Chapter 11 continued

Needed to consider a few aspects before going ahead to make my music bag:

• If the bag is only made of linen scrim will it have enough weight to it – planning to iron the fabric on to Decovil a product from Empress Mills which is useful for making bags; it has some weight to it, easily folds and can be stitched into.  There is a Bondaweb type surface on one side to which the linen can be ironed ( Will test this on spare material before going ahead)  If there is a problem could machine stitch the surfaces together
• How to make it waterproof – Decovil seems to be waterproof which will protect items held in the bag, but to protect the outer layer will spray with a fabric waterproof (Will test with Scotchgard spray on smaller samples before going ahead)
• The bag has a musical theme, Welsh theme using white, red and green, and want to attach bits from a dismantled guitar – planning to use some words that are musical and welsh (Cerddorol – Musical); incorporate some colours by dyeing the linen scrim with musical motifs and incorporating stitch using these colours; to incorporate the guitar bits, planning to give a design with a hint of guitar in it, so made some changes to the original plans in order to incorporate guitar strings, the bridge off the guitar as a handle, up-cycled guitar strap for the straps on the bag

So some work has been carried out so far
Cut the Decovil and linen scrim in one piece using a template.
Dyed the linen scrim on the Decovil – two surfaces dyed at one time.
Insert photo of me painting on the dye

A change to the design was made to incorporate a circular motif in the centre of the front panel, with a semicircular motif on the flap, which when the bag is closed overlaps half of the front circular motif.  This depicts the sound box on a guitar. Both areas have removed threads.  Machine stitched the main front panel using a wing needle, highlighting the strings of the guitar in red (six) going across.  Added a lining under the withdrawn threads using one of the samples from Chapter 6. On the semicircle used hand stitching using withdrawn threads of some dyed linen scrim and three lines of machine stitching for three strings.  To the red lines wove in actual guitar strings and some beading wire.  Need to make the ends of the wires safe – some already are others need help.  Rows of machine and hand stitching go around the edge of the circles.  Would really like to cut away the Decovil from under the flap motif so can see through it.
Insert photo showing circle and semicircle templates on bag

Insert photo of sample used as a lining

Insert completed work

Hand stitched in blanket stitch some lines to represent the outline of a guitar
Back panel is a new enlarged version of a previous sample, using the same techniques, with the word ‘Cerddorol’ embossed on the paper surface and larger soldering ironed notes around the edge. (It was not so easy to burn these so have just left an impression).  Gives a leathery effect, a colour blending in with the linen scrim.  There seemed to be some bubbling under the inked layer, possibly because the gesso was not completely dry when the ink was painted on, or using different inks from the original.
Insert photo

I also made a sample – turned out to be brick shaped - on which I’ll be testing the waterproofing spray.  Liked this!
Insert brick!

If all works well, plan to iron the scrim on to the Decovil, then add all the other bits, including the leathery back surface.  Adding it before ironing may cause problems in getting the two surfaces to attach.  Machine and hand stitching should work through the linen scrim and Decovil to add the items below and the gussets
I’m now thinking about how to add a handle and straps.
The handle has holes in it so using threads and some of the bits from the guitar head attach it to the top of the flap.
The guitar strap I have is not suitable, very Welsh but the black background I feel is too harsh, otherwise I would have converted it into two straps attached to the front panel – so I’m thinking of making one out of linen scrim.  They need to be attached to a rod which sits behind the handle when the bag is closed, something like this:
Insert photos of bag front and back

Should the straps be simple, double layer of scrim or decorated?  For time I feel maybe the straps should stay plain. However the attachments could have some decoration - like the triangular design on the original, perhaps with some of the pearl screws from the guitar head attached to them, like large hanging beads.

Meanwhile recently decorated a Travelling Book using withdrawn threads and Hardanger style stitching in blue and orange, which took only a short while to make!