At least that’s how the project seems at 8pm.
And then Casey walks by my sewing machine to say goodnight, and I’m still finishing the last 4 bags…
But hey if you’re gonna sew one, you might as well sew many! Right?
And then tie them up with business cards inside?
YES.
This was my game plan for the fantastic Alt Design Summit that I attended last week.
This was my third year as a speaker, and as I’ve posted in the past here and here, Alt never disappoints. It’s a blast! And the networking, learning, phototaking, and conversations are top notch.
But I’ll share all that in another post.
Today let’s talk business cards.
Each year I leave them to the last minute.
Which means, I keep the design simple.
They’re 5×7 postcards, designed in Illustrator, and printed to heavy cardstock.
And they’re nothing compared to letterpressed, 3-D, goodies-attached kind of business cards that many Alt attendees hand out. But I’m fine with that.
And for a few key contacts, I bumped the presentation up by adding a tote bag. Hey, maybe if I’m on top of it next year, I should have MADE Everyday bags printed! Wouldn’t that be fun?
I used my Basic Pocket Tote tutorial, with fabrics from Ikea and Joann Fabrics. But the beauty of bags is that there are so many options! Click a tutorial button below for all the info:
I can never decide if this green fabric looks better cut vertically as the grainline recommends, or if I like it off-the-grain….and whether I should sew the straps to the inside of the bag or the outside. Guess I like them both!
With the bags finished, I grabbed my stack of cards and started wrapping.
(you know that moment when you say the same word over and over again and it starts to sound weird?…..)
I folded the front of the bag up, to create a faux pocket, and tucked a business card inside. Then I flipped the bag over to the back and folded both sides in. I taped the straps down in the back and then tied it up.
Then I wrapped up 9 more in the hotel room in Salt Lake City. Because hotel bedding makes the perfect photo backdrop. I’m gonna remember that.
And there you go—-Business Card Bag.
…..which oddly enough totally matches the clothes that I threw in my suitcase for the weekend.
Funny how the brain works.
Have a great day!
