Drawstring Bags – Add more value to gift
Kids love drawstring bags – I make them for my nephews – they hold their Gameboys, marbles, crayons and other treasures in them. They are always nice for traveling to hold your jewelry or toiletries. I just made several of them for Christmas gifts. Quick and easy – the sky is the limit on your creativity – fabrics, cord, added accessories….
How to “upscale” an inexpensive stocking stuffer
I found these $8 silver plated ornaments at Hobby Lobby for half off ($4 each). The box they were in had the price printed right on it and I tried to use an Exacto blade to slice neatly around the price – but it looked tacky.The ornaments were pretty but the packaging brought the perceived value down – right down to the $4 I paid for them.
Especially when you opened them up and had to deal with the plastic, twist-ties and cardboard after ripping the box trying to get them open. So to turn them in to an elegant, keepsake ornament – I made pretty drawstring bags for each of them.
For fabric I checked out my favorite local charity resale shop. This is where I donate stuff and also always find something great for an awesome price. I often look for linens and clothing made of natural fabric to use for “repurposing.” I found a very nice 100% wool red skirt for $3. Perfect!
Step 1: Turn inside out and cut off the waist band and cut or undo one vertical seam to open the skirt into one flat piece of fabric. This one had a lining and I removed that too. Save any good buttons for another project!
I thought about using the lining in the bags, but this was hemmed with a nice bias tape so I decided to not line it and just use the hem as the top of my bag.
Step 2: Cut a piece of heavy paper into the size you want – here I have it large enough for the ornament to fit. I won’t be using any huge seam allowances – wool won’t fray and is a heavy fabric. (and it won’t get a lot of wear and tear of course)
Line the card up with the hem and trace around the card with a marker or chalk until you make all the squares you need. (2 squares per bag)I needed 4 bags so I needed 8 squares – I had enough hem line to make enough for 5 bags – yea, one for me!
Line the card up with the hem and trace around the card with a marker or chalk until you make all the squares you need. (2 squares per bag)I needed 4 bags so I needed 8 squares – I had enough hem line to make enough for 5 bags – yea, one for me!
The bias tape will be on the inside of the bag - It wasn’t all perfect enough to be on the outside – but it could have been and also because this wool looks the same on both sides.
Step 4: Start your straight stitch between the top of the hem and bias tape. (I should mention, if you don’t have a pre-hemmed piece of fabric, cut longer squares, fold and sew to create a hole for the drawstrings to pull through.)
You can see by the detail photo, my seam allowance is small and I am using the outside of the presser foot for a guide.
Sew around the bag – you can make perfect square corners or rounded, which ever you prefer.
You can see by the detail photo, my seam allowance is small and I am using the outside of the presser foot for a guide.
Sew around the bag – you can make perfect square corners or rounded, which ever you prefer.
Step 5: Trim up any threads and uneven edges, clip the bottom corners and turn the bag inside out – using your fingers or a chopstick to get the corners popped out nice.
Step 6: Pick your drawstrings and thread through bag. Drawstring bags will work with only one string treaded through, but it is much nicer to take the extra effort to make a double drawstring bag.
Cut 2 for each bag, whatever length you want. Here, they are cut almost double the width of my bag.
Thread each ribbon through opposite sides. (The bag should be turned inside out now, but I still have them right sides together just for ease of seeing how the ribbon is threaded through.) If you make a lot of bags or things that need elastic to thread through – this flexible plastic “needle” is a nifty tool. Or else attach a large safety pin to the end of the ribbon and push the pin through the holes to thread the ribbon through.
Thread each ribbon through opposite sides. (The bag should be turned inside out now, but I still have them right sides together just for ease of seeing how the ribbon is threaded through.) If you make a lot of bags or things that need elastic to thread through – this flexible plastic “needle” is a nifty tool. Or else attach a large safety pin to the end of the ribbon and push the pin through the holes to thread the ribbon through.
Step 7: Tie knots at the end of the ribbon and you’re done.
I think I more than tripled the value of the gift – long walk, part of gift! Now they have something to store the ornaments in where they won’t get scratched.
What are you going to put in your drawstring bags?
Have fun,
love,
Jules
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December 6th, 2008 in
DIY, Recycle | tags: drawstring pouches, Hobby Lobby, how to make drawstring bags, ornament bags
