Amanda

🌈 I figured that I'd do one of these intro posts since my shop is 10 years old now! 🌈 My name is Amanda. I live in Baltimore, MD with my husband, Rad, and our beagle mutt, Lenny. But we're not from Baltimore. We've lived in Florida, Tennessee, Michigan, Oaxaca, Missouri, Iowa, and Maryland. Looking to make a little extra cash Rad was in grad school at Michigan State, I started Polyester and Trash as a side gig in 2014. I worked at a grocery store that sold tons of bulk dry goods that came in 50-pound sacks. One day, I found a big stack of sacks bound for the Dumpster. They seemed too cool to sit in a landfill, so I liberated them and took them home. I already had a decent stack of vintage fabric (mostly polyester), and a really crappy Kenmore sewing machine. So I bought a simple pattern for a messenger bag and attempted to sew a serviceable bag. It took me 8 hours. (I need to find this thing because it's laughable.) The next bag only took 6 hours and then I got faster from there. Since I was working with mostly polyester knit and 50-pound sacks that were bound for the trash, I came up with the shop name Polyester and Trash. So if you've been wondering where the hell I got the name, now you know. 😉 But what's the deal with the tacky ties?🤔 I have always had some strange obsession with really ugly 70s neckties. I discovered that they are the perfect length for a crossbody strap. Plus, they're plentiful and often dirt cheap. I don't work at that crummy grocery store any more, so my free trash connection dried up. These days, I design my own patterns, and use mainly vintage textiles. I source materials from thrift stores, estate sales, yard sales, and my Instagram buddies. Y'all really get me. 🤩 I run this operation out of a spare bedroom with two sewing machines and very little help from Lenny. He mostly sleeps or stands in the way, but he makes an excellent mascot for Polyester and Trash. This shop was been growing little by little and it's slowly taking over our entire house. I have no idea if this will ever become a full time gig. I'm just amazed that people want to buy stuff that I make. I'm so glad you're here! Thanks for hanging out 🤓

Thank you @hampdenbizaar for hosting us today! @hardlyburning turns out that crushed velvet tablecloth fits my market table PERFECTLY. Thank you 🤩 Thank you for the loan of some props @rustnshine 🤓 Thank you @babyface.vintage for bringing us some Royal Farms water. 😍 I'll be back for the June 13 market if you missed me today. 😎

Click the link in my bio and take a trip to Patchwork City! ✨I also marked down some older merchandise, so take advantage of those deals as well. Free US shipping on orders over $100 😎 Thank you for following along as I made these 10 bags! I'm so excited for them to find new homes.

Today is the day for all you hardcore patchwork people out there! I'll have 10 patchwork bags on the website at 7pm Eastern. See you soon! 💗

Just pulled the first record tote off the machine. 14" wide 15" tall 1.5" box pleat in lower corners 😎Interfaced 😎Lined with canvas 😎Upcycled sheets on the outside 😎Straps made from remnant webbing from a @strapworks mystery bag What are your thoughts on the size and style? #upcycledsheets #recordtote #instasewing #ateam #80skidsheets

Don't mind me. I'm just over here pulling myself up by my upcycled crossbody straps 😜 These tacky necktie straps are adjustable, interfaced, lined with corduroy, and handmade by me in my Baltimore basement sewing studio. You can snag a crossbody bag (featuring one of these straps) on Friday, 5/15 at 7 pm Eastern. Tap the reminder to get a nudge when the drop goes live. 😎 Wanna see more? Check out my previous Reels for a few more videos about my manufacturing process 🤩 #vintagesewing #instacraft #tackyties #upcycledneckties #fyp

🩵💙💚Another Trust Bag is on its way to a new home! 💚💙🩵 Thank you @villageartiots for trusting me to make this Mondo Tote for you! I hope it brings you the best of estate sale luck. 🍀 #mondototebag #polyesterandtrash #vintagebag #vintagefabric

The patchwork bags are coming together! All 10 bags will hit the website on Friday May 15th at 7 pm Eastern. Feeling pretty good about the decision to keep every little piece of fabric, but I do have some tiny pieces leftover. If you can use the little leftover patchwork pieces you see in this reel, let me know in the comments. I'll send them to you for free 😎 #patchworkbag #vintagfabric #instasewing #fyp #vintagesewing

💕 AVAILABLE 💕 😮 I've never even seen this Burlington Nancy Tulip pattern before and this one is in great vintage condition! 🌷Double set 🌷Two pillow cases 🌷Flat and fitted sheet 🌷Good elastic on fitted 🌷See last part of this reel for a flaw in the flat sheet Asking $80 (or best offer) for the set plus 📦 US shipping only ☹️ I'm happy to provide more pics. Claim in the comments or DM me. I can do PayPal, Venmo, or Cash App Thank you 🤩

We've entered phase 2! Thank you for following along as I show you my technique for making patchwork handbags. Since I taught myself how to sew and I'm definitely not a quilter, please let me know if you see me making any critical errors 😅 #sustainablefashion #vintagesewing #vintagefabric #instasewing #patchwork

Once in a while, I have to stop working and take stock of the fabric that I have on hand. Because it's a LOT 😬 I present to you the scrap stash. Prepare yourselves for some patchwork bags on Friday 😎 #vintagesewing #vintagefabric #instasewing #scrappysewing #fyp

Just discovered that @sg_bmore lets dogs shop for records too. Take all our money 💰 #recordstores #soundgardenrecordstore #fellspoint #baltimoredogs #baltimore