making something

Looking back on last week, I think I went a little bit crazy.

It all started over a week ago last Saturday after I got home from shopping in Denham Springs with my mom. While I was there I stumbled upon some material that I instantly really liked. My mom said it "looked like me" so I went for it and made the purchase without much thought. That afternoon, I asked Graham for an uninterrupted hour to indulge my creative streak and finally recovered the pillows that go with our couch ...

It only took 9 years! Seriously. I've been saying since the day I bought the couch before heading off to Auburn that I'd definitely recover the ugly pillows. Whew. Glad that one's done. Actually, the pillows will probably be on the floor more than the couch, but I like them there, too ...

I've also been wanting a fun summer bag to use as Eden and I are out and about. Problem was I just didn't really want to spend the money on the ones I saw at the store. Later this past week, it hit me. I could use the extra material from the pillows to make a great bag. So, I purchased some inexpensive cotton for the lining and some metal rings to attach the straps.

It was an interesting experience since I didn't have a pattern. Definitely an organic process that took longer than expected, but one that ended up with a bag that I love ...

I decided that since I was making this thing that it should be customized ... with interior pockets to fit e's hat, pacifiers, board books, and of course ziplocs with snacks ...

For all you sewers, here's how to make the interior pockets. Start with a vertical seam where the red pin is (see below). Then, a horizontal seam to hold down your pleats and make the bottom of the pocket. Copied this from my other bag from Target. Worked brilliantly.

Here's the finished product, complete with a drawstring to convert from cute bag to really big bag and front pockets for keys, sunglasses, camera, etc. ...

Somewhere in the midst of all this, I made a scarf dress out of one of my Mama Sally's old scarves. I think it will be the perfect, cool little outfit for Eden to wear on the Fourth while we're visiting her Aunt Courtney and Uncle Britton.

Then, I decided that I'd finally make that faces book for Eden I've been thinking about since the spring ...

On Saturday, the "I feel like making something" bug hit again, and I asked Graham for just an hour to make E a pillowcase dress. Hah. I didn't like the way it looked once I put together the simple pillowcase dress, so after some redoing, taking a big break to make Graham's father's day cupcakes (yum, yum), and working into the night, I ended up with a dress I really like that looks strikingly similar to a picture a I clipped out of JCrewKids a few months ago ...

[Eden helped me take pictures of her dress]

It has been really wonderful to be able to indulge myself during this month at home and spend time "making." I think my Mama Sally, the person who taught me to sew, would have been very proud of everything this week. I think of her every time I sew something and use the beautiful, now antique, black Singer sewing machine she gave me when I was little. I've definitely enjoyed using it this week while Eden was napping and asleep at night.

I think Eden will be waking up soon, so it's time to go.

But really, I told you, didn't I? Went a little crazy this week.