One of my best friends from college is having a baby boy next month. It will be her first. She is a musician, a writer, a comfort-food cook, encourager in Christ, and a loyal girlfriend. Naturally, I'm subjecting her to one of my homemade maternity gifts. The homemade part was mandatory, though she had a choice between a breastfeeding cover-up or a diaper bag. She chose the latter. As you know, a woman's purse or handbag is not just an accessory; it heralds one's interpretation of utility and visuality...it is a significant piece. You can imagine, therefore, what lengths I went to to secure the perfect fabrics for this special occasion. Yet, my choices may have proven to be more hassle than fashionable. I used a chocolate decorator fabric with pale blue flocked flowers. Flocking is messy. For the lining I found a silvery-blue ribbed chenille-like fabric. Translation: stretchy, slippery, fuzzy. I cannot stress enough how important it is for a novice like myself to stick to the basics: tightly woven cotton. I wrestled with this set for days and days, in what seemed to be a love/hate relationship. In the end, my friend won't care that there are puckers or superfluous stitches here and there. Anyway, you're worth it, Joni...if you are still reading when you're not supposed to.
