Love the little old ladies

I finished the Flea Market bag, despite the inscrutable instructions, and while I was sure I would end up hating it, I actually quite like the little monstrosity:




The strap is just long enough so I can wear it like a messenger bag (the pattern actually has the correct length for a messenger bag, but I didn't have enough fabric - so I just made it as long as I could) and that means I have a nice lightweight bag for keys and a cell phone when I take the girls on walks (none of my pants have pockets). I took it with me this morning when I went out to my fave fabric store, and all the little old ladies who work there pounced on it immediately: "Oh what a cute bag! Did you make that? Helen, look at this bag - isn't that cute? It's reversible? Helen! Look - it's reversible! You've only been sewing since July? And you taught yourself? HELEN!..." These are women who have made things far more complex and difficult than I ever will and they are cooing over my half-assed bag. LOVE THAT STORE!

And now I am starting the Bento Box quilt. I think that when this is finished it will represent every sushi-themed fabric that exists in the world right now.




Now if they just had quilt fabric with Dr. Pepper and Reese's cups, we'd have a theme quilt for me!