Simon has a great friend who lives across the busy street and down 3 houses. They met each other in preschool. This year, 2nd grade, is the first time they are in the same class since. Simon has been invited to his birthday party. This boy has no siblings; he has lots of toys, just had Christmas, and then a late December birthday. We thought long and hard about what to get him for a gift. I do not like to spend too much money on friend birthday parties; and do not want to give junk that is forgotten or thrown away soon after the party.
This is what we came up with, a "Beast Bag". (Not the best picture, but it IS a picture. And pictures have been lacking here. So, this is what time allowed.)
We went "shopping" in my fabric bin and found all we needed. I did purchase a "Beast Bag" pattern. It helped me with dimensions and to sew the parts in the right order. I did change it up by adding an inside layer, sewing a seam halfway down the outside pocket, and using felt teeth instead of the called-for craft foam teeth. Thanks to previous sewing projects, I knew what to do. Except for one little bunch up, I am quite pleased with how it turned out. I learned how to make straps without turning fabric inside out. The fold, iron, and sew-on-the-edge trick is slick. Simon now wants one. The next bag may include fusible interfacing or a thicker fabric to make it sturdier.
I personally like the inside pocket perfectly sized for a library card. The pattern called for ric rac for the teeth, which I do not have. We trimmed white felt with pinking sheers, and it is the same felt as the eyes and teeth. A decent substitution.
Thanks to my experience using thick/heavy Pellon and my newly learned skill of making straps, I combined both methods and made two coordinating bookmarks. No tassels and no ribbons; this is for a boy and Simon ordered it that way.
Would you smile if you were an 8 year old boy and this greeted you when you opened your gift?
Now he will be ready to check out chapter books and tote them home!
4 comments:
Becky - Your bag is great! I love the color. I think you will be making Simon one. I cannot compete with what you made. I learned about making strips by folding in half, iron and then fold to the middle and re-iron. Sew all the way around the strips.
I still am working on my first quilt piece and getting ready for Feb. quilt piece by tracing, cutting and measuring the pieces as accurately as possible. The problem was getting green fabric for stems and leaves -fabric the met my idea of what it should be. The hardest part was what color green, needless to say, I have many different colors and styles. I know they say you can use anything you have but I guess I am fussy.
Any snow?
Love,
Mom
Keep up the great work.
Oh, that is so cute! And so BOY! :) Great job!
Have you seen LiEr's new series on bag-making? Lotsa helpful info there!
I have not seen IeEr's new series on bag-making. I will have to check it out. This tote bag was fun to make. I'm still a small project sewing gal, perhaps a bag lady. Definitely still in love with yarn! Tutorials over traditional patterns are my preference!
Great idea! Love it!
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