Have a Boring Day

This is going to be another short one because work is crazy. A few weeks ago I was working on the weekend and Julius told me “have fun at work”.  I was grumpy and responded, “I won’t because work is no fun, it’s boring”.  Fast forward to this week when Julius was home sick.  Julius, very cheerfully called to me, “have a boring day at work, Mama!” as I was heading down to my office.  I was extremely confused and asked him to clarify.  He cheerfully repeated “have a boring day at work” with no malice whatsoever.  That’s when I realized that he probably didn’t grasp the concept of boring.

Well I know about boring.  I get bored making the same pattern over and over again.  Usually I have an idea to improve on a pattern, and make a slight tweak to it.  This weekend I decided I needed another bag holder for doggy waste disposal so I could clip one to the stroller or Dany’s leash.  The other one is a permanent fixture on our wagon, which is currently in the shed for the winter.  While I love the other design, I wanted to change the opening of the bag holder from a flap to more of a sphincter.  (Sorry for that imagery, now you will never be able to unsee it.)  While I haven’t had any bags fall out of the other model, I think this one would make bags falling out completely impossible.

The best part – I counted and I could easily fit 20 produce bags in there!  I have reusable ones that I use on a regular basis but during the pandemic when I wasn’t doing on my own grocery shopping I acquired too many.  You could even bring this little holder with you to the grocery store and reuse that stash of bags you already have instead of acquiring more!  (I find now when I shop Hannaford to-go I can specify “no plastic produce bags” and they will put my produce directly into the paper bags!)  Does anyone with dogs (or let’s be honest, kids or neither) want one of these little guys to clip in your car, on a leash or to your belt loop?  Well now you can make one!  Or… it’s March contest time!  One lucky winner will win this little travel bag holder made with coral fabric.  You have until April 4th to enter, just comment below with the answer to “What item do you most wish you could improve?”  Maybe if it’s something I could tackle I’ll even try to make your dreams become a reality in a future post!

Improved Plastic Bag Holder

What you’ll need:

• 1 square foot of fabric
• 1 small carabiner clip
• 4 inches of 1mm elastic cord (mine was scrap)
• Pattern here

1. Cut out fabric following pattern.
2. Cut a strip of fabric 1.25″x2″.  Fold in half length wise, pin and stitch.  Stitch along the 1/4″ mark, and along one end.
3. Using a chop stick turn right side out.  Press.
4. Fold one edge of fabric under 1/2″ and again 1/2″ forming a double fold hem.  Stitch 3/8″ from the edge.
5. Fold rectangle in half along the dotted line  (right side on the inside).  Pin along the end adjacent to the hem in step 4 forming a tube.
6. Fold small rectangle from step 3 in half width wise to form a loop and sandwich inside the pinned edges of the tube in step 5 just below the double hem.  The folded portion of the loop should be inside the tube and the unfinished edges should match the unfinished edges of the tube.
7. Stitch from unfinished edge to just below the double hem.
8. Take the circle of material and place on one end of the tube, right side facing in.  Line up the edges of the circle with the edges of the tube, pinning where the circle meets the tube without any folds.
9. Stitch.
10. Turn right side out.
11. Using a tapestry needle, thread the elastic through the double hem.  Put tight and knot firmly, adjusting material around the elastic so it is uniform.
12. Insert mini carabiner into the small loop.  Fill with bags.