From the hands of Matt

For the last few months, I've seen a fabric lump around the house. The fact that I never did anything with it (like toss it out) doesn't speak well of my housekeeping philosophy or routine (if I even have one). Finally a few weeks ago, I happened to notice Matt fiddling with it. I asked him if the fabric lump was his. He said, "I lost the pencil bag you got me at the beginning of the school year so I made this one to replace it."

It's a pencil bag? No wonder it was lumpy. I asked to examine it.

He had taken scraps and a zipper from my sewing room and fashioned it into this:
I like that he didn't ask for help with it. I would have been a lot more finicky about how it looked if I was a part of the creation process. This is the most ragged sewing job (and it involved STAPLES) I've seen but I can't help but LOVE IT. Why do I love it? Because Matt solved a problem by himself, he used materials he found around the house, he came up with his own design, he is not afraid to let his sewing be seen by other people including his friends, and he allowed me to photograph it. (also it reminds me of the time he patched his own jeans--can't find the post about it to link to it though)

Here is the zipper part. Can you pick out the staples? (Ha!)
It does actually open.
YES he brings this to school. I don't know what other kids have said about it, but maybe I'll ask Matt today.

Comments

Jenni said…
That is hilarious. Lost the pencil bag. 2 options: tell mom or make a new one. Come hell or high water, I'm not telling mom!!! It has a Christmas flair to it. I am laughing so hard right now.
Jenni said…
OMGosh! Matt is so clever and definitely has a unique soul. Good for him. He must have known it was easier to just make something on his than dare tell you that he needed a new pencil bag. Now THAT'S good parenting. Teach me, Master.
Mike's Jen, (I'm assuming the first comment was made by Jenni and the second one by Jenny) that's just Matt. I haven't had much to do with his quirkiness in this matter. He has no problem telling me he needs new whatever, so I don't know why he felt impelled to MAKE the pencil bag. And he doesn't actually fear me. He's the one who laughs the hardest when I make my mad face.
Dennis said…
That is just hilarious. Hooray for Matt. He is a very special young man and he did a better job than I coould have done.