On Wednesday, I sewed for about 20 minutes. I already know that sewing while angry is a terrible idea.

I looked down and it clicked—after I’d sewn 4 more seams—that I’d skipped a step, an early on step that would require a lot of seam ripping. Muttering, I grabbed up my seam ripper and went to work, rip rip rip snap snap snaaaap.

Then I realized I ripped the seams on the wrong side.

I was already grumpy and rushed and obviously should have just walked away for a little while, but I didn’t. A little seam ripping is par for the course. But extra, unnecessary seam ripping?! This is ridiculous. Maddening. I would rip no more.

I re-stitched the two (TWO!) seams I’d removed and just finished the piece without adding the early step I’d skipped in the first place.

The cloud of irritation seemed (seamed?) to lift as I considered the possibilities for snaps on this mutant wristlet. This could be super cute.

And it IS! It IS super cute!

I’m trying out a new size for this thing, and I will keep you posted on it.

There’s no big lesson here. Sometimes I sew when I shouldn’t, and sometimes it doesn’t go well, and sometimes it redeems itself with the pleasant surprise of a new design for the summer. This is how it goes by the seat of my pants.

Coming soon, a Craftypants Workshop to build a drawstring bag.

This bag has a fully lined and finished interior with pocket options. A super accessible project even for beginners.

This class will be offered in Lakewood and Wooster. Stay tuned for details.

* It’s the end of Spring Break. I made 12 new wristlets, including some with the gorgeous little hedgies. The goal is 15. It’ll be close.

* Yesterday was Easter. If you know Mennonites, you know that one Easter hymn... “Up from the grave he arose (he arose!).” It is simultaneously spiritual and theatrical.

* I’ll officially be teaching a little bit at the Beck Center in Lakewood this summer. There’s a zippy class and a drawstring pack pack series. Did I get a picture of the center itself? I did not. However, the little place across the street has pierogi and fish every Friday. My love for the pierogi cannot be overstated.

* I haven’t been feeling great this week, but I have been taking it easy, which is the benefit of timing your sickness to the week where there’s no pressure to go to work while sick. Sleep in? Sure. Read 3 books? Yes please.

* I’m breaking up with my phone. It is no longer my alarm clock, so those toss-and-turn nights are just tossing and turning, not scrolling and turning. I also—and this is as hard for me to believe as anyone—I also left it at home when we went to feed the ducks at The Barn the other day. So, no photographs. What a concept. (Ps, did you know that bread is really bad for ducks? Feed them the duck food in the gumball machine thingee.)

That’s all for now.

...and two recent grads came to see me!
...and a current student won a local poetry contest—first place!
...and I mailed out a press kit—my very first press kit!
...AND I got fabric in the mail today. Flowers. Flowers. And llamas. And cat-stronauts.

All these good things. They outweigh today’s disappointments. They do. By a lot.

Saturday, I’ll be leading a workshop primarily for college students. I’ll be teaching them how to sew relief kit bags as part of a broader service day our church has organized. I’m excited! I just finished cutting about 25 or so bags from fabrics that somebody donated. I love teaching people how to sew—should be a fun day!

MCC sends thousands of various types of kits all around the world. For relief kits they use big buckets. For school, hygiene, and sewing kits, they use these little bags. The number of these that are sent is astounding. You can poke around on their website to find more information about that.

It has been a while!

Some highlights.

* My kid has her own sewing machine now. She’s some kind of natural with the straight lines. I’m so proud.

* This website got a little upgrade and now goes by SOMPbags.com. Part of the upgrade is in-site shopping capability, so be sure to check that out under “shop—>ready to ship”

* I’ve made so many things since the new year. Most of them are over on my instagram @sompbags.

* It’s birthday! I’m an age, and I don’t care who sees me crying at the Olympics on TV, or commercials for Zillow. Or elephants. Or parades. Or roller coasters. Totally over it. This is who I am.

* There are 2 sewing machines set up in my classroom. Soon I’ll introduce a program to teach kids who want to learn to sew relief kit bags. These bags are made from donated fabrics and will be used by MCC in their distribution of hygiene, school, and sewing kits to vulnerable populations touched by war or natural disaster around the world. I love their work. If you’re local, I’ll show you how to make these bags. Drop me a line.

* We had a bit of a handmade Christmas over here. The Husb made our Big Guy an arcade game—there are like 100 vintage Nintendo and Atari and sega games on there, all in this insane cabinet he built with his hands. I made the Babykid a teepee-style tent with pink shiny stars. Super festive all around.

* Let it be known that I have no self control in a book store. Sooner or later, the book stores will figure this out and set up shop a little closer. It’s true at the library too. Maybe just one book, I say. Riight.

* We got an Instant Pot. All I have made with it is soup. Worth it even so.

* I took myself birthday shopping and bought two gorgeous made in the USA sweatshirts at a little boutique called “Clothes Minded.” As far as I can tell, it is an open minded shop with insanely cute stuff. Highly recommended. Check them out. They’re on the Instagram and the Facebook.

* A student of mind said it was “so extra” yesterday when I told the class that the reason I struggled finding my slide show for the day was because I named it “Bartleby Partleby 1, 2, and 3.” What ELSE would you name your Bartleby slide show? Well. I made it a year ago and forgot how funny I am. “That’s something my mom would say!” Lol. I embrace this too.

Now for some pictures.

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Made this today! I hadnot made a wallet in a long time before this afternoon. This one was easier than I remember wallets being... I'm a better bag maker than I was before, I guess! I think the new snaps really helped with ease of construction. Fellow bag makers: if you can swing the investment for a snap setting press--one of those big heavy duty ones--it is worth every cent. t features two heavy duty snaps to hold it closed, and on the inside, slots and a zippered compartment. I have to adjust some of the measurements, but overall I'm pretty happy with this result!

A friend from church inspired me to try this design again. I'm glad she did.

The other one is at the bottom of beautiful Lake Leelanau. I definitely should have listened when they said, want us to hold your earrings while you go tubing?

I will be making this one into a necklace!

At the end of June, the fam and I headed north. Our friends Tom and Anne invited us to come to Camp with them at Lake Leelanau, where her family built a wonderful 4-cabin establishment years and years ago. What a fantastic time we had! Lovely people, fun adventures near and in the water, and outstanding food: the chipotle cherry hummus is not to be missed.