ACU bags

This is my stepson and his family. I have mentioned them before- as in knitting at baseball games, etc.    It has been nearly a year since Jacob graduated from basic training in the army.  His mom asked me that long ago about making a bag from an "Army Combat Uniform" (ACU)                                     She finally got one to me over the holidays.  I had showed her a couple of bags I had made, along with this bag shown here. We decided on a combination of sizes and elements.

When I searched for this, I also found results where people find this to be unpatriotic.  I don't get it. 

(I have to pause here to once again rail at the fact that the blogger word processor has NO rules at all for how it moves things around in my posts!!!!!)

The hardest part is taking apart the uniform. It's called a COMBAT uniform, and let me tell you, they are very well put together!

So, here is the result of my work. 

                                                                          The big one is for Mom.  She has the name badge.  I'm not sure if she has any other patches or insignia.  But that velcro is waiting.  Army velcro is awesome, by the way!      

The smaller bags are for Amy and one for me.  I made a mistake on the first one I tried to make, so I set it aside and started over.  In the end it is the one I goofed up that I like better.  But Amy gets to choose.   

They both have this pocket on the back.  The ribbon is to make it easier to open.  This pocket was on the sleeves

The fronts are made from a pocket on the legs.  The big flap covers a pocket with a drawstring cord- very roomy!  The pocket was at an angle on the legs, so I wanted to make them asymmetrical. 






Can you guess which is the one with the mistake?  I'm hoping Jake can get another name tag for Amy's bag.

                         This is what is left of the uniform.
                            (I'm saving the velcro!)




















One of the offices at work invited the neighbors to a lunch last week.  They called it a "green" lunch.  They did not supply dishes.  It was their way to encourage people to use washables instead of disposables.  Do you work in a place where you can keep a coffee cup, a few pieces of flatware, a bowl or small plate?  Then please do so- and bring them with you to any office gathering.  It only takes a minute to wash one plate and one fork.  But over time, think of how many pieces of plastic you WON"T have to throw away!

I am grateful for:
Not having to go out in the cold for two days!
A nice dinner with Lucas and his family.
My Singing Monsters
Laughing with Al until it hurts.
None of the animals were harmed in the fire next door to Petco.