Soda Tab Chainmail Laptop Bag

This gorgeous bag offers a way to reuse the tabs from soda cans. The final pattern created by the tabs looks a bit like chain maille or fish scales, but either way, it's ever-so stylish.

The dimensions used here perfectly fit a 13" MacBook, but the proportions can be adjusted for other laptops, or to make other bag sizes. To make sure that the laptop will fit, you'll need to be sure to keep your seams as narrow as possible, or add a little bit to all of the pieces to allow for extra room.

This idea was inspired by the bags seen here: http://www.escamastudio.com

You can also make a really really cool bag out of 35mm film - click here to find out how!

Step 1: You'll Need. . .

Hardware:
- Scissors
- Sewing needles and straight pins
- Thread (white and black are both used here)
- An iron (optional)

Software:
- Fabric for constructing the bag (black cotton in a medium/heavy weight is used here)
- Fabric for the lining of the bag (a blue and silver silk print is used here)
- A cotton woven-type belt (34" black belt is used here)
- Soda can tabs (a lot of them - so many that you would think you have too many. Just over 1,000 are used here)
- If using as a laptop bag, either some .5-1" foam sheet or a laptop sleeve (depending on your preference. For foam, cut pieces the same size as all of the fabric pieces as described in the next step

Comments

[lycoris3]

For as much soda as my friends rink, i should have enough to produce the size that i want in a week. Oy, now to find the cloth I was saving just for something like this....

[peaceupgg]

i am going to try when i get the things and just dont go on a airplane with it hahahhah (cause metal dectores)

[shesparticular]

Can't wait to hear how it turns out for you!

[Eviil~~PikmiN__{7}]

haha i clicked on this thinking it was real chainmail

[imshanedulong]

Same here but there is instructions on real pop tab chainmail. This is still pretty cool.

[aeshem]

LOVE IT THANK YOU!!

[shesparticular]

Thanks!

[peaceupgg]

that looks hard is it

[shesparticular]

It's not terribly difficult, no.

[kimjuliesavage]

This bag looks great, very inspiring and I shall give it my best shot, just got to save up the soda tabs. thanks

[H1T4TCH1]

i have over 2000 ^^

[shesparticular]

Thanks so much! I hope you'll post pictures when you're done!

[heatblast]

NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gruaqt]

I know its aluminum but wouldn't this thing get kinda heavy?

[shesparticular]

It's actually the same weight or lighter than other laptop bags and purses I've had.

[quesoman]

this is amazing........now if i only had a laptop

[osgeld]

heh, unfortunately I think my old beater of a laptop would be worth less than the aluminum on the bag

[bombmaker2]

what kind is it

[osgeld]

oh its a dirt old Texas Instruments, originally a pentium MMX 150mhz i rigged up an amd k6/2 450 to run @ 366mhz, 64mb ram 8 gig disk and 800x600 tft screen

its only used in rare situations lol

[m1keo]

lol a tab is 10 cents lol

[JackBond]

Nnnoooo. One tab is nowhere near 10 cents. Maybe 100 or more tabs.

[m1keo]

My comment is 2 years old, maybe they were 10 cents back then?

[JackBond]

I don't think they ever were, but okay.

[shesparticular]

Wow, really? I always thought it was a price per pound. . .Hmm, good to know since I used about 1,000 :)

[shesparticular]

From one hockey fan to another, thanks! :)

Might want to check this out too - it turned out really well I think.

[Foaly7]

Wow. A memoir of every can of Red Bull you ever drank, every can of soda you ever slurped, every, every, um I can't think of anything else. :)

[j03b0b0fd00m]

Beer?

[hojop25]

wow! thanks thats a great way to ruin and scratch my laptop thanks.....looks awesome though

[frogmeetcog]

This kind of thing is always lined. Regardless, if you are attempting to keep the non-fuctional outside of your laptop enirely glossy and scratch-free, I would reccomend never touching it, maybe keeping it in a glass case. Or just never open its packaging...

[shesparticular]

It's actually fully lined, so it can't scratch your laptop.

[Fieldownage]

Rather than using canvas, I would use neoprene and contact some LARP players and ask from them how to make real chainmail.

[shesparticular]

It's actually a cotton blend, not canvas, though neoprene would be a good choice if one had some on hand.

[Fieldownage]

Sorry for my ignorance on that issue (I was dying say that after looking through). I guess you should be able to buy it from internet or from local retailer.

[futeng]

This would be great for college students as they drink so many cans a day.

[topazcat]

This is awesome! I don't have the patience to make this (or a lap top lol) but your idea could be scaled down to a really cool evening bag instead. You are very creative!

[shesparticular]

Thanks so much! If you check out the site that inspired it, there are a lot of other bag styles that can be made the same way and would look great.

[amakerguy]

Hey Check out what I said!!! http://twitter.com/Aaron_Vail/status/3131213731

[shesparticular]

That's so nice of you, thanks!

[amakerguy]

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!! I would have to drink a lot of soda!!

[porcupinemamma]

Very very cool!!!