Bags made from…paper?
It sounds incredible, but Kraft-Tex is a new medium for crafting
that behaves just like fabric. Wash it, iron it, stitch it
and use it where you would use not only fabric but leather,
cork or vinyl, too. It is kinder to the environment than many
other materials and was only invented back in 2013, so a book
on how to use it really makes sense.
If any of the seventeen bags in this book
look familiar, it is because this is a compilation of patterns
taken from a variety of other bag books. The difference is
that all of them now make use of a lot or a little Kraft-Tex,
showing how versatile it can be. The book starts by introducing
the new material and explaining how it behaves and how to
work with it. The rest of the book contains the projects,
each one shown made up both in ordinary fabric (as it was
when featured in the earlier book) and partly or wholly in
Kraft-Tex. Instructions explain how you can either incorporate
it or not, and if you don’t want to, alternatives are
given which is a nice touch. Turn to the front of the book
for thumbnails of all the bags, a very wide range of different
types. From a picnic basket to a tiny pouch, a bag to hang
on a bike’s crossbars, male clutch purse, messenger
bag, tote and tool/pencil rolls. A basic knowledge of sewing
is required but each project contains staged photographs for
perfect results. At the back are several pages showing how
to do several basic things from sewing darts to putting in
a pocket, making bias, putting in a zipper, making a strap,
attaching D-Rings etc. Many of these also show how to do it
with Kraft-Tex, too. This new fabric is not exactly cheap,
but durable, vegan and not difficult to work with. Inside
the back cover are the patterns and a notice advertising “Kraft-Tex
University” on You Tube where you can learn even more
about this medium. All this has certainly left me keen to
make a start; an inspiring book of useful bags.
If
you cannot find a good range of Kraft-Tex locally try www.searchpress.com
for a list of suppliers.
In the UK www.sewhot.couk/ has a good range of
colors.
Also try www.amazon.co.uk
|