Noah's Turn to Sew

It always amazes me how my kids especially Noah and Libby come up with these ideas and then thinks I will be able to accomplish them. In the past few weeks Noah has come up with two items he "desperately" needed. The first on was some kind of WWII map/courier bag he wanted me to help him make. All he had was a video of this bag he'd found on the internet and wanted me to help him make a pattern and then make it.

So off to work we went. Oops I meant I went. Fortunately I had recently sewn something that started out with the same basic idea so I start there adapting the pattern. I asked Noah what materials he was going to use and straight away he went to my craft room and found fabric and plastic for this project. Oh well, I probably have too much fabric anyway, on second thought you can never have too much fabric.

I began cutting the pieces out for Noah, but I told him he was going to have to sew the bag. So off to work he went. Noah worked really hard on this project. He had to make two button holes, sew in hardware for an adjustable strap, and sew a sheet of plastic into his project (slippery).

Noah completed his project in a days time which is hard for him since he is easily distracted. Here is the final product. He did a really good job.

Yesterday afternoon, Noah once again had a project he wanted to complete. Having just finished listening to the Eragon series he had gone out to the shed and made him a new sword last week, now he needed a sheath(?) to carry it around. Wanting to do other things yesterday, I told him he would have to come up with a pattern. Well the little turkey went and got his paper, pen and measuring tape and drew a rough draft of a pattern. I was able to put him off on the sewing until this afternoon. I had not been home for very long before here he came with his pattern. So once again I went to cutting out pieces for his pattern.  He did really well. I thought he might give up when he was turning one part since he use pell tex ( a stiff interfacing) to make it more sturdy and it was a narrow 20" tube, but he kept on even though it took about an hour to get it turned.

 After getting the piece turned, Noah took a fishing break. He came home from the lake so excited he had caught 5 fish and a turtle. As soon as he got cleaned up he was after me to get back on his project. So after supper I helped him finish it up. It took just a little bit more of sewing and he was done. Here is his finished project.

Now he can carry his sword around without having to use his hands. Wonder what bright idea he'll have tomorrow???

Steadily Working

Last week Libby came into the craft room and asked to make something. I told her if she had a pattern or a good drawing we would see what we could do. Looking around she saw a pattern I had just printed and was getting ready to make. She decided she wanted to make that pattern. It was a Makers bag which you could make in two different sizes. She wanted to make the large one for her dolls' suitcase when we traveled to see Hannah. The pattern was for an experienced seamstress, which she is a long way from being. I informed her it was a hard pattern but she insisted on making the "Mary Poppin's" bag as she called it.

Next we went looking on the shelves for what fabrics she wanted to use. The pattern is set up so you can use several different fabrics or just a couple. Her philosophy was the more the better. So she picked out fabric which matched with her main color. I was very impressed. So on to cutting it out and sewing now. I cut the many pieces out for her since it was just measurement given for each piece.

Now we began the fun. We began putting it together. First she ironed on the interfacings to the different pieces. Then we began sewing. She made a button pocket for one side of the exterior of the bag. Then she made a zipper pocket. I know a lot of seamstress who dislike installing zippers.

Libby did a great job. Next we moved on to making the inside lining. On one side she made three slip pockets. The other side she made two pleated pockets. It was quite a bit of work but she stuck too it. Next came putting the two side together and then making and adding the end pieces. Once this was done, she had another zipper with a binding to add for the bag to close. I actually helped her out for the next step, which was binding the whole outer part. Once that was done she made the handles and sewed them onto the bag. She did a wonderful job. It took her a little over a week working most afternoons for a couple of hours. It looks great and her dolls will be proud to have their things carried in this "Mary Poppin's" bag.

Zipper side and button side.