{"product_id":"hand-embroidered-tote-bag-pennsylvania-dutch-collection","title":"Hand embroidered tote bag - Pennsylvania Dutch collection","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eCotton tote bag for eco-friendly groceries, books, toys, hobbies and more!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhile I lived in California until my mid-forties, my roots run deep in Pennsylvania. After moving to the Pittsburgh region and traveling around the state more, I was deeply affected by the imagery of the Pennsylvania Dutch (German immigrant communities that grew from the 1700s and 1800s.) As I've embroidered some of these designs, I wonder about my great-great-grandmothers who might have stitched similar designs onto items for their homes and families. \u003co:p\u003e\u003c\/o:p\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe embroidery is all hand created by myself, inspired by the world around me. The colors are vibrant and the images unique. Each design is imbued with a sense of action and movement. \u003co:p\u003e\u003c\/o:p\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eI love tote bags myself, and I use them for all kinds of things. My tastes are always in the unusual, unexpected and, ideally, eco-friendly. The bag bases, although mass produced in China, were purchased from a resale auction, allowing me to use quality bags without creating additional waste\/shipping\/etc. I source my fabrics for the backing and the applique from a variety of places: my family’s old clothing, leftovers from my local arts center, odd lots from the creative reuse store, and de-stashers on Facebook. Giving these things a second life (or third!) life and keeping them out of landfills is my primary goal. I do buy thread new, unless I can also source it from de-stashers or creative reuse. \u003co:p\u003e\u003c\/o:p\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eTo make these fun carry-all bags, I create an embroidered image on a piece of fabric and then attach that fabric to the bag. (I call these patch bags.) On some of the bags, I will build a “crazy quilt” style image directly on the bag itself. \u003co:p\u003e\u003c\/o:p\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe basic tote bag measures 15”x16”, not including the handles. \u003co:p\u003e\u003c\/o:p\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAlthough the stitching is more secure than it may look, I would still recommend hand washing these. I have used a tiny amount of gentle laundry soap with room temp water, rinsing thoroughly and spreading out to air dry. I iron them before shipping and recommend using a tea towel or other cloth between the bag and the iron. Note a few designs do have sequins attached, and they have not melted during ironing, but I would suggest caution ironing directly on those designs.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHand delivery is available in the greater New Kensington or Pittsburgh Pennsylvania area\u003co:p\u003e\u003c\/o:p\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Petits Morceaux","offers":[{"title":"PA Dutch Hex (Star)","offer_id":47819083022636,"sku":"","price":15.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"PA Dutch Fraktur","offer_id":47819083055404,"sku":"","price":15.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0762\/3806\/1868\/products\/wZ1jXBGfTy.jpg?v=1705848838","url":"https:\/\/artisan-co-op.myshopify.com\/products\/hand-embroidered-tote-bag-pennsylvania-dutch-collection","provider":"Artisans Cooperative","version":"1.0","type":"link"}