Vintage Midcentury floral upholstery fabrics destined for a couch: transformed into bags!

Ever heard the saying one woman’s couch is another woman’s treasure? That’s exactly how our midcentury upholstery bags began. We stumbled upon a huge stack of near-pristine, never-used salesman samples from the 1950s–1970s—the golden age of midcentury style. With some love (and a good wash and long hang in the Brooklyn sun), these bold florals and retro weaves were transformed into one-of-a-kind handbags and accessories that carry history into the modern day

It all started when John Bob Cool Junk (@johnbobcooljunk ) contacted me and said they had some MCM-type vintage upholstery swatches that they thought I could make good use of. They sent them to me (it was the height of the covid pandemic) and things were very uncertain as to our future in NYC but I couldn't say "no" to such exceptional materials. They shipped them to me in NY. Waft of musty goodness. I have found the best way to get rid of musty smells from vintage fabrics is to wash it with a cup (or two) of vinegar in the wash, and then hang it to dry in the sun for at least 5 hours.  That smell bakes right out of it.   

In our tiny Brooklyn backyard. I think Franny thought I was crazy, but she didn't mind sharing her sunbathing time with some fabric swatches.

We moved in August of 2020 back to Seattle, where they were safely stashed away until this March, where I started sorting through the swatches by size and choosing which prints would work best for the the Mini Troubadour pockets.    

I am feeling exceptionally optimistic about the weather getting warmer, more folks vaccinated and more excursions OUT of the house. And I’m guessing you might be too?

The key to being able to efficiently cut out small scraps of materials and keep them consistent is having metal dies (like cookie cutters) made by my friend Danny at @continental_die and this @weaverleathersupply “Mighty Wonder” countertop press. I remember at the time thinking it was *so expensive* but I use this sucker every damn day, so I laugh at myself for not investing in good equipment years ago.

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Each bag and tote is totally one of a kind and is sure to sell out fast!

I put each fabric in the scanner, and then we drafted mock-ups in photoshop to better visualize which color combinations would look the best. I took them with me to the Oregon Coast and cut each out and let my friends and family vote on them.

Here's to lunch with a "view"- captured this plate of friend's mom caught crabs, that we boiled for a delicious dinner.

And now it's your chance to have a say! Check out our Vintage Fabric Bags Collection to see, which color combinations we chose for our new Midcentury Modern VIntage Fabric Handbag collection!