Sarah Sews!!: Hoopla Bags, Part 1

I thought this photo was so pretty!
I snagged it off of Facebook and sadly have no idea where it came from.
If it's yours, let me know.

The weather was so amazing today that we busted out one of Ayden's new shorts outfits that I picked up at a consignment store last week.

I love seeing his little legs!!
This was his reaction when I said, "Where's Mommy?"
(the only way to get him to hold still and smile for a pic these days...)

Cousins, playing in the sand.  Memories in the making!

I FINALLY plugged in my new sewing machine last night (though I haven't really sewed yet...)!!  If it still counts as new since I got it for Christmas and still haven't used it.

I have been staring at this eyesore of a clothes pin storage solution:

Gallon zip lock bag. Not so cute...

Then, I remembered something I had pinned onto my sewing projects board a while back:

{Hoopla - Always A Project}

I looked it up again and decided that it would be perfect!!  Not only perfect for storing my clothes pins, but a perfect starter project for my new sewing adventure.  There are step by step, detailed instructions and the post made it seem very doable for a newbie sewer like myself.  This project comes from Rachel over at Always A Project and I have really enjoyed looking through her blog.  She is a mother who loves to use repurposed and unconventional materials to make beautiful things and her motto is, "Handmade isn't perfect.  It's better." which is exactly how I feel!  To me, time is so much more valuable than money and if someone spends their time making something for little old me, it really means the world and speaks volumes of how they feel about me.  I really enjoy making homemade gifts for my friends and loved ones and if you do too then you should definitely head on over to Always a Project and check out some of Rachel's projects. I can also relate with how she is caught with the dilemma of "more inspiration than time."  So, so, so true!

Being the mother of a toddler who has plenty to do during the day, I don't really have time to sew.  I can really only engage in such fun when my boys are sleeping.  I decided to break this project up into parts so that I could really enjoy every step of the process.  Last night, my goals were to learn how to thread my sewing machine and to cut my fabric.

Supplies are ready!
(I purchased the fabric and embroidery hoops during my errands last week)

Fill the bobbin - check.

Thread the machine - check.

Cut the fabric and drape it over a chair until I can get to the next part of the project - check.

So that's where I am so far.  I don't have time to work on it tonight but I plan to work on them more tomorrow night.  I'd like to at least get the liners done, but might have time to do the outer portion as well.  We shall see! I will update once I have finished the project completely and will share pictures along the way.  I just wanted to share Rachel's awesome site in case any of you want to make your own little hoopla bags ASAP!  They are going to be so cute!!!

Do you have any favorite sewing or crafting blogs that you'd like to share??  Link them in the comments below!

~Sarah