Apple and Pears: Not Just For Eating!

I enjoy fruit.  Fruit is pretty.  Fruit is healthy.  Fruit is tasty.  I eat a lot of fruit.

Here are some fun facts about apples (I found these facts on this website and this website.)

1.  Apples are a member of the rose family.
2.  It takes energy from 50 leaves to produce one apple.
3.  Apples are Michigan's largest and most valuable fruit crop.
4.  Michigan is the 3rd largest apple producing state.
5.  Apple pies are delicious.  (Okay, this is my own opinion.)

Here are some fun fact about pears ( I found these facts on this website.)

1.  Pear are a member of the rose family.
2.  Pear trees can live for 100 years.
3.  It is believed pears were used as food during the Stone Age.
4.  There are more than 3,000 varieties of pears.
5.  A pear pie sounds disgusting to me, but a nice crunchy pear snack sounds delicious.  (Once again this is the opinion of the writer.)

So, I like fruit and the benefits of fruit.  But can fruit be fashionable?  Carmen Miranda thought so.  And if fruit was fashionable for Carmen Miranda, then by golly it is fashionable enough for me!

Click here for information on Carmen Miranda

I am not going to wear fruit on my head.  I don't wear Fruit of the Loom undies.  But as you know, I did purchase fruity fabric to make a little bag.  Well, I finished the fruit inspired bag and I think it is somewhat retro looking and is going to be a fun little accessory for summer.

Getting started:  I spread out all my material and cut out all my pieces.  I used the fruit for the actual bag and sort of a teal color for a contrast lining.  While I attempted to do this alone, Mimi the Pin Master and Violet the Snuggler came up to help and observe.  Therefore the process took a bit longer than I initially planned.

So pretty...

Mimi handed me the pins.

I cut!

 

We all worked together!

Who says you can't sew and still be close.

After I cut out all my fabric, I made my way over to my mom's house.  She got me started and assigned some homework.  While most of the project was done with my mom's supervision, I did so the majority of the work.  She helped my some tricky parts but I think I could make another bag on my own.

Mom's machine.

Mom ironing a seam - Kevin stalking us with the camera.

Once I really got going on this project, I did not take too many pictures.  It was fun and addicting to watch my bag turn into a bag.  When I put the lining in and pulled the bag right side out, I swear it was like magic.  I was really distrustful of the directions and my mom because the process is so strange.  But, it worked.  I have a finished product that I want to use and will use.  Unlike my pajama pants which ended up in the garbage after about month because I felt way too frumpy wearing them.

Vi needed to be in the picture!  

I think it is lovely and can't wait to use this functional, yet very cute bag!

After completed this bag, I got lots of ideas for doing it again.  I could use contrast fabric on the side, bottom, strap, pocket.  Okay, that is sound a little too patchworky.  But my point is that I can play around a experiment with fabrics.  I could put a pocket inside the bag.  I could make it smaller or larger.  I can make tote bags.  Kind of fun.  So, what do you think?  Should I try sell to sell them at my May craft show?