Pencil Bags.

Do you ever have a project that you need to do, you want to do, but you can't seem to work up the motivation, and there's a deadline looming up ahead? I felt this way with these pencil bags.

Our homeschool co-op starts meeting next week, and I really really really wanted to make some pencil bags for my boys. It's my middle's first year of co-op, and he is so excited about his new backpack and new crayons and new sneakers. I figured I would make him a new pencil bag too. And if I made him one, better make one for my oldest too.

But for some reason, it was soooooooo hard to make these. Not because the pattern was hard. Just...I didn't want to. At first, I told myself I had plenty of time, and then, I was just procrastinating. I've had the fabric cut and ready for at least a couple of weeks, and today I finally just sat down and made myself do it.

And was it painful? Of course not.

I used this awesome tutorial from The Cottage Mama to make a couple of Three Ring Binder Pencil Bags. I first considered making the Triple Zip Pouch from A Quilter's Table, but I only wanted two zippers per bag, so I was stoked when I found this tutorial.

I did make a couple of changes to my bags. I used batting instead of fusible fleece because I'm a quilter and have batting scraps en masse. (Also, fusible anything and I are on a serious break because we have a tumultuous relationship.) I didn't include the rings because my kids don't have a three ring binder, and by the time they do, I'm guessing they may not want truck pencil bags. I feel like I made some other changes...but maybe not? I can't remember any more.

I didn't snap a picture, but I also made a truck-themed lined drawstring bag to house my middle's snacks--my oldest already has a helicopter one that he used last year. They are both very excited about their new bags, but also to be starting co-op!

This is our fourth week of school, and I'm happy to report that it's going well. And now that I have BTS sewing done, I can get back to working on Lito's big boy quilt and Vanilla's baby quilt guilt-free!