Lunch Bunch

This month brings a new Project Spectrum color . . . TEAL.

Hmmm.  Teal.  I wear darker shades of teal from time to time.  I have some beautiful teal yarns in my stash.  But, unless you're in the Caribbean, you don't typically see teal in the landscape.  Especially not in the fall -- when everything is moving toward yellow, brown, red, or orange!

Right now, aqua (which is really a form of teal) is enjoying a "grooviness" factor -- at least in the home décor arena.  It's popping up in trendy kitchens - appliances, dishes, accent colors, etc.  But it isn't showing up in mine.

I may end up sitting out this Project Spectrum month.

But before I go on my Project Spectrum vacation, I have one recent sewing project to show you.  I actually finished it last month -- but I've saved it to post now.  Because there is teal in it!

Last month, I sewed a little lunch bag for Erin.

She hasn't had a lunch bag in a very long time, but she needs to use one now -- because she has late afternoon and evening classes this semester, and needs to take a dinner with her when she heads to campus.

I had recently picked up this book:

I'm kind of a sucker for cute bags -- and I had planned to make a lunch bag for myself.  Instead, I picked this one out for Erin.

It turned out to be much more . . . involved. . . than I had planned.

There are clever little details and handy pockets.  Like this one (for a water bottle).

And an inside pocket

that can hold a little ice pack.

I'm really happy with the way it turned out . . . but, let me assure you, there were times during the sewing process that I wanted to chuck the whole thing in the trash and run out to Target to BUY her a lunch bag!

This is not a sewing project for the faint of heart!  The instructions are complete . . . but not terribly detailed or helpful.  Very few diagrams or photos.  There are millions of rectangles -- all different sizes -- that need to be pieced Just Right.  While I was making the bag, I wondered if the authors/editors really expected anyone to SEW one of the bags from their directions -- or if it was mainly put together to be an "inspiration" kind of book.  Not terribly user-friendly!  (But the bags are adorable!)

The bag is insulated (with Insul-Bright; an insulated batting), so - especially combined with the ice pack pocket - it can keep a lunch nice and fresh.  Thing is  . . . you need to quilt the insulated batting to the outside fabric before you can even begin piecing all the millions of rectangles together!  And then -- you still need to do a lining.  And . . . don't get me started on the straps!  (They are easy -- but the placement is crucial.  And there is no photo or diagram, save the finished product photo.)

Anyway.  There it is!  I'm pleased.  Erin is pleased.  And . . . teal!