Potato Chip Bag Purse & Mom's birthday

I went to Iowa to visit my mom last weekend.  She had her 91st birthday while I was there.  She still lives in her own apartment with the help of Meals on Wheels, a visiting nurse, a home health aide, and the society for the blind.  She doesn't get out much any more though so I always take some hand work to try to work on while I am visiting, especially good when she is napping.  This was a nice visit.  Two of my sister's were there this weekend as well one of my brother's who lives in the same town as my mom, and one of my cousins even stopped for a short visit.  My mom did get to go to her study club meeting last week with the help of my sister-in-law.  She was thrilled about that.  It was the annual luncheon so a fun meeting to go to for her. She has been a member for about 50 years, I think that is what she told me.  That's a long time to be a member of any organization. She loves listening to books on tape and music CD's.  I bought the Irish Tenors for her, I hope she likes them.

The handwork I took with me was a potato chip bag project.  At the last Minnesota Contemporary Quilters meeting Peg brought a purse that she bought made entirely of potato chip bags. She mentioned that the instructions for making the bag are online and that was enough to get me started.  Do you remember making chains with gum wrappers when you were little?  This is the same principal, except I don't remember making anything but chains with the gum wrappers when I was little.  Here is a link to a blog by Mylinda with instructions for how to make the bag.  We don't eat too many chips so it will take me awhile to get enough for the bag.  I've had offers from a number of other people to save their bags for me.  We'll see how many actually remember!  I found that other things come in a similar bag, such as chex mix and animal cracker cookies so I save many things. 

So far I have two of the seven rows finished.  I will also need enough for the strap.  My son wants me to make him a belt next.  So I guess I will be saving bags for quite awhile.  You cut the bags into pieces so they are the same size as the gum wrappers we used to use.

Then you fold them and link them together.  Mylinda has excellent instructions on her blog.  I haven't got to the sewing part yet but hopefully I will be able to figure it out.  She even adds a zipper.  I think I will probably add a lining too. Have a Creative Day! Janet