It Will be Easy, They Said

After all the internal work I did regarding my budget and gifts, I still fell into the trap of making just a few more gifts. One of the groups I am in offers its members quick quilting or sewing projects each week, and this week it was those mini rice bag hand warmers.

It was promoted as a 'stash buster', and even recommended using up flannel scraps. Each little bag is a 4" square and is filed 3/4 full with rice. There is even a template so the instructions for use in a micro are included.

I have flannel scraps. I have rice! This is perfect. So I made a list of all the younger generation in my family and thought, "I can do this!" and started cutting. Then, I would walk from the cutting mat to my list so I could add names as I remembered the little darlings. This project is so easy, I thought, that I can make a pair for the two older Granddaughters' boyfriends.

Wait. A pair. Two hands - two handwarmers. 

Then I counted and discovered there were 29 people on my list which meant I needed to make 58 little 4" handwarmers. After almost 45 minutes cutting, I spent another 35 minutes chain stitching the first side. Two more sides to go, plus filling them with rice and closing up that seam. Well, it did stash bust the flannel, using up almost half of the small pieces I had in a bin. I really didn't match fabrics to make matching pairs. If I know kids, they will get used, brought in and either forgotten or tossed in the 'mom pile' for her to sort and remember. Next time, if they get brought out, all that will matter is having one for each mitten.

Those pieces were strips I had cut from a quilt I made my younger Son last year (the back was flannel pieces too). I loved how it turned out so cozy and hated tossing the scraps, so was glad to find a good use for them.

I'll work on this project today, and also finish up an apron that is going to one of my other Nieces. Its a new pattern I am trying that uses 7 different FQs. 

There is still time for easy.