Sheesh...

Has it been almost a week already? I decided to go with Erin's suggestion and re-use some of the bag fabric as the side panels, being that I would be the only one who knew that the pattern called for each panel to be a different fabric. I ended up following the yellow monkeys with the cream/red/brown polka dot and then the green polka dot.



I decided the easiest way to make the bag taller (rather than redoing the entire trapezoid shape to make it longer/larger) would be to add a single strip of fabric in the width I want the bag to be to the bottom. This is also the fabric that I'll be using to bind the bag and make the straps. I probably took a picture of it in the worst spot because it isn't really apparent that the colors do actually coordinate.

The next step is to layer it over top of some canvas and a couple layers of batting and quilt it. Then I have to cut about a MILLION little slits in the edges so that it frays nicely, wash it and I can finally begin the parts that make it take the shape of an actual bag. I love that part! I love seeing something come together and seeing if it looks how I envisioned it.

Monday Moments

This Monday Moment is brought to you by my husband. I had a bunch of sewing and present wrapping to do, so he offered to watch Gabe while he was doing his jobs around the house. Mainly changing the oil in the truck (and an attempt at changing a part in the car, but the auto parts store sold us the wrong one).

As I was on the computer checking a message my husband came rushing in for the camera telling me I was missing out on some great photo opportunities. This is what he captured, and it's so dang cute I'll forgive him for the fact that Gabe was wearing a brand new white and gray shirt while monkeying around under there.

Is this terrible?

I bought the flannel (dark brown to bring out the browns in the fabric) to back the diaper bag on Thursday night and got all of the pieces cut and sewn yesterday afternoon.

I compared it to the size of my purse and it is exactly the same, however, the Bohemian Bag has ties on the top that close off two panels from both the front and the back. Leading me to the decision that I need two more panels added to one side to balance it out and maintain the shape.

Here is the part I'm wondering about. Would it be awful to not buy two more pieces of fabric? Given that the very end panels wrap around the sides anyway (and would not be seen from the front) could I repeat some fabrics without it seeming too cheesy?

Right now I am thinking of adding the two new panels to the end with the yellow monkeys. Next to the yellow monkeys would be a repeat of the cream with brown and red spots and then I haven't decided what fabric would go on that last side yet, possibly the red with numbers. But, this all hinges on you folks telling me this isn't a bad idea.

Alteration

I thought I'd give you all a peek into another project I'm working on. This is going to be a diaper bag in the style of Lila Tueller's Bohemian Bag for a friend of my sister. She saw the Bohemian Bag I made for my sister last Christmas and wanted one just like it, only larger, with dark browns and unisex so she could use it as a diaper bag for the baby she's expecting in January.



These are the fabrics I chose. Dark brown and unisex was actually much harder than I thought it would be. For the most part they're from the Five Funky Monkeys and Goodnight Monkey fabrics by Moda. I don't think this is the final layout, and it may not even be the final number of panels. I need to get some flannel to back them and then sew them together to compare to my purse (the size she wants her bag).

If I thought picking out the fabrics was a challenge, I think I'm in for it altering this purse pattern into a diaper bag!

Monday Moments

Sunday was the birthday party for my sweet little boy. He got a tricycle from his grandma. He runs up to it several times a day screaming, "Boike!" He hops on and rings the bell, but is just the tiniest bit shy of reaching the pedals.



He also got a wooden train set and a couple new wooden trains to push along the tracks. He got some motorized trains too and a new train whistle. I think he might just be the luckiest boy in the world.



I even tried my hand at decorating a train cake for him. Unfortunately, having not decorated a cake in almost a year I had no idea that my couplers went missing to my decorating set. I cried for half a minute about how I didn't have time to run to the store and buy new ones, then I used my appetizer gun (made for filling deviled eggs and the sort) to pipe in the icing. It turned out well considering I was using the completely wrong tools for the job, but I can't help looking at it thinking what could have been. My son didn't care. He thought it was amazing and yelled "Train! Choo! Choo! Cake." And then asked to blow out the candles twice because it was so much fun.

Snowball block

I picked up a novelty fat quarter bundle at the fabric store knowing I wanted to make some potholders as Christmas gifts (probably to give away with a jar of cookie or muffin mix). I saw these cute little guys and thought, "I could make those!"



This is called the snowball block. Seriously. Well, this is two snowball blocks sewn together. I have seen them used in dozens of quilt patterns, but never to make a snowman. I thought they were really perfect for my potholders.



I'm pretty pleased with how my first attempt came out. It isn't a complete potholder yet, just the front, but I like it and have plans for several more in different colors. I originally had sketched some little stick arms, but I think he looks cute without them, definitely more like the snowman on the fabric.

Monday Moments

I swear that I am only slacking a little on the crafty and it has been just a crazy, crazy week. This is my new nephew, born Halloween night. Sunday I took my kids to the park and got some great snapshots that I am trying to turn into wall-worthy portraits with the magic that is picnik. Monday I took a day trip to see the new baby. And now, a week later, it is my baby's second birthday.

In between there has been some sewing and fabric cutting and all kinds of trips to the craft stores for supplies. I just haven't finished anything (even though I have a couple projects that would take me less than an hour to complete, I just keep starting new ones). Don't worry, there will be some completed projects and works in progress this week!

Monday Moments

Of course, today's moment has to be about trick-or-treating! It was my son's second time out, but last year he did most of his candy grubbing from his stroller. My husband wouldn't hesitate to say it was his technical first Halloween.



He absolutely loved it. By the third house he was an old pro, even pointing to the houses that had their lights off in his own little way of asking us, "Hey guys? Why aren't we going there?" When his big sister (a zebra, that may not be apparent in the photo without her tail) got too cold and wanted to go to the car I asked him if he wanted to stop. He looked right at me and said, "More...snacks."