Thrift Flip - Old School Wing Bag

After months of searching for an old school shiro bag, I finally came across the perfect one to decorate!

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But before we get into that, I originally had a spica bag on my wishlist — it sold out before I was able to order one from them. For me, it was also a bit expensive for a bag (I usually try to get them for $30 or less), so I put off purchasing it. Apparently the shop owner ran out of lace that is used to make it, so getting it soon would probably be difficult. So the search for another shiro bag continues~

Spica Crown Bag

Fortunately, my friend wanted to check out Goodwill recently, and I came across this plain white bag. It was only $10, but it came with blue dye transfer stain on the front. I wasn't too sure if I could get it off, but I decided to give it a try.

I first soaked it in oxyclean, and then machine washed it with another bag that needed cleaning. Washing didn't do anything to the stain, so I decided to use a magic eraser (AKA melamine sponge). I was fairly sure this would work, as it is like an extremely fine sandpaper. However, it's important to note that it will buff off any sort of paint or the outer surface, so I do not recommend using it on anything dark colored or shiny.

Daiso melamine sponge

The stain came out without damaging the bag, which was good! Now to decide how to decorate it. I looked at several bags for inspiration, as I wanted something with angel wings.

Angel Wings Bag - BTSSB

ANGEL basket bag - Heart E

Angel Wings Bag - First of May

I made the angel wings with cotton fabric. It seemed the easiest, and I already had the materials at home! It is easier to do this by stuffing the area you are about to sew down with fluff first. Then, add more polyfill onto the next area, stitch down, and so forth.

These were a few layouts I tested, but I wasn't sure if I loved the cross charm. I'm a bit picky about my metal colors matching (especially because the charm is so big), so choosing either silver or gold was kind of a commitment. I decided to go with plain wings on the front. 

I found this brooch that I got as a freebie before, and it happens to be brass colored. I feel like that is a bit more neutral, so I glued that on the back.

Ultimately, I settled on this double sided design with the plain wings on the front, and charm on the back. I think this makes it more versatile, and it can work for a lot of different looks now! I’m super happy with the result.

I hope this inspires you to get crafty! I’ll see you in a future post — I will probably be talking about a classic Lolita set I designed. 🎻 

Stay tuned~

Valentine