Unique & sustainable handmade totes.
Using upcycled materials and block printed acrylic paint, I created eight tote bags for 193 Coffeehouse, the student-run coffee cooperative I volunteer at on campus.
I began by testing logo layouts to print on the bags on Adobe Illustrator,
Then drafted a pattern, keeping in mind the qualities I look for in a sturdy bag, and mocked up a prototype using muslin.
Next, I printed out the logo designs in reverse and carved them out into stamps using the linocut technique.
After many hours of sewing, printing, and painting, the bags were complete and I was able to raise nearly $200 for the co-op.
I wanted to make each bag unique, so I used offcuts of fabrics I had in my studio to create pockets on the reverse side.
My favorite detail was these puffy clouds I made from an old pair of pajama pants and stuffed for a 3D touch.
The most challenging part of this project was getting the linocuts to transfer the paint onto the pockets. I wanted to use only materials I already had to be as sustainable as possible, so the acrylic paint/fabric medium mix I was using was too thin in consistency to make a clean print. I solved this by going over each logo with a paint brush and touching up the prints.