tip that the umbrella once had. (If I make another, I think that a grommet would be a better way to finish the hole, since keeping it a hole would help it drain better in the washing machine.)

I left the "made in China" tag in. I scribbled out "China" and changed it with a fabric Sharpie to say, "Remade in Seattle." One last thing that I want to do is add "Bumbershoot Bag" to the closure strap. I may do that in simple embroidery because I don't have a Bedazzler. ^_~

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 23.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your LJ along with these instructions.
5. Don’t you dare dig for that "cool" or "intellectual" book in your closet! I know you were thinking about it! Just pick up whatever is closest.
6. Tag five people.

The book is Subversive Cross Stitch. The link is to Julie Jackson's website, and the answer to this meme is Life Sucks, Then You Die.

I'm using http://www.flickr.com to post this. Oh, and yes -- this is the kind of thing that I make. And yes, they all have names.

Sadly, it's the only (nearly) pro photo that I have of anything.