My mom's birthday gift, and a defense of my fabric hoarding

My mother’s birthday was earlier this week.  This is a woman who has already has everything she needs and most of everything she wants.  I was stumped as to what to get for her, until she let a little hint.

Earlier this year, her purse was stolen.  It was a huge hassle.  They charged up money on her credit cards, she had to open a new bank account, she had to get new ID.  AND they took a little checkbook cover I had made her years ago.

The checkbook cover was actually designed to be a notepad holder, but she ended up using it hold her checkbooks.  She used the two pockets on the inside to hold the two checkbooks she had to carry – one for her own expenses and one for my grandparents’ accounts.  I made it probably 10 years ago, and she carried it every day until it was stolen.

So after she dropped the hint that she could use another checkbook cover, I knew what I needed to make her for her birthday.  But here’s where it got good.  It turns out that I still had many of the fabrics from the original checkbook cover still in my stash!

Take THAT, anyone who makes fun of me for hoarding fabric!!!

So, I recreated her checkbook cover in mostly the same fabrics. Gray suiting for the outside, with kitty faces fussy cut and appliqued with red thread.  An elastic band to hold it shut.  

On the inside, a red plaid shirting (new fabric) and a pocket made from what is probably my most favorite fabric print ever.  XOXOXO The Cat by Wendy Slotboom.  The print with notes from the cat.  I laugh every time I read them!!  I had less than a fat quarter left, and now I’ve got just scraps.

There are 2 big pockets, each big enough to hold a 4x6 notepad, and a smaller pocket in the center for a pen.  I gifted it to her with a notepad in the right pocket, but I know she’ll take it out and put her checkbook there instead.

Or, she could put the notepad in the left pocket.

But what was I saving it for if not to make something meaningful?

AND I made a coordinating composition book cover to go with it!  The outside made from the fabric I fussy cut the cat faces from.  The flap is from the gray suiting.

On the inside, a lining made from gray and black polka dot fabric, notebook pockets made from the plaid shirting, and the accent pocket from the precious cat fabric.

In case you’re wondering, she loved her gift.