just what I needed, another challenge ... I Spy Bag | DIY

My crafting aspirations are waaaay beyond my actual skill level.  I'm not sure that I've ever used a sewing machine but I've really been wanting to make these I Spy Bags for quite a while now so I borrowed my sister's sewing machine minus the instruction manual (mistake #1).  I could have done the no-sew, no-frills version by filling a ziplock bag with rice and I Spy trinkets, the kids would have dug it just as much, but then I would have missed out on using fun fabrics. On a mission, I scoured the internet for instructions or guidance.  Thank goodness for the Rosie Baby blog.  I highly recommend you follow her instructions at http://rosie-baby-crafty.blogspot.com/search/label/I%20Spy%20Bag if you are considering making one of your own seeing as I broke the needle on the machine (mistake #2, sorry Kathy) and trashed a spool of thread (mistakes #3 through 150). Seriously, follow the guide at the link.

Supplies:
Fabric, I used a Fat Quarter (18x22) so I could make 2 from each piece. I trimmed them down to 7x14 so the final bag was 6x6.
1 bag poly pellets (Joannes)
assorted trinkets
Clear vinyl
thread
sewing machine

Again, you should really follow the link for instructions if you want to make one. I'm not the person to be giving sewing instructions. We have a toy/junk jar at home filled with all sorts of trinkets collected over time from goodie bags and such. I filled the bags with things like marbles, magnet letters, tiny dinosuars, army men, buttons, dice, pennies. The boys loved picking out the items to go in their bags. Please ignore my janky sewing...

Testing out the bag. So far no rips or leaking beads (have I mentioned my boys are rough on toys?) and it bought me 45 minutes of quietly distracted kids while I did grocery shopping.

Despite countless times of having to rethread the machine and a few hours of grumbling (with some choice words thrown in!) I'm going to make a couple more. Maybe I'll even master this whole sewing machine thing