Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Show-and-tell Tuesday: Dance bag

When I signed up for adult beginner’s tap-dancing class early last September, I did so with four motivations in mind:

-- I wanted to do something quirky and unexpected as my 50th birthday approached
-- I wanted a fun new form of exercise
-- It involved shoe-shopping
-- It offered a chance to sew a fun new bag to tote said shoes to class

Nearly eight months later, the class has filled all my expectations, and then some. And here is the bag. This photo is awfully dark, but you can click on it to enlarge for a better look if you want. Don’t you love the funny vintage shoe print? I found it at a Hobby Lobby in Cincinnati last summer when I was shopping there with my sisters.

The bag is actually a backpack, so it’s easy to sling it on as I walk to the local arts center every Monday evening for an hour of rigorous shuffle-ball-changing and fa-lap, fa-lap, fa-lapping. Next time I make this pattern, though, I’ll make the straps a little sturdier – they’re just extended fabric drawstrings, and are a bit on the wimpy side for actual shoulder straps. Still, quite functional for now.

Oh, and in case you wondered, all the beginner’s classes at the arts center will indeed present a recital next month, with our year’s worth of learning on full display. Our adult tap class goes on right after a bunch of five-year-old ballerinas, I think. We tend to lumber about like so many menopausal elephants, but we do have a great time. And the song we’ll be tapping to? The rockin’ Beatles classic, “You Say It’s Your Birthday.” Which is appropriate, since we have much more experience at birthdays than anyone else in the show.

Be sure and enjoy Show-and-Tell Tuesday with Pieces and Veronica (speaking of birthdays!!) as well.

9 comments:

Pieces said...

I love the bag and I really love the fabrics! It looks like it was a lot of work to put together. How great to have something you love to carry your shoes in.

Anonymous said...

Love all those dancing shoes on the bag. Good for you for learning something new and fun!

Devorah said...

Tap dancing, very cool! The bag is great too. Did you stiffen it with something to get it to stand up so straight at the bottom?

Ann said...

TAP DANCING!!!! How wonderful is that. That sounds like great fun to me..

Joe said...

Well, I just Googled the lyrics of "you say it's your birthday." Not a particularly deep and socially insightful song now is it?? I'm guessing, though, that with all of you petite ladies tap dancing up there, no one will notice.

Just hope the costume lady doesn't get the 5 year old ballerinas mixed up with the menopausal elephants.....

Anonymous said...

Love the fact that you are taking tap dancing classes - very cool! Good luck with your recital. The bag is beautiful.

Tracy Batchelder said...

How fun!

Candy said...

And, where's the picture of you showing us your newly learned tapping skills? :-)

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