A Completed Project

One of the moms on Sonlight turned me onto a book: Amy Butler's Style Stitches.  I checked it out from the library and decided I loved it enough to purchase it.  (And also Amy Butler's In Stitches.  I think I have a new addiction.)  Style Stitches is a book of patterns for making handbags.  And I thought I would give it a try.  I've sewed before - Halloween costumes and aprons for the kids and some drapes.  But nothing really complicated that would matter if I didn't put it together just right.  (Not that the world would fall apart if my bag had mistakes, but this was a little challenging.)

I decided to sew the Cosmo bag.  My friend said the projects in the book become progressively more difficult so I figured I would start at the beginning.  And I really enjoyed it.  I sewed my first pleats, actually had all the seams line up, and made a button.

The Finished Project

And because Elisabeth is always willing to pose for me, here she is.  (In fact she said, "I'll hold your bag and you can take my picture."  Win-win.)

I needed a project that I could finish.  I have all kinds of things to do around the house, but honestly, housework is like that Greek myth about Sisyphus who was condemned for all eternity to roll a huge boulder up a hill, and upon reaching the top of the hill, the boulder would roll down to the bottom, prompting him to have to start all over.  That boulder?  Housework.  I can do it, and in 10 minutes, the house looks just like it always did.  I can start all over, but it isn't going to stay that way.  However, I spent about an hour last night creating a list of chores that I can print out and assign to my children.  And now they can help around the house.  Judging by Caleb's reaction last night when handed clean sheets and told to go start making his bed, the chore list is arriving none too soon. 

But my bag?  Finished.  And the colors make me happy.