Crossbody Canvas Random Patchwork Bag

Today is the first day of the school holidays. What I like most about school holidays is I get to sleep late and wake up late. You have no idea how much I love to sleep! My mother is one of those folks who wake up at the crack of dawn. I prefer to be unconscious.

I had been feeling slightly weird these days as I see my kids growing up and my son becoming a teen and no longer wanting to share every little detail of what's going on in his life. It's so much work being a parent and when it gets too much, you still have to keep trying! So, this morning I woke up at noon (yes, nicely rested) to discover my dear sweet son who's now a teen had cleaned the floor all on his on initiative! Is this what being a proud mom feels like? I love this kid. Even though it was noon, I wanted breakfast instead of Dad's instant noodles lunch. I asked son if he would prepare breakfast for me and he did! He made my hot Lipton tea and 2 slices of raisin bread with margarine. I feel so spoilt.

A day earlier I had been feeling so pissy. I don't know what to blame. My hubs commented that I get angry easily and hold on to the anger for a long time. Everyone gets punished for my bad mood. I noticed my kids would ask me occasionally if I was angry. My girl would say, "Mummy, you're thin." just to make me smile. My son would ask to hug me. I had thought all these while my son needed my hugs. Now, I'm not so sure. I think he wanted me to feel better. Honestly, I have nothing to be unhappy about. I do realise I worry too much and want things to be nice and perfect. So it's going to take some effort on my part to let loose and take things as they come.

One of the stress factors affecting my life, I realise is coming from my sewing. I know I have overcommitted myself for June/July as I have 7 craft market days to sell my bags. This means I have to make many more bags than I usually do. But churning out bags isn't fun if you don't get to explore. So I had opted to do what makes me happy - bags with some details that I enjoy. But such details take up time and the result is I don't make as fast. The fear of not having enough bags to sell is starting to take its toll on me. And that's probably what makes me grouchy these days apart from exam results and the hot weather. Yes, that's it. I'm blaming the weather.

Also as I get better at sewing, I get worse at accepting criticism. I think I have to accept that what I find great may be ugly to others.

Take my latest random patchwork bag. I have this secret desire to be a random patchwork artist. I think some folks call it crazy patchwork. But I'm not too good at it. It requires such a good eye for matching.

 Sorry about the quality of the images. The sky is really overcast today. This is a crossbody canvas random patchwork bag. I used the last of my webbing for the handle. It's my 14th bag for June MAAD.

I did a random patching for the flap with a little Sashiko embroidery. I wanted an Oriental look so I used my Japanese cotton fabric. If you're wondering why I don't use Chinese fabric it's because they're usually made of silk, rayon or some fabric I don't use.

I'll be honest with you. I really like it. I thought it looked great. My husband tried his best not to say anything negative but you can tell from the trying! My girl said she was speechless. If you know my girl, she's never speechless. Btw, she posed for me again. This is such a great day.

I had noticed such bags in Singapore - you know with the top of the bag folded over as a pseudo flap in the late 90's. Remember the 90's? They disappeared for a while and seem to be back. Someone actually wrote a tute for this kind of bag. Go to Noodlehead if you're interested in making one for yourself. It's a pretty good tute. I got to know of Noodlehead only recently through another blog I visit. She has a ton of other tutes too. So give her a visit.

So, seriously. I must not care too much about other people's opinion of my bags. All I need is one person who likes the bag enough to buy it.

I have the apartment all to myself. My hubs took the kids out for some holiday fun. I'm resisting the urge to do housework! For some strange reason, whenever the apartment is empty, all I really want to do is some big, mother, over-the-top housework. But I shall resist and make a couple more bags.

Have a happy day. I'll see you soon.