July (The Epitome of Summer)

 

July is, without a doubt, my favorite month of the year for a few reasons.

1.       It is my birth month!

2.       It is smack dab in the middle of summer vacation (June, you are still settling into summer and, by August, you are rushing to get ready for back-to-school).

3.       Its warm days and cool nights have an innate laid-back spirit that cannot be replicated at other times of the year.

Beneath the sweltering sun, the need for perfection seems to melt away. By July, I have traded my meticulously kept notebooks for beach towels and bathing suits. Even the work that I do have to accomplish seems more leisurely when done during the lazy summer hours. I find myself feeling truly grateful for the time spent enjoying the weather with my friends and family while grilling outside, swimming in the pool, and spending time catching up. It is all too easy to fall into the relaxed state that July naturally creates.

               

To embrace the spirit of July, I decided to take on a craft project that both recycled and welcomed imperfections. This T-shirt bag is made from an old tie-dyed T-shirt (size small, but you can use any size) and I especially loved the warm colors that made the bag appear bright yet still relaxed. In the making of the actual bag, no sewing is required, simply cut off the sleeves and neck and slit and tie the ends. To decorate and utilize as much of the bag as possible, I cut strips from the sleeves and braided them. Then, I loosely hand-sewed the braids onto the bag. I left them a little uneven to continue the laid back feel of the bag (plus, I was too eager to get out into the summer sun to spend the time making the perfect edge). To add a bit of decoration, I sewed a few buttons beneath the braids. The bag itself can be made in less than ten minutes. It is perfect as a quick purse or a casual bag for running to the store or the gym. With the cute imperfections and completely homemade, recycled feel, it is the ideal July bag.

In an effort to waist as little as possible, I continued to use leftover fabric from the sleeves to make a quick braided wrap bracelet. I lined up the three pieces (on top of each other), sewed a button on to keep the pieces together, and stretched, braided and tied the pieces. When the strands are stretched, this bracelet wraps around my wrist three times.