I have enormous news:  I am sewing surfboard bags. My pal Jason had the brilliant idea to stitch them up in colorful Indian kantha. He surfs. He's hip. He's imaginative. He knows I have sewn all my life. I love fabric and am mad for blazing, vivid colors. Functional transformation is key in my creative work, and I reduce, reuse and recycle whenever possible.

Jason explained that stacking his boards transfers wax from the top of one to the bottom of another. Ya don't want that. What he wanted was a large bag to cover his boards, each with a sizable zippered accessories pocket for removed fins, leash, key and wax. I stitched one up. His board went inside the bag and was secured with a drawstring. ABC Bags was born.

ABC Bags accommodate common-sized boards from 5'5" to 6'5", but even then they're each different. ABC Bags for longboards can be special-ordered. Every print combination is one-off. And all ABC Bags are reversible for a change from the outside fabric -- you'll get two looks. Plus I offer a patching service (write to me) -- kantha is like everything else in life: nothing lasts and upon change you can rely (think wear and holes). Best of all, ABC Bags can go into your washing machine and dryer (they're laundered before sewing). This removes wax too.

About the cloth:  At first they're saree/sari, the traditional clothing of women in India and surrounds. The ones I use are primarily woven from cotton. After they've become unwearable, sarees are reused by layering with other sarees to make thin cushions and quilts. Thousands of running stitches hold them together. Patches are common. And recently I discovered a leaf stitched between layers of fabric. It's all there, complete with the unseen evidence of their former lives, the spirit and energy of the people who used them and made their enumerable stitches. 
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We've had the great good fortune to team with Salt Culture and Salty Garage in Encinitas, the retail space of Sophie & Rob Machado.  Find there the ABC Bag that speaks to you. ​$130 each. Handmade.

Extending the life of old textiles is a lifelong pursuit.  I stitch.  I play with beads.  I spin yarn.  I weave strips of vintage silk to make new cloth.  Mostly, I like to make things with my hands.  Slow, in a word.

​ABC Rags always means handmade.  Thank you for visiting.

❤️ Lauren
​laurensng (at) abc-rags (dot) com

Updated May 11, 2020