Last Minute Craft

Vera's Nature Pouch

I should be cleaning the house right now as I do every Thursday afternoon--or at least packing for the camping trip--but I took a detour to my sewing machine to whip up something for Vera.  On our walk in the woods last weekend she was especially interested in picking up rocks and I noticed that she was a bit frustrated when she couldn't hold all of them in her hands to carry them back to the stroller.  The idea for a "nature pouch" was born.  With our camping trip coming up this weekend, I thought I'd made some kind of small satchel for her to use for whatever treasures she might find on the trail on Saturday.  It took me 15-20 minutes to make and, once again, cost me nearly nothing--the already-made burlap bag was from a sample of Jamaican coffee our neighbors brought home from a recent vacation, the ribbon was part of a Freecycle score, the free-handed leaf cut-out was from a few inches of twill fabric I recently cut off a pair of pants I was hemming, and the thread was what my machine held as I finish my "party dress."  Et voila!  I did a basic backstitch to applique the leaf and finished the edges with a little Fray Check.  I hope she likes it and fills it with nature's goodies for many camping seasons (and other outdoor forays) to come.