Running Away From Home

If I am running away from home, I have to pack my bags. Right? Well, first I have to make them. OK. Just in case you feel like running away too, here's how you do it. No. I can't instruct you on the running away part, but I can show you how to make the bags.

There are ways to make open bags too, but I am just going to show you the closed ones today. We are going to run away in style. No nap sacks for us. Good old fashioned hard sided suitcases. Nothing will get broken.

Start with some half inch thick balsa wood, thin leather(I used suede) or fabric, gold cord(you can get this at fabric stores in the trim dept.), small jewelry findings( I cut up old jewelry with wire cutters for this) and dimensional fabric paint.

1. Cut three blocks from the balsa. One is 2 1/4" x1 1/2". The second is 2" x 1 1/4". The third is 1" x 3/4". Round the corners with an emery board as you see in the first photo.

Next put a smooth, thin layer of glue on one side of the suitcase and lay it out on the leather, leaving about a quarter of an inch all around. Do this on both sides of each piece. Clip the corners as shown in the second photo. Put glue on the inside edges and glue them down. They should look like the top suitcase when you are finished.

Now cut a 1/2" strip of leather long enough to fit around the suitcase. Starting at the center back, glue it around the edge. Trim if necessary.

If you use fabric, the instructions are the same for the sides. When you get to the strip you have to cover a piece of card stock, 1/2"wide and long enough to go around the suitcase, with the fabric. Smooth the outside of the strip and trim so that you can wrap it around to the back neatly. Then apply the strip to the suitcase.

Next starting in the same spot on the back, glue two strips of thin metallic cord around the suitcase about 1/8" from the top. This will represent the opening. Put a couple of small jewelry findings on the front of the two larger cases and one on the smaller one.

Now cut a little strip of leather for each handle. I usually just eyeball this. They are about 5/8" long and 1/8" wide. Then cut the ends to a point. Put a small amount in the center back of each handle and squeeze it together with your fingers or a pair of needle nosed pliers. Put a little glue on the ends of each handle and apply to suitcase. Put a "rivet" in the end of each handle with a dot of gold dimensional textile paint.

You are now ready to pack and run away! Or by now you will have given up on the fantasy and decided to go back to work. I know I have. I'm going back to sorting books. See you tomorrow.