Chinese Leftovers - a *Tutorial* in Progress!

For reasons which escape me, the rest of my family appears to be congenitally unable to close the recycling loop and actually put the destined items IN the recycling bin, even though it's only a few short steps from the kitchen to the utility cupboard where it lives. Today, though, this was good news, because it's inspired me to undertake a sewing experiment.

As an activist for peace, I fold a heck of an origami crane, and one of my specialties is making them out of fabric - stiff interfacing fused to the back of the fabric, a precise square, and a hot iron to press each stage of the folding into shape, and they make wonderful holiday ornaments, be it just as they come in a festive print, or embellished with beads and bits of trim.


I haven't applied this approach to anything larger than a crane yet, though. I've made fabric-covered puzzle boxes and picture frames before, but those have always been using double-sided web to fuse the fabric and batting to a cardboard base.

Seeing this next image, though, forlornly waiting by the sink, got me thinking...


It should be more than possible to apply the same techniques here, and end up with a unique purse or cool gift bag, right? So I brushed away the last traces of pork fried rice, removed the wire handle, and opened 'er out.


Of course, I don't want to stain whatever fabric I end up using, so I unrolled a length of freezer paper and traced around the box, omitting the little hook that closes the top so that I can substitute another type of closure.


This pattern will become the template for both sides of fabric - because I want it lined, of course - and for the interfacing that will go between for stability.

When I find myself between projects or waiting for dollhouse paint to dry tomorrow, I'll choose some fabrics from my sizable Asian stash and experiment. Also...I'm thinking I have a way to make it reversible. Stay tuned!