It’s the 16th day of PAM (Penni Appreciation Month), the month when I celebrate everything all about me (in my own mind of course). I try during this one month a year to appreciate myself for who I am, what I like to do and how I am aging (I seriously meant “wising up”). Anything goes in this month. It’s not about gifts or forcing people to pay attention to me… it’s about ME paying attention to ME and celebrating getting a year older (my b-day is the end of the month).
Anyone who knows me knows that I struggle with studio time. With the responsibility of running two full time companies and being a full time Mom to three teenagers, getting away from the computer and all the paperwork, budgets and billing, phone calls, emails and general drudgery of the normal workday and getting into the studio to be creative is a challenge to say the least. Oh don’t get me wrong… I can walk away from the office and get into the studio. It’s the being creative when I get there part that I seem to struggle with the most.
But then I see a cute simple pattern like Simple Iron Cozy by Oh, Fransson! on the internet and I get right up there and get sewing on something simple and the creativity just flows. I made this cozy from the pattern… and then made 3 more for gifts for some of my best stitching supporters.
The best part was… I used up some scraps and that always makes me happy. Some people covet their fabric. I have been collecting for years. I get the most joy now from using up stash and scraps to make room for a whole new style of fabrics that I am interested in getting into. So when I use something up on a quilt back or to make a small project I get so excited I practically trip over my iron cord and fall into my fat quarter wall. (I’m so glad I wasn’t wearing platform flip flops at the time… the last time I wore a pair of those I fell over while standing still in the driveway. I wasn’t trying to walk anywhere… I just leaned over center and fell into the flowerbed… but I digress).
While cleaning I also found a kit I purchased *cough* years ago for a bag with one of those precut bottoms. I remember the day I bought it like yesterday. I had visions of a cute little tote in the back of my car to keep my boys organized. In my mind, it was completed 6 years ago and has been living stain free in my car with very important items in it. In reality, I finally completed it yesterday (in about an hour mind you) and I realized that it will never be in the back of my car because it would have muddy cleats and used gatorade bottles in it. It’s a cute bag though. Would be great for market shopping (ignore the block mess in the background).
I would give you the link to the pattern but there isn’t one. This pattern was a copied version with no copyright that accompanied the kit. It has some flaws. There is absolutely no mention of batting of any kind despite the fact that the kit contained nearly two yards of fusible batting. The bag is square with a square hardened bottom. But the batting makes the bag floppy rather than stiff and supported. I would have added Peltex or something stiff inside to hold the shape. The construction is super easy and I really like it in theory. I might have to make it again with a few changes… and maybe the new one will live in my car. <Doing an internet search on washable fabrics that don’t show dirt.>
Enjoy the WIP Wednesday. Link up to me and show me what you have completed. What’s on your mind to finish today? … and what’s your absolute favorite bag pattern?
~Penni