Sewing

one of those projects…

Yeah, you know the kind.  You’re excited about it, just thought up a great idea that you have to try.  You go out and buy all the essential materials you need to make it, and then….nothing.  Yep, it’s sits and waits at the bottom of the work in progress pile for months.

Sometimes just dreaming up a project and selecting the perfect fabrics is enough for me.  I don’t even actually have to sew it, just thinking of how cool it is and would be is enough.  Weird, I know.

Anyway, I cleaned out the work in progress box (don’t worry, there’s still a work in progress pile – or two, laying around) and found this project.  Now I admit, I was just going to stuff these plain white lingerie bags [purchased at target for about $1 each] down in the laundry room and forget all about them.  But I didn’t.

[just used ribbon to make a hanger and zipper pull tabs]

Instead I finished what I had planned which was to personalize each bag so the girls could throw in their dirty socks and undies and I would just be able to whip them in the washer and the ‘infamous lost sock’ would no longer rear it’s ugly head.

Here’s to hoping it works!

66 thoughts on “one of those projects…

  1. Michelle says:

    Such a fab idea 🙂 x

  2. Emily says:

    I have so many of those projects sitting waiting to be finished! But this looks like a fantastic idea! I should make one for my husband’s gym bag so I don’t have to go rooting through it for dirty socks and underwear!

  3. Fiona says:

    looks like a great idea … if you can persuade them to use it (maybe those socks get lost on the way to the laundry basket!)

  4. I hope you have lot of success with them! They are really cute!

  5. Christie says:

    Now that’s a mama using her noodle. Love it!

  6. Libby says:

    I LOVE those!! Did you add the fabric and zipper tags to a bag or did you make the bag? Either way, they look amazing!
    My sweet girl is headed back to college this week. She has to wash her “things” in a bag, those college washers can be killers!
    This would be a great little gift to send her.
    Thank You so much for taking time and showing the cute things that you make! So inspiring!

  7. Happy in red says:

    These are so clever!! I love them.
    Esther.

  8. Amy says:

    Give us a follow up on whether or not that works because my kids are always complaining that their socks are missing…personally, I think it’s their fault though not the laundry!

  9. Vicky says:

    Great idea. It might stop the lost sock syndrome, but will it make them put their laundry in the bag instead of it lying all over their bedroom floor like it does in my house?

  10. Leslie says:

    these are adorable….it is such a good idea to keep those socks together.

  11. Emily says:

    A great idea for a traveler as well! Might have to make one of these for myself. Not to mention a few for christmas presents!

  12. Grandma G says:

    What a terrific idea!

  13. aneela says:

    Genius Anna, not just for lost socks but for less time having sort out which sock belongs to which daughter (one of the jobs I most look forward to!)
    So pretty too!

  14. fabulous idea ~ they turned out great 🙂

  15. Oh my gosh – I LOVE these bags Anna!!! I would love to make something similar to use as produce bags @ the grocery store. Are you going to share a tutorial or did you use a pattern? Hope you are having a great Summer!

    Alissa

  16. Kelly O. says:

    awesome! again 🙂

  17. Those are too cute! Hope your idea works! 🙂

  18. Erin says:

    SUCH a good idea! Adorable as usual! 🙂

  19. SharleneT says:

    Uh, how did you say it was going to get from their room to the washer?… hee hee. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you. A thousand years ago, I made similar laundry bags from fun stretch knit material. I used those extra large metal macrame circles and encased them at the top. They hung over a doorknob and would stretch to take all their laundry. They loved them so much, they took them to college! Now, you’ve made me feel guilty and I have to start cleaning out my project bins — yes, bins… come visit when you can.

  20. Sarah says:

    Nice idea to add the initials. I used delicates bags to corral baby socks with my littles, but since we live in FL, we don’t wear many socks!! I’ve been thinking of using this idea to assign towels to individuals so that I know who should pick up a used towel lying around and so that a second-use towel will be used by the same person (since little ones barely make a towel damp after a bath). Hmmm, may need to implement…

  21. Anna, I really want to know how you did this! This is absolutely a fabulous idea! Perfect for a teenie bopper! Could you show us how to do this… even the cute intials? Thank you! Becki

  22. ninjadesigns says:

    i solved my own “lost sock” problem by just never wearing matching socks. one day my husband saw my socks matching and asked me if i was sick 😉

  23. Casey says:

    this is a really good idea!

  24. So darn pretty. That just shows what you can do with adding just a few pretty touches. Thanks for sharing.
    Vanessa

  25. Cary says:

    Very nice. I need one of these bags — may just need to make one now! I made a top the other evening from fabric I bought over a year ago, and it fits! It always feels good to finish a project that’s been on the back burner for a while.

