Sewing presents and labelling

Last week I made a last minute drawstring bag (like these ones) and put a copy of a favourite book in it, as a birthday present for one of O's friends.

The little girl's mother came up to me yesterday and thanked me for the present saying that the best thing about it by far was the label I had sewn onto the bag with her daughter's name on it. I could completely understand this. There is something so satisfying about labelling things with your name - saying 'this is mine!' to everybody who sees it and telling everyone that the labelled item (and presumably what is in it) is yours.

So I've made two more, as a birthday present for another friend of O, and for my nephew. Labelling all the way.

For my niece I've made a Letter Satchel from SouleMama's new book Handmade Home.

To make the letter satchel I had to turn the house upside down to find lightweight fusible interfacing. I knew I had some somewhere, but it took a while to find because I rarely use interfacing in my sewing. I usually find it easier to sew with an extra layer of fabric instead, but I had a feeling the letter satchel would look much better with the crispness of interfacing. And indeed it did.

I loved this project - even the interfacing - and am going to be making so many more of them.

The final thing I managed to get round to this week was sewing two little taggie blankets for the two nephews-to-be. This was entirely a diversionary tactic because the last few centimetres of the first Baby Kicking Bag are taking FOREVER. When will it end??

Possibly when I stop sewing and get back to the knitting.