As I strive to use the fabric (& yarn) that is in my stash, and to keep myself from browsing stores aimlessly, which often leads to mindless shopping, I’ve found making bags to be quite fun.

In addition, I’ve learned a lot from spending time with my fabric stash as I was making these bags, including that I can find just as much joy in the midst of my craft own supplies as I can by browsing the aisles of a craft, yarn or fabric store. One big bonus about hanging in my craft room is that it doesn’t cost me any additional money.

Another benefit is that I’m keeping my skills sharp, and sometimes even learning new techniques. Engaging in creative activities is good for our mental health and regularly undertaking challenges is supportive for maintaining our brain health.

I’ve been on a bit of a binge lately, buying patterns for bags when I see them. The bags shown on this page were made from patterns I acquired from a Facebook de-stashing group.

The smaller, flat bags were made using a See & Sew pattern (5842), and remnant or thrifted fabric. The larger, drawstring bag was also made with fabric from my stash, and followed Simplicity (3531). I have always found thrifting to be like a great adventure, since unlike going to a retail store, you never know what you’re going to find in a thrifting environment.

In the past week or so I made 2 bags following the See & Sew pattern, and don’t know which one I like best! They have different “vibes” so I have options depending on my mood on any particular day.

My latest bag adventure was with the Simplicity (3531) pattern, and it turned out to be more of challenge than I expected! It included a couple steps that I would not have chosen, and techniques that I had not done for some time. In keeping with my intentions this year around sewing and other crafting, I was using remnants from my fabric stash, which often means that I am piecing together smaller sections of material to be able to cut out a full pattern piece. In other words, I didn’t have much room for error – especially if I wanted to maintain the look and feel of the end product with the fabric I chose.

I ended up using my seam ripper more throughout this pattern than I have EVER used it before! I even had to call in an expert (my sister) to help interpret the pattern instructions, which weren’t making sense.

• specifically, the use of the identifying terms for each piece were not used consistently and in some steps there was scant information which seemed to assume that the sewist had prior knowledge of certain techniques. Although I’ve been sewing for a couple decades, I felt it was missing some key steps, but with a little help and collaboration, I got through it!

The biggest lesson for me in this latest bag project was around perseverance. I was grouchy about the directions, frustrated that it was taking me longer than I had estimated, and that first evening, it was getting late so I was also tired. I decided to put it aside and come back to it the next day or when I next had time to put fresh eyes on it.

The next day I got my expert on Facetime (after sending her a photo of the instructions) and she was able to assist me in interpreting the steps where I was stuck. After ripping out the step I had done and taking her advice, I thought I was on my way to a timely finish, but no.

It wasn’t going to happen that way.

I ended up taking the seam ripper to my piece 3 more times (that’s not a typo – THREE more times!). I was exasperated, but also grouchy enough about it that I was determined that this pattern was NOT going to get the better of me.

It did NOT, but I did cave in and use cording instead of cutting out fabric for the drawstrings and applying according to the pattern. I’ll try that in my NEXT attempt at this pattern, which is already underway, in View E (smaller version of A). I call this knowing my limits.

After all those starts, stops and seam ripping, I did not have what it took to make the straps and fight with them – especially since several of the last seam-ripping sessions were around the casing for the cord/strap!

Small lessons learned from this included the following:

• it reminded me that it’s important to recognize when I’m at the end of my “rope” and need a break
• it gave me an opportunity to practice not giving up when frustrated, even if it’s just a small, and seemingly insignificant project/task
• it reinforced problem-solving options that include ASKING FOR HELP when I am stuck

The 2 BIGGEST lessons for me were that a) hanging in there through all the pin pricks, seam ripping and frustration actually ended up producing a really nice bag for a yarn project, and b) the GOOD things in life often don’t come without some challenges, frustration, setbacks and work!

In this instant gratification world that we inhabit, it’s fitting that some good, old-fashioned, old-school sewing projects remain to teach us things that grandma (or mom) tried to teach us many years ago. The bonus with these lessons is that we end up with some cool final products at the end of it all!

Happy Crocheting, Knitting, Sewing and crafting!

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