Bah!

My stomach virus/dairy allergy/next installment in my body’s 30 year anniversary breakdown is back, which sucks. I feel awful, am starving, and can’t stand the thought of eating for fear of getting sick again. I’ve decided to use this unexpected time off of work to sew (now that my stomach has stopped shouting at me, I am no longer confined to any room in my house that starts with b). Yay, sewing! I think I will make more bags.

Another bag, this time for wine. Yay, wine!

I’ve made another bag. I let the shape of the fat quarters I used dictate its shape, so it’s much less square than the other bags I’ve made. It’s perfect for carrying a couple of bottles of wine. I don’t have one those handy separators that you get at the wine store, but I figure that if I’m going to sew the wine bag, I can take an hour and knit a wine cozy.

As with every bag I’ve made, this one is also reversible. On the whole, my seams are getting a little straighter, although for some reason this gray thread liked to bunch up in a way that no other thread I’ve used has (a new problem! This must mean it’s not my fault…right??). Aside from that, I really like this bag.

I’d planned to open the lovely looking muscato photographed here (the larger of the two bottles), but of course, I didn’t have a corkscrew at home. The best laid plans, folks…

My first bag!

Now that I made the reversible tote bag, I’m a little over this one, but it was still a nice way to get into sewing bags. I spent a ton of time on this bag, mainly because 1) I’m not so good yet at sewing straight and 2) I work slowly when I’m confused. Still, I think this came out reasonably adorable for a first effort.

Side 1. I didn't notice until just now that both sides have the same pattern in the same place on the top row.

Side 2.

I used the same pattern for both sides of the inner bag.

Reversible Tote Bag

I made a(nother) bag. Since I didn’t post the first one I completed, you could be forgiven for wondering what I’m blathering about, but this is actually the second bag that I’ve sewn and finished. The first one is a cute little patchwork drawstring bag. And is also reversible. I think it’s pretty smart to keep making two bags at a time. In between, I started another bag, but I haven’t been able to find the perfect fabric for the other side of it, and so it remains unfinished.

Please forgive the weird cell phone photos that I took. They somehow introduced an icky-looking shadow that does not really exist on my bag (thank goodness)! I know that it would look better if I’d pressed it, but I was short on time, and as soon as I finished it, I had to dash out of my house for a knitting bar crawl. I know, I know. I lead a tough life.

I made the bag according to this very awesome tutorial. The only thing that had me scratching my head was when I tried to figure out how to pinch the corners, but eventually, I understood what she meant.

Edited to add better photos.

I’m am crafty

I somehow decided that I needed to learn how to sew. The exact why is now fuzzy, but once this idea got into my head, there was no getting it back out. I pored over sewing machine specifications and reviews, and then promptly forgot everything when I went to the new Jo-ann’s in Paramus. No worries. I let the nice saleslady give me her best pitch on everything that they had, and then scanned item barcodes and checked reviews and prices on Amazon when her back was turned. I left the store with an adorable pink sewing machine, which I have named Rizzo and I so far love. This love is so deep and true that I am willing to admit that any crooked stitches that I produce while using Rizzo are entirely my fault.

So I am practicing my stitching one day at a time, and have so far made Porkchop two new bibs. She is under strict orders not to soil them with any unnecessary baby fluids, and so far she hasn’t. Good Porkchop.

Never fear, I have not abandoned my new love of crochet. I actually crocheted a nifty little pincushion for myself. I’d always wanted to crochet a toy, and now I’ve killed two birds with one stone.

Can you tell that I really love my Android phone?

Making this was actually super fun, and I’ve already made all the parts for two more of these babies, although I’m not sure when I’ll get around to putting them together. A tiny, sweet grandmother in my knitting group suggested that I crochet a voodoo doll next, and I’m not going to lie: I am totally tempted.

Dear world, you may want to stay on my good side. Seriously.
Love,
Nicole