Hi! I feel like I fell off the planet. And I sort of did for a little while.
Here is the short version:
- I got food poisoning
- I was in the hospital for 2 nights
- I felt better for about 1 day
- then I got a nasty cold and am just now starting to recover
OK enough complaining, let's move on. I was getting a little frustrated with myself that I was doing a lot of watching TV at night. You say "but you live in fun and glamorous NYC how could you be watching TV at night?" And I say, "Yes, but my life is still sort of the same. Hubby works a fair bit and I can only go out by myself so much. I still only have a few friends here." Any way so I decided to do what I do at home at night. SEW! Therefore I bought myself a cheapy new machine and am hoping to stop watching so much TV.
It was $75 on Target.com. It is a Brother and is not too fancy. I can tell you I am a little relieved that my exponentially more expensive machine at home is way better. I was going to be a little peeved if a $75 machine measured up to it. But this one will do for what I want to do while I am here and it will be nice to have a traveling machine. It just does not feel as sturdy and it is super loud and the thread spool is not long enough for tall thread spools. I could go on and on but I will spare you.
The first project I have finished is fixing my little messenger bag. I bought this bag about 7 years ago at H&M in Edinburgh and it cost about $15.00. It has always been a great travel / day bag. It is light weight and big enough for a water bottle and snacks along with my wallet and other everyday stuff.
The problem is that I have used it so much that it is sort of starting to give up. The velcro on the flap was totally worn out and so I was worried all my stuff would flop out. Additionally a couple of the zipper pulls have busted off. That is solved with a safety pin, since they are on the inside pockets and no one will really know but me (well now you, but don't tell). I have looked and looked for a replacement bag but have just not found one I am happy with. So I replaced the velcro on the flap to get some more time out of the bag.
First I had to buy some hook and loop (aka Velcro) but I really just need the hook side? I got a tip from the blog Shop the Garment District that the FIT (Fashion Institute) bookstore is a great place to buy notions. On the one day last week that I felt okish I headed over there while the kiddo was at Kid's Club.
Second step was to take off the worn out side of the velcro. After I did this I decided that a washing could not hurt. It is canvas and had not been washed in a few years. It came out looking a little cleaner. But not a ton.
Here is the short version:
- I got food poisoning
- I was in the hospital for 2 nights
- I felt better for about 1 day
- then I got a nasty cold and am just now starting to recover
OK enough complaining, let's move on. I was getting a little frustrated with myself that I was doing a lot of watching TV at night. You say "but you live in fun and glamorous NYC how could you be watching TV at night?" And I say, "Yes, but my life is still sort of the same. Hubby works a fair bit and I can only go out by myself so much. I still only have a few friends here." Any way so I decided to do what I do at home at night. SEW! Therefore I bought myself a cheapy new machine and am hoping to stop watching so much TV.
The first project I have finished is fixing my little messenger bag. I bought this bag about 7 years ago at H&M in Edinburgh and it cost about $15.00. It has always been a great travel / day bag. It is light weight and big enough for a water bottle and snacks along with my wallet and other everyday stuff.
The problem is that I have used it so much that it is sort of starting to give up. The velcro on the flap was totally worn out and so I was worried all my stuff would flop out. Additionally a couple of the zipper pulls have busted off. That is solved with a safety pin, since they are on the inside pockets and no one will really know but me (well now you, but don't tell). I have looked and looked for a replacement bag but have just not found one I am happy with. So I replaced the velcro on the flap to get some more time out of the bag.
First I had to buy some hook and loop (aka Velcro) but I really just need the hook side? I got a tip from the blog Shop the Garment District that the FIT (Fashion Institute) bookstore is a great place to buy notions. On the one day last week that I felt okish I headed over there while the kiddo was at Kid's Club. Second step was to take off the worn out side of the velcro. After I did this I decided that a washing could not hurt. It is canvas and had not been washed in a few years. It came out looking a little cleaner. But not a ton.
Next I sewed the hook or is it the loop side? onto the flap of the bag. Yes they only had white but I decided it did not really matter. It's on the inside and I really just need it to work. But I did sew it on with black thread so that you cannot see it on the outside.
Now my bag is all fixed up and ready to go. Especially in NYC I like to have a rather nondescript bag that no one notices. And I can wear it cross body so I feel safer there too. But I may just have to start looking for fabric and copy the bag I will need a new one when this one give up for good.
Hope you are enjoying the start of Spring!
- C
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