Mine Own Dance Class!

My younger daughter has been asking all summer about going to her sister's dance class. When we answered one day that while her sister did not have dance until fall, but that in the fall, she could have her own dance class too, the response was an ecstatic "Mine own dance class? Mine own dance class!", complete with leaning her cheek against clasped hands, batting eyelashes, and sighing with contentment.

She is very pleased, and since starting dance a few weeks ago, asks every day if it is time to go to dance class.

She would also, of course need "Mine own dance bag", so I went to work on the Child's Messenger Bag by Lindsie Blair from One Yard Wonders.

I didn't have a yard of any of the fabric that I wanted to use, but I didn't let that stop me. I was planning to use contrasting fabric for the lining anyhow, so I also used scraps from both the exterior and the lining to piece together the flap, which took some doing.






I think it turned out rather well, despite my lack of rotary cutter (which would have been useful for the fiddly bits). I was too impatient to borrow one from my friend (who would have cheerfully lent me one), and spent a fair bit of time cutting and piecing, and what seemed like no time at all actually putting the rest of the bag together. I expect it wouldn't take very long at all if I was making it as written.








My daughter rarely left my side while I was sewing this, gazing adoringly at the sewing project, stroking the fabric with her face and hands, and just plain giggling with glee.

I think she's happy.