See how old road maps became integral part of successful bag business

1 month ago 4

DOUG MEEHAN EXPLAINS IN THIS MORNING’S MADE IN MASS. ON A QUIET, RAINY MORNING ON THE CAPE, THE SOUND OF A SEWING MACHINE EMANATES FROM THE ART COTTAGE AT MASHPEE COMMONS. INSIDE THIS ARTIST RUN COOPERATIVE, LINDA KEOUGH IS HARD AT WORK, CREATING A RATHER UNIQUE PRODUCT. I MAKE BAGS FROM REAL MAPS. THE GRAPHIC DESIGNER AND FABRIC ARTIST STARTED HER TRAVEL INSPIRED TOTE COMPANY, MAPS, BACK IN 2012. I TAKE AN OLD MAP AND I TURN IT INTO A FABRIC, AND I SEW IT INTO A BAGS. FROM BAGS TO TOTES AND ZIPPER POUCHES. LINDA BRINGS A BIT OF OLD SCHOOL TO A NEW GENERATION OF SHOPPERS. THIS WAS IN THE CORNER OF A MAP AND IT SHOWS BOSTON IN A WORLD WHERE TRADITIONAL HANDHELD MAPS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY AN ELECTRONIC GPS HELD IN YOUR PHONE. THESE CARRYALLS CARRY WITH THEM A BIT OF NOSTALGIA. THE PEOPLE WILL LOOK AND THEY’LL SAY, OH WOW, I WENT HERE AND WE WERE RIGHT THERE. WHEN IT COMES TO LOCATING THE MAPS USED IN HER BAGS, LINDA SAYS THEY’RE MOSTLY FOUND IN FLEA MARKETS AND ONLINE, BUT IN SOME CASES, THE MAPS FIND HER. A WOMAN CAME UP TO ME AND SHE SAID, OH, MY MOTHER HAS ALL THESE MAPS. THEY WERE HER DAD’S. AND SHE GOES, I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THEM. AND WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED? AND SHE WAS VERY GUARDED ABOUT THEM. SHE DIDN’T WANT TO SORT OF JUST GIVE THEM UP. THIS IS WHAT LINDA SAYS. PART OF THE FUN IS DISCOVERING SOME HIDDEN GEMS FROM A BYGONE ERA. AN EXAMPLE THIS CAPE COD TOURIST MAP FROM THE EARLY 1960S. YOU KNOW WHAT’S FUNNY ABOUT THIS ONE? I GOT THIS IN TENNESSEE LAST YEAR WHEN I WAS AT A LITTLE SHOP, SO YOU CAN FIND THEM ANYWHERE. YOU CAN FIND MAPS ANYWHERE, AND PEOPLE SAVE THEM. THE GRAPHICS ON IT ARE JUST SO FUN AND THEY DON’T MAKE THINGS LIKE THIS ANYMORE. AT MAPS. SPECIAL CUSTOM DESIGN ORDERS LIKE THIS ONE OF FALMOUTH ARE POSSIBLE, BUT LINDA SAYS THE ROAD TO HAPPINESS IS LIKELY FOUND IN THE UNDISCOVERED MAGIC OF MEMORIES. I’VE HAD THIS FROM WHEN I WAS DOING PILLOWS YEARS AGO. SANTA CLAUS, AND SO I FOUND A NORTH POLE MAP. SO I’M GOING TO MAKE THAT THE BACK. AND THIS IS THE FRONT. GETTING BACK TO THE ART COTTAGE. YES. SPELLED WITH TWO D’S. LINDA IS ONE OF THREE CO-OWNERS IN ADDITION TO HER MAPS, YOU’LL FIND PRODUCTS FROM 13 LOCAL ARTISTS AND ARTISANS, ALL CREATING ONE OF A KIND, UNIQUE ITEMS THAT ARE ALL MAD

On a quiet rainy morning on Cape Cod, the sound of a sewing machine emanates from The Art Coddage. Inside the artist-run cooperative, Linda Keough is hard at work creating a rather unique product. Keough repurposes old road maps and turns them into designer bags. "The size and shape is determined by the size and shape of the map," she said. The graphic designer and fabric artist started her travel-inspired tote company MapSacks in 2012. From bags to totes and zipper pouches, she brings a bit of old school to a new generation of shoppers."This was in the corner of a map, and it shows Boston. I mean, they don’t do things like that anymore," Keough said as she showed off a new design. In a world where traditional handheld maps have been replaced by electronic GPS, the carryalls carry with them a bit of nostalgia. "The people look and they say, ‘Oh wow! I went here. We were right there,'" Keough said. When it comes to locating the maps used in her bags, Keough finds them in flea markets and online, and in some cases, the maps find her."A woman came up to me and said, 'My mother has all of these maps. They were her dad’s. I don’t know what to do with them. Would you be interested?' And she was very guarded about them. She didn’t want to give them up," Keough said. At MapSacks, special, custom-designed orders are possible, but Keough said for most, the road to happiness is likely found in the undiscovered magic of memories. "The graphics on it are just so fun. They don’t make things like this anymore," she said. In addition to MapSacks, products from 13 local artists and artisans can be found at Art Coddage.

On a quiet rainy morning on Cape Cod, the sound of a sewing machine emanates from The Art Coddage.

Inside the artist-run cooperative, Linda Keough is hard at work creating a rather unique product. Keough repurposes old road maps and turns them into designer bags.

"The size and shape is determined by the size and shape of the map," she said.

The graphic designer and fabric artist started her travel-inspired tote company MapSacks in 2012. From bags to totes and zipper pouches, she brings a bit of old school to a new generation of shoppers.

"This was in the corner of a map, and it shows Boston. I mean, they don’t do things like that anymore," Keough said as she showed off a new design.

In a world where traditional handheld maps have been replaced by electronic GPS, the carryalls carry with them a bit of nostalgia.

"The people look and they say, ‘Oh wow! I went here. We were right there,'" Keough said.

When it comes to locating the maps used in her bags, Keough finds them in flea markets and online, and in some cases, the maps find her.

"A woman came up to me and said, 'My mother has all of these maps. They were her dad’s. I don’t know what to do with them. Would you be interested?' And she was very guarded about them. She didn’t want to give them up," Keough said.

At MapSacks, special, custom-designed orders are possible, but Keough said for most, the road to happiness is likely found in the undiscovered magic of memories.

"The graphics on it are just so fun. They don’t make things like this anymore," she said.

In addition to MapSacks, products from 13 local artists and artisans can be found at Art Coddage.

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