Patchwork Tote

When I came in today and told the ladies we were going to make patchwork totes, they were not excited about the idea.  When I told them that they could work together and just make one tote, they brightened up quite a bit.  By the end of the today's lesson, they were talking about bigger, messenger bags that they could make patchwork.  Today was the first day we worked with interfacing.  They also thought the interfacing made the bags much better, which I agree.  To quilt the patchwork onto the interfacing, we used a zig zag stitch.  They were excited to learn how to zig zag stitch, but they were completely scared of it.  They thought it was the most amazing, most difficult thing they have ever seen.  I think they were surprised to find it is really quite easy.  As they were working on the tote today, my heart just filled with pride at how far they have come in sewing.  They still need my help with problem solving, but they are beginning to figure out the smaller problems by themselves and need less and less assistance throughout the process.  While their patchwork is still not perfect, their bag today turned out so great and I would use it in a heartbeat :)