Nana! Look at me, look at me!!

Alright. I have been very excited to share this with everyone, but have held back until the fabulous project was complete. You should be very excited to see what I have to share. I have been asking Nana to retire and teach me how to sew for almost two years. While serving the mish, I was struck with how the skill and hobby of sewing is slowing becoming a lost art. Its sad to say that my generation, and those to follow, are becoming too dependant on technology and on everyone else, to do the work. Sad. I was so thrilled that Roommate Kris was willing to take the time to teach me. She was so very patient through the whole process. I owe her big!

She works at Mormon Handicraft, which is located inside of the University Mall Deseret Book. with me. We took some time, and browsed different fabrics and patterns. I thought about making a pillow, or maybe a skirt, or pajama pants, but in the end decided to make a bag! (I was soon to find the difficulty of the project. I should have chosen pj pants!) Many of you have let me know that I am a little too obsessive with the color pink, and that I'm a bit too old. So, as you will see I chosen fabric that has just a touch of pink. (I also chose pink for the inside of the bag :)) So here goes.


Here is the pattern we chose
Amy Butler's projects are quite easy and user friendly!


Pinning and cutting the patterns


In the sewing world, this is how you count inches. Intersting, huh?


In making a bag, you need to use fusible interfacing, as well as fusible fleece interfacing to strengthen and shape the bag. (See all my new vocabulary!)


Because it is fusible, it can "fuse" to the fabric.


Here is Miss Kris multitasking. She is supervising my sewing project, writing a paper, watching the Oklahoma game, and downloading my Christmas cd's to my ipod. She is just great!

Up to this point, there was a month or so sabatical. Between Kris's schedule and mine own, we struggled together to embark on the sewing part of the project. But finally, last Saturday night, we did! We stayed up till 1 AM, but is was well worth it! So the real sewing begins!


See how well I am concentrating!


Well, I guess I momentarilly lost my concentration. Oops! It now has the "signiture Monica look" :)



It has pockets! One large one, and a two pocket-er. These lines are straight!


Yes I needed some help. Something about garrishing corners... She didn't want me taking her picture, oh well!


With this picture, I was trying to be artistic :)


The brown is the outside of the bag, and the pink is the inside. Its getting to be SO exciting!!!! It's staring to look like a real live bag!


TA DA!! Isn't it soooo beautiful! I just LOVE it!! So, there it is. My first sewing project, minus the horrible Looney Tunes pillowcase I made in 7th grade Home Ec. I hope to have my next lesson by my beautiful Nana :)