A Mini Mail Sack

Have you ever been excited about the finished product of something you've never made before? That's a silly question, sorry. Okay, let me ask it this way:

Have you ever found that perfect pattern - the one that keeps you awake at night imagining how many ways you can make it? And then when you actually try to make it the world falls apart, stuff gets ripped up, and foul words come out? Or stay in? Does it matter?

That has happened to me too many times. So this time when I found that perfect pattern, I set out to make a prototype before things went barbaric.

Enter the Mail Sack pattern by Pink Chalk Fabrics. This is the mini version, above, which I finished today in about 4 hours. No screaming. No crying. No ripping out. No foul words. Just huge smiles and giddy laughs, and I think was even flitting.

I used fabrics that were a slightly heavier weight than typical cotton quilting fabric - but not actually Home Dec fabrics. I didn't back my fabrics with any fusible interfacing, because I didn't have any. So I just jumped in, and it worked out beautifully. I topstitched with Sulky Blendables 30 wt. cotton, in a variegated color of brown, burgundy and green:

Turns out, it can be reversed! Had I noticed that, I would've paid closer attention to the pocket details:

Either way, I am loving this mini Mail Sack:

 As a finishing touch for my family's sake, this bag will get a little label:

Awhile back I ordered these little folding fabric labels from Green Beans 'n Strings, specifically for pillowcases. They are quite small when folded, but perfect to tuck inside the cuff of a homemade pillowcase. You can order various sizes, and the customer service is very sweet!

My pillowcase labels are just the right size to slide along the edge of an inside pocket of the Mail Sack:  

I can see that this might be the beginning of (yet) another obsession.

: )