I loved making this project because I think it really was a culmination of all the things I learned in foundations. It provided a decent amount of freedom regarding what could be made while maintaining boundaries to keep us from getting carried away. I was inspired by my mentor’s passion for traveling and mental health. I chose to make her a compactable tote bag that I sewed entirely by myself using a canvas drop cloth meant for painting, sewing thread, and the sewing machine. I created a digital design for the bag that I applied using iron-on vinyl cut from the Cricut. The design is inspired by a quote that discusses both mental health and travel. I wanted the bag to be communicative not only to her but also to those who see her when using the bag; that mental health is important and we should always strive to learn and grow ourselves. The designs of both the bag and the card are meant to have very fun, youthful, and groovy vibes to them. I wanted to portray Abby’s personality visually and those are the colors and patterns that I think represent her. I loved getting to know my mentor and I think it was incredibly valuable practice for working with clients in the future. Really being able to understand someone and what they like and stand for is so important in design and this was an excellent way to begin building those skills.
View full process here.
Full composition
Iron-on details
Sewing details
Final card graphics
