A Great Little Tote Bag

Or, I should probably say tote box, or maybe the title should read, "A Walk Down Memory Lane." 

I worked on this project a while back and had a lot of fun making it. Many, many, many, many years ago, I had made lunch boxes into purses. I was either in Junior High School or High School, so late 1960's or early 1970's.  We used them as purses back then.  One time, recently, when visiting my mom, I saw that she still had hers and had her crocheting in it!  What a great idea! Except, that after some 14+ moves in 40 years, mine is long gone......

I decide that I would make another one!  Yes, that is it!  I can use pictures from knitting and crochet magazines, making it a green recycling reusing project to boot.  Off I went to find the black lunch box. Well, that was a sad time, no one apparently makes them anymore.  Is that true?????  I went to several stores, none. I went to the big box hardware stores and the little independent stores, none.  It is funny, at the little store, the guy was younger and when I asked for it, he gave me a puzzled look!!!  I thought, "am I that old??"  So, I explained that maybe his dad had had one, then he remembered them. "Ohhhh, no we don't have those, I haven't ever seen them here."

The hunt was on.  I new I could find them and I knew just where. Canton, TX.

The next time Rebekah and I headed off to Canton, the black lunch box was on my list. I actually found two of the "old fashioned" lunch boxes! My first requirement was met.

Second, I went through my knitting magazines and pulled out the items that I wanted to save. Then I went through the same magazines and cut out all sorts of pictures of knitting, crocheting, yarn, spinning wheel and fiber items. I cut them fairly close and then trimmed them, when necessary, as I used them.

Third, I used the good ol' Elmer's glue(old fashioned too), actually I used Elmer's glue stick, and glued all of the pictures onto the box, overlapping them when needed, to get total coverage of the box.

When finished, I sprayed it with several coats of a polyurethane, to seal and weather protect it.

The front in all of its glory!

 

The back. I did keep some pictures together in the same area. Notice all the tools on the bottom portion of the back. I glued pictures on the bottom, too, even though I don't show that here.

 

I lined it with acrylic felt, again using the Elmer's glue stick.  When I was done, I couldn't keep the Lil' D and JoJo out of it, they love it!! 

The box holds a small project, like a pair of socks. Right now, there is a ball of lace weight yarn in it, as I am working on a lace weight shawl/scarf.