This story starts back in time a bit; back to my birthday in 2004. I received this awesome alphabet cross-stitch pattern. Since that time I have been working on my cross-stitch less than diligently. I like doing it and I'm excited for the finished product, I've just been taking my time. Sometimes I think the slowness is due to a fear, "what will I work on when I'm done with this?" or maybe it's that I've been lacking the motivation to work on it. Whatever the reason, it is only slowly, barely, painstakingly getting done. There are, however, 2 times a year that I do work attentively on this project...during General Conference. (For those who don't know, General Conference is where the prophet, apostles, and other leaders of my church talk and it is broadcast to all members throughout the world). With only 2 General Conference's a year though I am on track to finish in about 2011. My family likes to make fun of me about this.
OK, now back to Thanksgiving of 2009. My mom, Katie and I went to a fabric store the day after Thanksgiving for the great sales and Katie bought some flannel to make baby blankets. As she worked on her first blanket in the following days, I was intrigued and made her teach me. She kindly offered to let me keep one piece of flannel to work on, with a few stipulations.
- I had to get my own hook/needle
- I had to get the yarn
- I had to be finished by Christmas (she was coming again after Christmas and she would take it back whether I was done or not)
"No problem" was what I am thinking. "Yeah right" was what everyone else was thinking. Seriously, just because the cross-stitch isn't done doesn't mean I won't finish this project by the deadline.
As November became December and it grew nearer and nearer to Christmas, I earnestly worked! I received weekly texts from Katie with the encouragement of "Diligence annie, diligence" and the getting close to deadline text of "5 more days. But no pressure". And, alas, on Christmas Eve day I finished the blanket! It turned out awesome too, if I do say so myself, and it was done 5 days before Katie came to visit. I knew I could do it :)
The worst part of making the bag was having to pick-out stitches. When I was almost finished I had to unpick the entire thing I had just sewn and I was frustrated, to say the least. Beth, being a nice sister, helped me piece it together again so I wouldn't have to unpick it again. Before this I was thinking of making another bag, but after the last step I thought no way! However, I'm encouraged after finding out that even Michelle (the inspiration for the bags and a seasoned sewer) has to unpick things. I think maybe I'll make another bag or some other creation this fall :) 
