More excuses for not making art

Since Christmas I've been seized by the desire to finish unfinished projects (as opposed to making actual new art).  This kind of impulse doesn't come over me very often, but when it does I feel morally compelled to roll with it.  Last week I finished two quilt tops that had been started at least 30 years ago.

This week I spent several hours with some drapery samples that came from a high-end decorator.  Most of them were cotton and/or linen, with a bit of rayon here and there.  They were set up for showroom display with four grommets along the top side of the panel and it occurred to me that if you folded the panel in half vertically you would have a tote bag, with the handles running through the grommets.

So I cut two 1 1/2-inch strips off the bottom edge of the samples for handles.  I turned the top edge over and hemmed it for a firmer finish, and sewed up the side and bottom.

Most of the edges were already serged, but I zigzagged the newly sliced edges and the corner where I had to cut off the label.  Then I folded the handle strips into thirds, sewed down the zigzagged or serged edge, threaded them through the grommets and sewed each handle into a ring.

I think it took me only a half hour to sew each bag, after I figured out the plan.

So here's what I have to show for my two afternoons of work:

So now the big question: is it morally superior to have seven tote bags than to have seven drapery samples?  On the one hand, you've turned something basically useless into a functional object, with very little effort.

On the other hand, you've closed a lot of doors; no longer can these samples possibly become placemats or postage stamp quilts or pillows.

And besides, what will I do with seven low-end tote bags?  They have no zippers, no inside pockets, no reinforced bottoms, no linings (vinyl or otherwise), none of the extra features that make fancy tote bags special.

But for some reason, I felt really happy sewing on them, and (mildly) proud to have made them.

You know, I could do this sort of thing every day of the year.  My house and studio are full of raw materials and I know how to make beautiful placemats, pillows, mittens, hot mats, and other useful items.  Pretty soon I'm going to have to throw off the fever of making silly functional items and get back to that Quilt National candidate that has been in progress on my design wall for months.  Maybe tomorrow.  Or maybe I'll make some more tote bags.