  26. Ohhhh I like this one…will you do a tutorial for this one for us inexperienced sewers…

    Shannon Margaret

  27. I love practical, functional sewing projects — this is genius!

  28. Megan V says:

    I love this idea SOOOO much!!! Especially just to keep them all in once place without all of that SORTING that happens when you pull them from the dryer.

    I really want one for myself!

  29. Miranda says:

    What a great idea! Plus they look wonderful!

  30. Nancy says:

    I hope it works too. I’ll try with my target ones and see if I can remember to put the socks in the bag before I spend too much time making personalized ones for my little people.

  31. I loved this idea to end the mystery of unmatched socks, and is very easy …. I hope that my children use them!

    Thanks for the idea!

  32. Such a practical idea! Thanks for sharing!

  33. Ruth says:

    Thois is a great idea. It’s bookmarked. What a stroke of genius to add the applique letters too – no scratching of heads trying to figure out which mini person those tiny socks belong to. 🙂

  34. Kirsten says:

    Great idea, and the girls probably have fun?! Too bad we don’t have target here, but when something runs over my way, I think about this!

    Greetings, Kirsten

  35. Indigo Blue says:

    I have got these bags too. A simple and coolourful idea, love it.
    x

  36. Sandra says:

    What a great idea. No searching socks anymore!!!! Sandra

  37. Dalya says:

    Love how you customized these! I’m a little crazy and made some drawstring mesh bags myself, but not as pretty as yours! Way cool!

  38. Emily says:

    Pretty(!); especially those zipper pulls.

  39. Such a cute idea! I love how you personalized them 🙂

  40. It does work! I used to always keep my baby’s socks in a bag like this for washing and never lost one. Then, I moved and lost two socks before I got all settled… They look a lot cuter than mine though!

  41. Meg says:

    Ummm…yes…I do this all the time, and I will be better for a time, and then they all start piling up again.

    Great idea!

  42. Ashley says:

    I love this idea! My biggest problem is that I have boys close in age, but different sizes, so I’m always trying to figure out whose sock is whose! This would be perfect!

  43. Anonymous says:

    Love it … so cute!

    margie

  44. CraftCrave says:

    Just a quick note to let you know that a link to this post will be placed on CraftCrave today [11 Aug 01:00am GMT]. Thanks, Maria

  45. Genius!!! If I could get my darlings to put their undies & socks in the bags it would save me SO much frustration! Thank you! **fingers crossed*

  46. QuiltyGirl says:

    Cute! And I love the idea of not losing socks. 🙂 (Unfortunately for me, that would require me to train Matt to use the bag, first!)

  47. Fantastic execution, and even when you were feeling half-hearted about the idea. I get that way about quilts sometimes, which makes the whole finishing process feel so draining. I definitely understand why quilters tend to have piles of unfinished quilt tops. I think I better never let one happen to avoid the slippery slope!

  48. Carolyn says:

    I don’t know what you’re talking about. I never let projects sit around. Ha! 🙂
    They turned out great…love the little bags!

  49. OMG…you are so fabulous! I LOVE this! I want one for me..screw the kids..lol 😛

  50. Charise says:

    I completely love the Idea of a project too! I have so many works in process.
    Genius on the laundry bags. I think we have more single socks than pairs : )

  51. Melissa says:

    Absolutely brilliant idea! And they are so adorable too! Smart mama!

  52. Maggie says:

    Oh wow Anna! I love this, so simple yet so perfect! I’m feeling like I need to make a few of these this weekend!!

  53. Billie says:

    Beautifully done!

  54. ayumills says:

    That is such a lovely idea to spiffy up those boring laundry bags from the store! I love the alphabets applique! They are so lucky to have mom like you!

  55. Jen says:

    This is awesome! I’ve been doing this with a drawstring mesh bag for my son’s socks since he was a baby but I love the personalization. I’m gonna make some for my friend that has a 3 year old and 2 year old twins (all girls). She is constantly complaining that their socks get all mixed up. So pretty too. Thanks.

  56. nanci says:

    Amei a idéia!Muito util!Parabéns!Bjos.

  57. Jenn says:

    That is a great idea. The sock battle is epic, my mom who is in her 60’s had a maid growing up who would safety pin her and her sisters socks together at the toes, but it would cause big rust spots after a while. My mom said it looked like they had dirty toes. 🙂

  58. Danielle says:

    This is so old, but if you get this, do you remember what the blue flower fabric was?? It is gorgeous!!

    1. Anna says:

      I think its flower sugar by Lecien. 🙂

  59. Nicolle says:

    Just found this today – any hopes of a brief tutorial?

Comments are closed.