Need: A lunchbag for work
Requirements:
- Large enough to accommodate the storage containers we use in our kitchen, which are wide, shallow, and stackable.
- Does not need to maintain temperature.
- Needs to have sturdy handles
- Whimsical design
Issue: After checking local shops and online, I did not find a bag meeting these specifications
Solution: Make the bag myself using materials on hand
Materials
- Bubble wrap (a ton of it came with Christmas packages!)
- Scrap yarn (odds and ends from the bottom of my yarn basket)
- Ribbon (formerly tied around a box of cookies)
- Transparent nylon thread
Tools
- Iron
- Ironing board
- Parchment paper
- Sewing machine
- Scissors
Guidance from: Etsy’s Fusing Plastic Bag tutorial
I fused 4 layers of bubble wrap total and sandwiched it with scrap yarn to make the fabric for my new lunch bag. I used three shades of scrap yarn to give it a “hip” look. The iron was on the highest setting possible, but because I did not pop the bubble wrap ahead of time it took a lot of time to iron it flat. Parchment paper kept it from sticking to the iron or the ironing board. I love the cellular look the bubble wrap gave the bag.
The main body of the bag is one large rectangle, and the sides are two smaller rectangles. I used transparent thread to attach the handles (reinforcing as much as I could) before sewing the sides together. The transparent thread allows the focus to stay on the bag than the edges.
I’ve been using it for a couple of weeks now and it has worked out brilliantly. Just the right size!
Lessons learned
- Pop the bubble wrap ahead of time
- This was really fun and took less time than expected
- I might fuse additional plastic to the base of the bag next time to give it additional stability
Jenn Likes to Make Things 