martinimade

The Diva got something suspiciously flu-like on Thursday. On Saturday, the Boy officially had it, too. At least they have staggered the sick, which makes it slightly easier to deal with. 

While illness has plenty of downside, there has also been upside. I've been getting some neglected projects finished-finished, rather than just chunked in a heap on my sewing machine table. 

Like this bag:

I'd felted this bag years ago - pre-blog, in fact - but could never find straps that satisfied me. I used grommets at one point to attach some far too thin straps but both straps and grommets kept pulling out, which left big ugly holes. So I stored the whole thing on the shelf of shame.

This past Rhinebeck, however, I stumbled onto Homestead Heirlooms' booth and, well, heard a choir of angels singing hosannahs. That could also have been the sheer amount of coffee I had had, coupled with the wool fumes.

Still, their kitted up straps with buttons and waxed twine are a work of genius. And while I was at it, I cut off the ripped-up top of the bag and lined the whole thing with a fabric scrap:

It's nice when it all comes together, even if it takes a half-decade.

Also finished-finished is the "M:"

A close-up of the beading:

Ms Thing seems to love it. It's so hard to tell with her. You always know when she *doesn't* like something - but it can be hard to puzzle out if she likes something. I'm pleased with how it turned out. So there's that. 

Back to tending the Boy, who, despite being feverish, won't stop talking. Sick days would be so much more fun if I could get just a few seconds of blessed quiet.