bagging it

The kids came up with a great idea for the last day of school - bags that they could have their friends sing.

They looked at me with their bright shining eyes and asked ever so sweetly, every so slyly if I couldn't help them sew the bags they had in mind.

My studio is mid-renovation (as it has been for month) my supplies are scattered about the house. I have no idea where any suitable material is, but they are so earnest and it is the end of second grade.

I sacrificed a pillow case. Finding time was another matter. One sweet child , friend of dd, gave up movie time to sew hers! The other, my own dd, managed to squeeze it in just before bed time on the night before the last day of school. (a little too much like me sometimes) and that left just the bag for the one who couldn't stay to finish the project. Which meant me up late sewing a little bag the night before the last day of school!

It's on them to remembe the permanent markers and get the signatures!

class addendum

I was supposed to be paid for the class. It's not that I care all that much about the money. Money is good, don't get me wrong, but I certainly wasn't doing it for that. Still, money buys yarn and yarn is good. The problem is that I'm not a teacher and most of the people who do the afterschool program are so they didn't know what to do with me. First, I had to fill out reams of paperwork. Then, I had to go on line to take an ethics course that all government employees have to take. It was part course, part quiz with tough questions like if you are on the planning board is it okay to take money from someone who is applying for a building permit? Do they really think that the people taking bribes are doing so only because they don't know any better? And, if you're the sort who would take a bribe, is taking a course going to change your mind?

I was a little worried about not passing, but it turns out that if you get the answer wrong, you get to go back and fix it. Whew. I don't always perform well under pressure.

I've finally taken the test, but I still have to go back to the office with the document to prove it. Until then, no money. No money, no yarn. I sort of kind of have my eye on this Cashmere I saw in Connecticut a few months back. The shop had the softest, prettiest stole I've ever seen. The pattern takes just two skeins. At a mere $50 each, that would pretty much be the entire check. This project would definitely require lifelines!

My latest accomplishments lately have been in the sewing room rather than on sticks:

These were for a Birthday swap sent to a fellow Red Sox fan. The flat bag clips on to a loop inside the tote. The draw string project bag has a zippered pocket on the outside. It's from a tutorial on bag designer Terry Atkinson's blog. Very fun pattern and much less complicated than it looks