I saw a picture the other day of a bag, and it looked so cool, like it had a whole galaxy on it. I thought, “I gotta try making one of those.” So, that’s what I did. This is how it went.
First off, I gathered all my stuff. I needed a plain canvas bag, some fabric paints in different colors, a few sponges, and some glitter, because, you know, everything’s better with glitter. I also grabbed some old newspapers to stuff the bag so it would hold its shape while I painted. I had most of the stuff at home from other times I tried making things, but I had to go out to get the bag.
Getting Started
I started by stuffing the bag with newspaper. Then, I laid it flat on my table, which I’d covered with a plastic sheet to avoid a mess. I decided to start with the background, so I took a sponge, dipped it in black fabric paint, and dabbed it all over the bag. I made sure to get an even layer, but not too thick.
Adding Some Color
After the black paint dried a bit, I started adding other colors. I used dark blue, purple, and a bit of pink. I just dabbed the colors randomly, blending them a little where they met. It started to look like a night sky, which was pretty neat. I let that layer dry, too. I used a hairdryer because I was a little impatient and wanted to see how it looked quickly.
Making Stars
For the stars, I mixed some white paint with a tiny bit of water to make it easier to splatter. I dipped an old toothbrush into the paint, then I flicked the bristles with my thumb to create tiny white dots all over the bag. It was a bit messy, but it really added to the galaxy effect. I also added a little bit of glitter paint here and there to make some stars sparkle more.
Finishing Touches
Once everything was dry, I took out the newspaper stuffing. I added some more details, like a few bigger stars and some swirls of color to make it look like distant galaxies. It was actually quite relaxing, just adding little details and seeing it come together.
The last step was to heat-set the paint. I followed the instructions on the paint bottles, which said to iron the bag. I made sure to place a cloth between the iron and the bag to protect the paint.
And that was it! It took me most of the day, with all the drying time, but it was totally worth it. I ended up with a cool, one-of-a-kind bag. I’m definitely carrying this everywhere now. It’s not perfect, but I made it, and that’s what counts. Plus, it’s a good conversation starter. People keep asking where I got it, and I get to say, “Oh, I just made it myself.”
