Not too long ago, I agreed to a “Pay it Forward” deal where you accept a surprise handmade gift from someone  and in turn, you make handmade gifts for 5 people over the course of the year.  They in turn make gifts for 5 more people and so on.  My Seacoast Modern Quilt Guild friend, Laura, was the first to jump at the chance to join in so I decided to make her gift first!  Plus, I knew what I wanted to make so that made it easy.  Laura likes to knit as much as she likes to sew.  I have an adorable alphabet panel, originally from Sew Me A Song (I think they might be sold out?).  I fussy cut it for the center of the bag along with a couple of phrases from a Japanese text print.  I constructed the front of the bag with a “quilt as you go” method.  The full tutorial can be found on the Therm O Web blog today.

This makes me chuckle.  I picture Laura busily knitting and saying “Mother is busy” to her toddler (not really of course…that’s what makes me laugh).  It was fun to make.  I always welcome a chance to fussy cut.