Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Little Bags That Solve Problems

Exhibit A
Remember the wristlet I sewed for the beach?  Well, I accidentally left it at home one beach weekend and that simply cannot happen again.  That wristlet is is essential to my beach happiness.  So I am keeping it at the beach cottage with the toothbrushes we leave there, too.

But I needed a home wristlet to dangle from my bike handlebars, stuff in the pool bag, and run across town with, so I used two more upholstery samples to sew a new one.  Chartreuse and spring green with an olive zipper.


Exhibit B
I got a new-to-me cellphone (not a smart phone, but with a keyboard so I can get in the texting loop with the people I love who text).   I liked the tidiness of the charger envelope instead of the cord sprawling in my drawer or purse, so I made a new one.  It's a spot of pleasantness in the ugly cell phone world.



Exhibit C
After the teeth were duly lost from their mouths, our children kept losing teeth in their beds and our Tooth Fairy was getting frustrated (because on the odd night that he actually remembered his duties - why yes, the Fairy is male at our house - he couldn't find the darn tooth under the pillow and had fend off indignant or sad children the next morning).  Finally I see the point of those cutesy tooth fairy pillows:  the tooth does not get lost!

 We haven't actually tested this little bag yet.  The white felt tooth is only appliqued on the sides, making a pocket for the tooth and then the magical gold dollar (Tooth Fairy is lavish at our house, methinks).  It was fun to make, and the children are enchanted with it.  Ben asked me again today to get corn on the cob so he could force his wiggly tooth to come out.



And finally, when I wrote about coupons earlier, A pointed out that upholstery samples make perfect coupon envelopes.  She is right, and here is the photo of the actual envelope. Cute, right?


I'm on a bag kick.  You got some clever bags at your house or some clever bag ideas to share with me?

7 comments:

Polly said...

The wristlet for the beach is a great idea! I love the other problem-solving bags, too, but the beach wristlet is my fave.

I'm currently needing to make a tote bag for piano lessons which start next month. I *could* go buy one but I feel some machine sewing desires coursing through my veins and would rather do something crazy like cut up old blue jeans and make a tote. I've never made one before, though, so I'm feeling intimidated.

I want to make a sunglasses case out of jersey and embellish it--but I haven't quite done that yet. My sunglasses just flop around inside my purse--not a good thing.

Unknown said...

These are all great! I just have a bag I made out of the patch pockets from old pants - cut out pockets with extra fabric at the edges for sewing them together. Like these:
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/384424518162863470/

Zoë said...

I love me a useful, homemade, tiny bag. I'm going to have to try that cell charger one. That cord on the counter mixed up with all our school papers and other odds and ends bugs me!

jenny_o said...

I love all bags but especially the littlest ones, and these are adorable! Love the colours of your town wristlet.

BLD in MT said...

What functional and attractive things you've been sewing! Good work. I might have to make a cord bag. We could all use a bright spot like that.

Lana said...

I sewed a bag many years ago for my electric shaver. I don't want it hanging out on my bathroom counter and the zippered bag keeps it neat in the drawer.

Sew Blessed Maw [Judy] said...

So cute... and just perfect.