It's not always easy finding great, personal gifts for Mother's Day and Father's Day. Transfer Artist Paper by Lesley Riley, known as TAP, is a simple and fun way to make a perfect gift! There are dozens of uses for these zipper-topped printed bags, from stowing necessities for travel to stashing away treasures.
Vintage images that are royalty and copyright free are easy to find online, or scan a favorite photo. Colors are vivid when transferred if you use a white or nearly-white fabric for your project. Grab a few, and print them onto sheets of TAP with an inkjet printer. Follow the manufacturer's directions very carefully for show-stopping results. Transfer your pictures with a hot, dry iron to white or off-white 100% cotton twill (make sure there's no spandex in your fabric; the end of the bolt will have fiber content information). Cut your bag front about 1 1/2 inches larger than your transferred image. Cut a bag back and two lining pieces the same size. The zipper is topstitched in, then cut to size, so it's nearly foolproof. Sew up the sides and the bottom of the bag--leave a gap in one side of the lining. Turn the bag, press it carefully using silicone parchment or a pressing cloth, and you're done! ( There are several free patterns for simple zipper bags at Craftsy.com.) For mom, tuck in a bar of fancy soap, a gift card, some cologne or a lipstick in a bright spring shade. For dad, a penknife, mini flashlight, screwdriver or corkscrew are great items to tuck inside.
For the Mother's Day bags below, I used the same twill for front and back of the bag, and a pastel peach cotton print for the lining. For the Father's Day bags, I used a textured faux leather for the back, and a navy blue cotton print for the lining. Embelllish your zipper pull with a charm, ribbon, split ring or decorative pull.
These lush floral images are vintage cigar band logos. The colors stay vivid and bright and the details are sharp when transferred to 100% cotton smooth twill fabric. Mom can stash all her travel needs inside! A spoon-handle charm and silk ribbon embellish the zipper pull for a luxe look.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/4292562121487878/ Repin for later!
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/4292562121487878/ Repin for later!
A vintage perfume label is a perfect choice for a purse-sized cosmetic bag. The lining is a shabby-chic rose print that has the same vintage Parisian feel. Top the bag off with a lovely linen ribbon on the zipper pull.
Up your Mother's Day giving with low-sew DIY printed pouches. TAP makes transferring any image easy. And you can transfer other media as well: rubber stampings, chalk, crayon, acrylic paint. Why not use your child's artwork for a unique print that will be cherished forever?
Let's face it: Dad doesn't really want another tie. How about a low-sew DIY travel pouch for his chargers, reading glasses and other sundries, printed with a vintage postcard touting a favorite destination as a Father's Day gift? The back of the pouch is a supple pebbled faux leather.
Another vintage postcard pouch for Father's Day. TAP transfers are rich, bright and vibrant. No one will believe you printed this fabric yourself. And did I mention how easy it is?
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/4292562121487883/ Repin for later!
