My
three children have the gift of spatial visualization. My mother had it. I
suspect my husband has it. But I don’t have it. I believe people who are
naturally gifted don’t understand the extent to which they are blessed and the
rest of us are clueless.
On
my pre-Christmas sewing list was a lunch sack for daughter Hallie. She carries
her lunch to work in two refrigerator containers that don’t fit standard sacks,
so she’s been using plastic grocery sacks. Her storehouse of plastic sacks is
dwindling since the City of Seattle has banned them, and besides, plastic sacks
are just tacky for the professional person to carry – and perhaps for the rest
of us, too. Anyway, time before Christmas grew short, and I didn’t make the
sack, but that was fine because I really needed Hallie’s input anyway. So,
during Christmas I showed her my “bag books:” Lunch Sack! and The Bag
Making Bible.
“You
bought books?” questioned Hallie, a tone of incredulity in her voice. “I can’t
believe you bought books. Just make a bag. I don’t see why you can’t just make
a bag.” (I didn’t tell her I have even more bag patterns in my collection.)
It
never occurred to me that I should “just make a bag.” I didn’t have a clue how
to get started. With the help of the books, Hallie showed me a simple style she
liked, and then she found fabric in my limited stash that she pronounced “fun.”
I never would have chosen that fabric for her bag, but I could see immediately
that she would like it – a neutral background with a splash of bright color.
So
– once Christmas was over, I settled down to the promised task. Reviewing the
books again, I gained confidence to begin, but instead of choosing a pattern from
a book, I decided to modify “Ann’s Fat Quarter Gift Bag,” instructions that
Chris gave us at embroidery club. Beyond that, I’ll spare you the lengthy
details – and the weeping and wailing. Some trial and error was necessary, and
I took advantage of that process by making practice bags of Christmas fabric for
next year’s gift bags. Good plan!
Finally
I was working on the real project. Coming into the sewing room, Mike said,
“Say, that’s nice!”
“Hallie
chose the fabric,” I said.
“I
can tell,” Mike replied. “Looks like her.”
So,
I mailed the bag to Hallie, and here’s the message I received:
“I
got my new lunch bag today and I love it! I put my lunch in there and it fits
just fine. I was meeting a friend at a restaurant after work and I was able to
take it with me because it's so cute. Normally, I either have to drop it off in
the car or go back to the office for it. Thank you so much! I also love the
button and that it matches my winter wool coat. :)”
It
was great to end the old year with a good finish. Onward . . . KW
Yea!!! Kathy. My mom was able to make bags for lunches by looking at a paper bag, but I have to use a pattern. I tried improvising, but they were not good to say the least. Patterns are OK - that's what they are made for. Right?
ReplyDeleteI totally agree, Dr. M. Patterns are made by experts so that we don't have to keep "re-inventing the wheel."
ReplyDeleteMy mother told me that when she was growing up, her mother would always say, "We can make that; we don't need a pattern." But, Mother said, the finished product never looked just right. Even though my mother had some skills in design, she believed in using patterns.
Oh! That bag is adorable! Love the fabric, the handles and the button. And I love that it's for your daughter using a design my daughter came up with! Well done!
ReplyDeleteHi Chris!
ReplyDeleteSo cool -- the your daughter / my daughter connection.
The button came from Mother's button box. Not many red buttons in the box, I discovered, but I looked until I found one I could use.
The design makes a bag that isn't structured, as you know, but Hallie's two refrigerator boxes provide the structure. I hope it continues to work well for her.
It's so fun! I can't bring myself to throw it in the fridge with the lunch in it, but I carry my things to and fro and unload my containers when I get to work. :)
ReplyDeleteMy new pillow cases are on the bed, too! The yellow/gold band is a perfect match to the wall.
P.S.: For the record, I wasn't insulting about the purchase of books, I just felt bad that my request created the need for expense beyond the product.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there's any reason it couldn't go in the fridge if you want it to. It should be washable. If it gets tired, we'll just make another.
ReplyDeleteFabric bags are big now. Sewists are making their own purses and totes, so we see lots of patterns in books, through the major pattern companies, through independent designers, etc. Fabric choices abound -- almost anything goes. My original idea was make a lunch sack that was more elaborate and also insulate it.
I hope to make more bags, so it wasn't just Hallie's request that prompted my purchases.
Weeping & wailing. So funny. Hallie, having a book that gives a person pictures and patterns is like talking over your ideas with a friend. Books have been known as "our friends" for ages.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, Hallie's bag is lovely. There was a reason you waited to talk it over with her. She picked a fabric that she wanted & it was the best of both worlds, a mother daughter collaboration. Love the fact that Chris's daughter is involved in the story.
ReplyDelete