So, I got this idea stuck in my head about a Billie Eilish bag. Not like, one she actually owns, but you know, the vibe. Big, kinda slouchy, doesn’t really care what shape it is.
It really started when I was cleaning out my garage last month. Total mess in there. Found this old canvas tarp thing, used to cover the barbecue I think. It was faded and had a few grease stains, honestly pretty beat up. Most people would just toss it.
Getting the Idea
But looking at it, the texture, the worn-in look… it reminded me of that oversized, don’t-care style. And I thought, why not? I needed a big bag anyway, something to just throw stuff into without thinking too much. Everything in stores feels so structured, you know? Or it costs a fortune for something that looks deliberately messy.
I remembered seeing some pictures of Billie Eilish, and yeah, she often has these massive bags. Functional, but also making a statement by not being delicate or fancy. That clicked with the old tarp.
Making the Thing
So, I dragged the tarp inside and washed it. Twice. Still looked grungy, which was perfect. No pattern, no plan really. That’s usually how I start things when I’m just messing around.
- First, I just laid it out flat on the living room floor.
- Eyeballed what looked like a big enough rectangle. Maybe three feet by four feet? Something like that.
- Got my heavy-duty scissors – the ones I usually hide so no one uses them on paper – and started cutting.
- Folded the big piece in half. Now it kinda looked like a giant, flat sack.
Then I dug out my old sewing machine. Haven’t used that thing in ages. Threading it was a battle, not gonna lie. Took me a good twenty minutes and some squinting. Used some thick, black thread I found in the back of a drawer.
Just sewed up the sides. Straight stitch, nothing fancy. Went over it twice to make sure it wouldn’t immediately fall apart. The machine was complaining a bit with the thick canvas, but we got there.
For straps, I found some old seatbelt webbing I bought ages ago for another project I never finished. Classic me. Cut two long strips of that. Attached them to the top edges of the bag. Again, just stitched them on really strong, back and forth a bunch of times. Made sure they were long enough to wear it crossbody, real low-slung.
The Final Result
And… that was basically it. No lining, no pockets, no zippers. Just a huge, floppy sack made from an old tarp with seatbelt straps. It’s ridiculously simple.
It’s heavy-duty, I’ll give it that. Threw my laptop, a water bottle, a sweatshirt, and a bunch of random junk in there, and it handled it fine. It looks exactly like what it is: something repurposed and maybe a little bit rough.
Honestly? I kinda love it. It’s got that careless, practical feel I was going for. Definitely has that Billie Eilish vibe, but in a way that came from my own garage pile. Funny how sometimes the best stuff comes from just using what you’ve got lying around, instead of buying something new.
