Canvas Beauties

Today we continue our Prima Canvas feature with some absolutely gorgeous projects!

Jo-Anne te Raa Chater starts us off with this absolutely gorgeous canvas messenger bag/tote. Jo-Anne adds her signature style by adding lovely doilies and fabrics and trims while popping a few colorful flowers on top.

Here are a few tips from Jo-Anne:

"I think I will be a perfect laptop bag for work to replace my yucky black one!

I love the tone of canvas and to complement it I wanted to use vintage fabrics. I have been “ collecting” vintage doilies for a long time and this looked like a great opportunity to downsize my collection and to let others see just how pretty they are.

I started by randomly placing the doilies until I was happy with the look. I used all sizes and shapes to create a random pattern. Once I was happy I began to sew them into place. I used a sharp long needle and made sure that I only caught the top layer of the bag so that my stitches were not visible from the underside. A note of caution use a thimble!! The canvas is nice and sturdy so its not so easy to get your needle through without piercing your finger!

The bottom half of my bag I covered with a vintage fabric cutting a piece slightly larger than the actual area and folding under as I sewed. That way I knew my piece would be large enough if my sewing tension varied. Finally I ripped a narrow piece of faded old lining and gathered to make a sweet ruffle."

"Onto my flowers!

I selected 3 large Prima flowers and soaked them in a strong solution of bleach, checking on them every so often. After rinsing them I put them in a small washing bag and tumble dried them. This gave me perfect vintage style roughened up flowers!!
These were then bunched up and sewn together to make one large flower. I added a brooch pin from a Prima flower package so I could easily remove it for washing.

Finally my flower bunch was added to the centre of the round doily.
I think I might also add an old jeweled brooch or a broken pearl necklace…..sort of a work in progress!!" ~Jo-Anne

Other ideas:

- use a favourite old table cloth to cover your bag.
- Cut up an old pair of jeans and add pockets to your bag
- If you don’t want to sew, use fabric glue that can be washed-Fabri-Tac.
- Print your favourite photo onto fabric and sew that on in place of a doily

- Cut random scraps and scrapbook your own fabric pattern directly onto your bag!

Supplies: Tote bag 920548, Camilla Flowers 539535

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Christiane Muller turned our small camera bag into a gorgeous, functional piece of art!

Using Ranger's Cappuccino Color Wash she added a rich color to the whole bag. Once it dried Christiane got to embellish it with Prima's felt and flowers!

Adding Stickles to the Tea Rose adds special sparkle to the whole design. This is a fabulous (and easy) project. It would make an adorable Mother's Day gift that is totally usable too!

Supplies: Canvas Bag Donna Downey 920562, Winter Rose Cherry Frost # 537548, De Vines Felt Roses # 537135, Color Wash Cappuccino - Ranger, Glossy Accent - Ranger, Glitter Stickles - Ranger

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Here's an apron that Sharon Laakkonen has altered with Prima's large stamps, stitched words, lace and symphony flowers. A painted hem and sash add so much fun to this little project!

Tips: Use Ranger Dabbers to add paint to your stamp AND to color the sash and hem. They will keep the project much more mess-free and the pigment is amazing. Pull colors from your hem and use it on your foam stamp. Add any flowers that you like pulling colors from your stamped image! Seal you apron with a fabric spray like Scotch Guard for spot cleaning.

Supplies: Donna Downey's Canvas apron 920579, canvas embroidered button 920333, stitched word 920401, Symphony flowers 537869, lace 537166, 537173, 537227, Calcutta leaves 539177. Ranger Dabbers: Juniper, Aqua, Espresso

9 Comments

More gorgeous canvas projects! Love the colors of Sharon's apron.

Posted by: Kristina Byers | Thursday, April 22, 2010 at 10:26 AM

FABULOUS, GORGEOUS, BEAUTIFUL CANVAS PROJECTS,,,LOVE THE FLOWERS, AND LACE TRIMS....LOVE THE APRON SHARON....

Posted by: peggy lee | Thursday, April 22, 2010 at 10:29 AM

absolutely gorgeous projects~love the lace, doilies, flowers, and trim! love canvas and what you can do with it! thanks for sharing :)! have a wonderful day! *hugs* and much aloha, steph :)

Posted by: steph | Thursday, April 22, 2010 at 12:16 PM