This year I'm trying to cut back on my wrapping paper usage, so I made some of these easy, festive,and reusable fabric gift bags. So can you! If you can sew in a straight line, you can make these!
Materials Needed:
Fabric
Ribbon
Tools Needed:
Sewing Machine
Iron
Safety Pin
Ruler
Fabric Marker or Washable Marker
Start out by laying out your fabric on a flat surface and laying the gift on top.
Move the gift about 3" down from the top of the fabric, more if it is a thicker item.
Find out how wide you want to cut your fabric by laying the fabric over your gift (just like when you wrap it with wrapping paper!).
Then add an extra 1-2" past where you need it. Mark with a washable or fabric marker.
Also mark the right side of your fabric so you know how tall you want your bag. Gee, I really did a great job keeping that ruler straight, huh?
Now cut out your fabric piece. This does not need to be an exact science, I didn't even use a ruler!
Now take your fabric and fold down the top edge about 3/4". This will be the casing for a ribbon drawstring to close the top. My ribbon was about 1/4" wide, if you're using a wider ribbon, measure your ribbon and add about a half inch so you have plenty of room for it to fit.
Press your seam with a hot iron.
Now it's time to sew! Using a straight stitch, sew a straight line down the edge.
Whoa! Looks like Santa needs a Chiropractor! No really, you can see the finished top seam here.
Now fold your fabric in half with right-sides together (that means the correct side of the fabric is together). Line up your side and bottom edges as much as possible. Feel free to pin them if you would like - I was livin' on the edge and went pin-free!
Sew with a straight stitch down the side and across the bottom.
Here is what it should look like!
Now turn it right-side-out - it looks like a bag, right? Yay!! Now find where your seam is. Cut two tiny holes with a sharp scissors pretty close to the seam. Try not to cut through to the other side! Cut it wide enough to fit your safety pin through.
Cut a length of ribbon that is double the length of your bag plus a few inches.
Tie a double knot on one end. Attach a small safety pin to the other end.
Push the safety pin end into the little hole you cut and start feeding the ribbon around the top until it pops out the other side.
Pull it out enough to tie another double knot in the 2nd side (you may have to cut a little of this ribbon off as it can become frayed while you're pulling it through) and VIOLA! You are done!
Have a very Merry Christmas!
jesi
