I Made This

I spent the weekend trying to create a pattern for my ideal reusable sandwich bag. I scoured the internet last week using a Google search and Pinterest, trying to find a pattern that fit my criteria. Some patterns came close, but didn’t combine the fabric or all of the features I hoped for. So, I set out to make my own.

Looking over the process of using scrap fabric to play with patterns, re-threading my needle a million times, wrestling with different fabrics, and coming “so close” a number of times, it shocked me to realize, I was really enjoying myself.

It felt really good to have my hands in something. Challenging myself to problem solve and try a new version of the project brought genuine satisfaction. Time passed quickly and my kids would peek in the sewing room to see what I was up to. I’d find myself up late at night struggling with fabrics and pondering solutions, sometimes gnashing my teeth in frustration. As I post this, I’m still trying to figure out how I can tweak just one thing to get the result I want.

Here’s the thing: I don’t consider myself a very impressive homemaker when measured by Pinterest standards. I used to thumb my nose up at sewing and only in the past eight years or so have I really delved into cooking out of more than necessity. I only really decorate for holidays other than Christmas because my mom sends us window clings and my kids love it. Everyone in my house has a special bedspread made by me. Nothing else in our rooms coordinates.

It’s easy to look at Pinterest boards and homes where women have stellar organizational systems, handmade decorations, and delicious meals and make rash judgments about their priorities or desires to meet some old-fashioned standards. Many memes and blog posts also question, and legitimately so, if Pinterest is a way to hold women up to unrealistic standards and make us feel inferior.

While I can definitely see how these are valid questions and concerns, I’m beginning to see what other women have clearly known for centuries: It feels amazing to make something with your hands. Sewing, woodworking, painting, jewelry making, knitting, and any number of handcrafts are not about the end result. They’re about the process and that amazing feeling that comes from tackling a project, learning new skills, conquering a problem, saving time, and saving money.


Pinterest piqued my imagination and inspired me to create something I’ve never tried before. It made me feel like I could cook that, sew this, or try that. The time I’ve spent trying new recipes, adopting organizational skills, and creating new sewing projects have been positive and affirming. It’s not about the project itself or aiming for perfection, but about challenging ourselves, using our hands, and being self-sufficient, creative individuals.

I’m certain that my sewing skills will not impress anyone. I might be the only person who uses my pattern. My family might decided they’re impractical after all. But I don’t care. When I finally master that pattern and
run upstairs for my husband to give an obligatory “Wow” to my finished creation, I’m going to feel like freaking superwoman, problem solver, and hand crafter extraordinaire!