I don't know how to receive a gift without reciprocating. My neighbours share produce of the best kind with me. I don't add sugar to anything and for me fruits and vegetables are the sweets of nature.
When returning their bowls I don't put food in, rather I put the bowls in a bag.
Each one shares from their abundance or their skills. I have skills :) and upcycled fabrics. So yesterday I decided to recreate and turn some sheets into 2 practical tote bags.
Most times I use scraps from the students fabric box and can create crumb fabrics. This time I remembered that I had a box of long thin summer colored fabric strips. So I decided to create striped colorful patchwork fabric,
I found a blue sheet, reminiscent of the sea for that summery feeling and cut pieces for the lining, 2 internal pockets for each tote bag and straps.
Sewed the straps, turned them inside out, ironed flat and top stitched on both sides. Sewed the pockets and attached one on each side of the linings.
Sewed everything together, washed, hung to dry, which took an hour in the summer sun,
Ironed and gifted.
This is something to be done with children in the summer. They can learn sewing skills and use their tote bags for the beach, their summer camps and overnight trips.
There is a very detailed 45 page PDF Download Bag Tutorial - which teaches children practical sewing skills. They are taught to create a number of multi purpose items made from fabric scraps that they have at home. A tote bag is one of them.
The tutorial can be found here on the site
or here on Etsy