I had some fun the last couple of days putting together a basic tote bag for my niece (by request from her). It came out pretty big; I’m hoping it’s not too big for her 11-year-old frame. Because to make it the right size would have required me to actually plan out its finished size and then, um, MEASURE the damn pieces, which always just seems so, well, measurey-measurey, and who needs that? (A-hem, I think maybe I do.)

Anyway, I made it reversible, but at the last minute I couldn’t help but install a magnetic snap on the inside–they’re just such a nice touch on a bag and add a bit more professionalism. I suppose it could still be flipped inside out if my niece really wanted to and didn’t mind that the snaps would show on the outside.

Speaking of professionalism (pfffft), I sewed the contrasting pocket on crooked! Here’s how pathological I am when I’m working on something and don’t want to be ‘slowed down’. I pinned that damn pocket without checking whether it was truly centred or straight. I just EYEBALLED it, fercrissake. And it didn’t even occur to me while doing so that maybe I should double check that it was in the right place. Pathological. Really, I’m thinking about renaming this blog Measure Once, Cut Twice.

So now I have this birthday present for my niece with a crooked pocket on the outside. What would you do? These are the options:

I’m heavily leaning towards — surprise! — the last option. Happy birthday, kid! Just don’t look too closely at your present!