Mini Tote

A good friend asked me to give her sewing lessons.... I get asked for this fairly frequently, but usually people really aren't very serious about it. But this person is determined and we had our first "lesson" on Tuesday. I was really impressed with how she dove right in - she was careful and methodical but not overly perfectionistic. She also was very eager to learn and not scared to do things by herself. I turned to one of my favorite books, Bend the Rules Sewing by Amy Karol, to do our first project. In hindsight, it might have been better to do the "clutch" pictured on the cover of the book, but the "mini tote" was fine too. I only say this because the clutch is EXTREMELY simple and we could've finished it in 1 hour easily.

Just before I went to her house, I made my own mini tote, and here it is:

One handle is shorter than the other - which is a feature I thought I might omit - but I decided to go for it and I really like how it turned out. This project is so easy - only took me 1.5 hours and requires only 2 fat quarters. I love the outer print I used - a Kokka import that has little bikes and trees on it.

I am really thrilled that my sister is home for the summer. We are very close and she usually lives in CO - so her opportunities to see Gregory have been quite limited. Now that she is home for a few months - we are spending a lot of time together and she is helping me with occasional babysitting. I decided that I want to make her an extra nice graduation present (she has just completed her Master's in School Pyschology at BYU). Of course, I am going to make her a quilt. I made her a quilt for high school graduation and I wish I had a picture to post - displaying the many reasons why one should not use Wal-Mart/Joann fabrics and polyester batting (needless to say - it is falling apart and has lost a lot of its color.) I thought it would be fun to have her choose the fabrics - and it's a good thing that I did this. Before I let her go through my stash, I had visions of the loud and bright creations I could make with some of my Momo Freebird, Meadowsweet, Farmer's Market, or Amy Butler Love.... I was even willing to impart my treasured Flora and Fauna or do a toned down quilt with the ever popular (and overrated) Hope Valley.....

Needless to say, we do not share the same taste.... Here is what she picked:

I got these fabrics at Marden's a while ago with her in mind and then forgot about them. I like them, but there is no pink, no birds, apples, trees, gnomes (I am kidding about the gnomes)..... This experience has got me thinking: I have a lot of fabric that is uniquely my taste - it may not necessarily match what other people prefer. I would say that 75% of my sewing is done for other people..... Kind of funny that I have a bit of a loud, wacky fabric selection - but those around me are a bit more subdued in their preferences.

Now I would like to declare publicly that I am on a fabric diet. Nick is on the job hunt and I need to actually sew with the fabric that I own. So I am hoping by making it to known to the universe out there that I am not buying fabric right now!!!! So far, I have stuck to it - but I am not going to deny that I have been tempted many times to cheat.