Burden on my family

For the second year in a row I have signed up to be a summer seamstress as my Junior League placement. Alex calls it a "burden on my family" as I have to get my 72 hours done in three months. That equals 20 diaper bags, 20 baby blankets and 40 burp clothes, FYI.

I obviously ignore him as I love it. And as Sonia says, I would be doing the 72 hours of volunteer work either way. The baby items I am making this year are taken to the new teen moms at Ben Taub hospital here in Houston. The girls get a bag, a blanket and two burp cloth and a Junior League volunteer (not me) welcoming their new baby to the world. Is there a better use of my time? I think not.

Zach was on me to make his shark sheet and I told him I had to make bags for babies who don't have anything. They need a bag. You have a sheet. You have five sheets - simmer down.

But it is time consuming and has monopolized every extra minute I have been at home with the boys at school. Hence me not upping my blogging since I left work. But as of August 7th I am done! So I will get back on the blogging about nothing bandwagon. I know the 10 of you will be pleased.

In the meantime I thought one of you might be interested in making a bag or two as they are super simple. They only tricky part is the French seam along the side and the bottom of the bag. You don't know what a french seam is? Me either, I had to Google it, let me show you.

So here is the side of the bag. I have just put it together wrong sides facing and sewed it together.

 Then you tuck the seam in and use the sides of the bag to cover up the seam and sew it again. Voila! The cut edge disappears inside like magic.

You do the same thing on the bottom but then cut out some of the corner to make it a flat bottom. Pretty Prudent has a nice tutorial if you are interested. You don't have to make 20, one would be a nice gift for yourself or a great use of extra fabric too.

Off to finish those blankets and burp cloths.