One of my favorite categories of things to make and own are BAGS!!! I love little zippered bags, bags big enough to carry hockey equipment, and everything between. They are functional, pretty quick to make, and they each have their own personality. Here are a few of my favorites:
Starting in the back, that’s my “hockey equipment” bag. I took it with me tonight to quilt guild and it easily carried two wall quilts, a 2-liter jug of diet coke, a dessert tray (I was on the treats committee this month), a ream of paper printed up into handouts (I was on a panel), plates and cups, a block of the month, two pillowcases for a donation project — and I’m sure there was more, but you get the idea. Next is the tan tote bag I blogged about here; it is completed now, and I added ties to the sides to snug up so the bag doesn’t gape open as much. The black/red/tan one is a Celine Perkins (Perkins Dry Goods) design; the black and white is a Grids and Grommets; Elvis is on a Kimmy bag deviation; and the two little bags in front are made from placemats.
I LOVE making a bag out of a placemat, and I’ve made a bunch of them. Well, I bet you could never guess what the “basket” is going to be for the giveaway items??? Oh, you saw right through me. Here is what you start with: one placemat (not too thick), a fat quarter of fabric for the lining, and a purchased handle. And did I mention, NOT TOO THICK??? I never learn. I broke two needles on the black bag. Check for the thickness in the corners where all the seam allowance fabric all overlaps. There are lots of tutorials on the web for making these bags/purses. To me, this is a bag. When I put a zipper in, then it’s a purse.
And about three hours later here is what you end up with. And all the sur-prizes fit very neatly inside! (In case you’re new to this week-long saga of introducing one gift at a time, so far we have Clover fork pins, Mary Ellen’s Best Press, Bengal Spice tea and cookies, and now a little bag.)
The fine print: 1. Give-away runs Sunday 4/26 through Sunday 5/3. 2. You may enter once each day by posting a comment on that day’s new give-away posting (that’s what THIS is). 3. Each day I will add an item to each ”basket” (there will be two); to have the most entries in the drawing, check back and add a comment each day. 4. There are two baskets because there will be two names drawn on Monday May 4th. 5. Be sure to include your e-mail when you make your comment so I can contact you if you are one of the winners! 6. I will close the comments on this post at midnight CDT (sorry, West Coast, but that’s the latest I can stay awake). Also at midnight CDT the next day’s give-away post will come up, so if the comments are closed here, go to www.suehecker.com/blog (unless it is after May 3rd — then you’re too late!).
Again, it’s been a lot of fun to read through your comments and see what you collect. It helps me not to feel quite so odd about having teapots on top of my cupboards! And now for today’s comments. (Elvis looking out from the side of the Kimmy bag inspired me.) If you could only listen to one kind of music (or one artist) all day today, what would you choose? I’ll start. My all-time favorite CD is Norwegian Wood. It is Beatles music done in a classical style, and it’s hauntingly beautiful. It is so mellow and peaceful, it always makes me feel good. Your turn!
SORRY, THE GIVE-AWAY IS OVER.
