Over the shoulder bag

So Julius started getting separation anxiety for a brief period last week.  I’d drop him off at daycare or hand him to daddy and he’d cry until I took him back.  While it is frankly adorable that someone seemingly needs you so much they cry, it is actually more torturous than you may imagine!  Really tugs at those heart strings.  Good news is that he really only cries for a few seconds, and as soon as I’m gone he stops.  Learning how to push those buttons I guess!

Another interesting habit Julius has learned is also slightly ridiculous.  For several months now I haven’t been able to read or do anything at all while he is eating because he is super distracted.  At one point he decided to never again eat in front of people, around any noise whatsoever or while I am holding something.  He especially likes to flail his free arm around, grabbing at anything that is in reaching range – a cell phone, a kindle, my hair, my clothing, his hair, his clothing, etc.  Once he obtains an object, he continues to flail until it whacks me or him in the face.

For a long time now he has enjoyed stick his hand in my mouth.  I’ve seen other babies do this, so I know this isn’t as weird as it sounds.  Problem is I always pretend to eat his hand when he sticks it in my mouth and he finds this hysterical.  This means when he blindly sticks his hand in my mouth while he’s eating he immediately starts giggling and looks up at me.  I then have to coax him back to eating.  So now to prevent this, I clamp my mouth shut so he cannot possibly pry my lips open, stick his hand in and giggle.  He has found a work around.  He now discovered that if he simply sticks his fingers up my nose it eventually elicits a laugh from me which causes even more laughter on his end and the stoppage of eating for several minutes. What a prankster…

The craft I have for you today will keep your hands (nose and mouth) free while shopping.  Long enough to hang off your shoulder, but not too huge, this sturdy canvas tote bag is stylish and durable.  I used white duck canvas fabric from Joann fabric that was 100% cotton so I could easily tie dye them.  And the best part?  The bags cost about $1.50 to make.  

Shoulder Length Market Bag

What You’ll Need:

• ~ 1/2 yard of 59″ wide cotton duck canvas (will make 2 bags)

1. Cut a 3.5″x59″ strip of fabric for the handles.  Cut a 13.5″x29.5″ piece of fabric for the body.
2. If desired, tie dye the disassembled canvas fabric as in this post.  I dyed only the fabric for the bag body and left the handles white.
3. Fold under 1/2″ of fabric on the short edge of the body fabric .  Press.
   

   Fold fabric under 1/2″ on short side.

4. Fold fabric under again by 1″ to form a finished hem.  Press.
   

   Fold fabric under another inch to form a hem.

5.  Repeat step 3 for second side.
6. Fold the handle fabric in half lengthwise.  Press.
   

   Fold handle in half lengthwise, press.

7. Open out.  Fold the unfinished edges to the inside of the handle.  Press.
   

   Open out, fold unfinished edge towards the fold. Press.

8. Stitch along the edge forming to form a handle.
9. Cut strip in half forming 2 29.5″ pieces.
   

   Finished handles.

10. Pin the edges of the handles to the folds from step 3, about 1.5″ from the unfinished edge.
    

    Pin handles to canvas bag.

11. Stitch close to the fold of the hem edge step 3.
    

    Stitch along side near the folded under edge

12. Stitch close to the folded under edge of the hem in step 3.
    

    Stitch the edge of the fabric along the fold.

13. Fold bag so right sides are together (folded seam is on the outside) and stitch along the unfinished edges.
    

    Stitch 1/2″ from the unfinished edges.

14. Serge the edges you just stitched above.
    

    Serge the unfinished edge