I was racking my brain trying to figure out what I could do or make for the kids' teachers as an end of the year gift. I wanted to do something a little different. Previously, I would get cute little cups or containers and put some candy in it and a cute little saying to go with it. One year I bought little popcorn containers from the Dollar Tree and filled it with candy and a note that said, "Thanks for making this year really POP for me!" This year, I really wanted to make something. I wanted to try my hand at sewing and I was feeling slightly ambitious. So I set out to Pinterest and low and behold, I found out what I wanted to do!! I wanted to make a little tote, and I wanted it to be like this one that I found on www.skiptomylou.org ...
Isn't that absolutely adorable?? There is actually a tutorial provided on that website as well a a printable version of that tag. I was inspired! So I went to my mother's house AKA the "Fabric Shop" and was able to score some super cute fabric...for FREE. Woohoo! My sis and I decided to just "wing it". I figured if I was with her, I would be fine, because she knows how to sew...this was my first real project, other than baby blankets that simply required sewing a straight line (in my case it was semi-straight). I'm so glad she helped me out in the beginning, because I think it would have turned out horrendous if I did it all by myself while "winging it."
So, once my sis got me started with the project, I finished it at home. I was so proud of myself. It wasn't beautiful or professional looking, but the teachers loved it and that's all that matters! They were excited about having a homemade gift, so I don't think they noticed all the mistakes that I noticed. It's a good thing too! Below is the one I did for the teachers. I found cute water bottles to put in the totes and I found another cute printable note for the tote, since my printer was low on black ink and I was scared it wouldn't print out 3 of them if I used the one available on Skip To My Lou's page.
So, once my sis got me started with the project, I finished it at home. I was so proud of myself. It wasn't beautiful or professional looking, but the teachers loved it and that's all that matters! They were excited about having a homemade gift, so I don't think they noticed all the mistakes that I noticed. It's a good thing too! Below is the one I did for the teachers. I found cute water bottles to put in the totes and I found another cute printable note for the tote, since my printer was low on black ink and I was scared it wouldn't print out 3 of them if I used the one available on Skip To My Lou's page.
Turned out better than I thought it would! Since we didn't use a pattern, my sister and I basically just measured out the length we wanted (minus an inch on each side for the seams, then we sewed the edges together and cropped the corners by making a triangle and then stitching a line to hold it in place. I wish we would have taken a bunch of pictures (process of) to show you. The next project I do, I will have to take step by step pics. Last year's gifts were sweet too. I printed off a sweet saying "It takes a BIG heart to help shape LITTLE minds" and mod podged it to a plaque for one teacher and put it in a painted frame for the other. |