Even Music Notes Need a Home...

Until yesterday, the music notes of Son #2 'lived' in a simple tote bag that was given to me by some chemists down town. Yesterday we discovered that the bag had a huuuuuuge hole. So it was time to move house ;-)

First I thought of making a simple tote bag, just like the one he had before. But then, thinking about how Son #2 dragged his bag around the floor and tried to hold his violin case with the other hand, I decided I should make one that he could wear as a shoulder bag, even diagonally if he wanted. Then, while cutting the fabric to size, I thought that a top lid would also be helpful to prevent his notes from falling out when flinging the bag to the floor (as he usually does).

The bag is made out of stretch cotton, 2 pieces 30x40cms (including seam allowances), the lid was cut on eye measurement but a tiny bit wider than the body of the bag. The straps are 4cm wide (16cm wide fabric, folded on both sides to the center and then in half again) and are as long as son needs it, so the bag itself hangs on hip-height (it's apparently 'cooool'). The straps themselves are sewn onto the base of the lid and the lid can be clipped shut with attached KamSnaps. I also applied some music notes to the front and back, they are made out of fleece and stitched to the cotton using a wide zig-zag stitch (this looked the nicest when trying this out on scraps. A plastic folder (A4) with clear sheets for notes, a thick-ish book of notes and his 'homework' diary fit in there easily. Another folder and book would probably also fit in.

Son #2 is thrilled to bits with it and can't wait until next week where he can show it off in the music school!