Sewing the Katrina Kit Drawstring Bag
Isabelle has posted a very helpful sewing tutorial on her blog,www.e-zabelle.blogspot.com.
She is much, much better at a sewing machine than I could hope to be,it's obvious.
Her bags are going to be gorgeous works of art. I told if I were not honest, I'd intercept (read "steal") her bags and keep them for myself.
That said, I am humbly posting a mild change from the way she does her drawstring bags from the way I've been doing mine. Everything's the same except I'm lazier.
I put wrong sides together and then, about 2 inches from the top, I cut a 1/2 inch slit thru both layers,on the left side. Then, holding both layers together, I fold the fabric over to the right side and make a 1/2 slit exactly where the first slit was (thus putting a slit equidistant from the top on both sides. This slit will leave what I call a "flap" of material. I fold the flap in on one side about 1/4 inch, then fold it down again until it's even with the slit. Then I pin that end.
I repeat this step on the right side, keeping everything neat and straight as I go along the casing. Then I flip the whole thing over and do the same on the other side of the bag. The idea is think of the bag as gift wrap with raw edges; whatever you can fold and sew to neaten up the edges makes it that much nicer. Not necessary, just nice. (It also makes the bag more durable, less likely to rip at the casing when the cord gets repeatedly tugged on.)
I use 1/8 inch white cording. (Cheap at Walmart.) I tie a tight knot near the end of it and stab a safety pin thru it, close the pin, and draw the string through the casing on one side and then just keep on going through the other side without stopping. Finally I wrap a about 6-8 inches around my hand for a comfortable "grip" and then I snip the cording. Voila! Baby's delivered!
I'm going to try her method and see which way is faster. I skip the ironing unless the fabric is unmanageably wrinkled after washing it. I use pins or fingers to hold fabric in place, except the casing, which goes much more smoothly with pins,in my o-pin-ion. : I iron last thing before stuffing them with a Ziploc bag filled w/ toiletries.
By the way, my mom and I agreed we are not putting stuffed animals inside Ziploc bags. We just don't want any little animal suffocating inside the plastic, nor breaking out in a rash if they're allergic to the soap :")
Any questions?
Zoanna
She is much, much better at a sewing machine than I could hope to be,it's obvious.
Her bags are going to be gorgeous works of art. I told if I were not honest, I'd intercept (read "steal") her bags and keep them for myself.
That said, I am humbly posting a mild change from the way she does her drawstring bags from the way I've been doing mine. Everything's the same except I'm lazier.
I put wrong sides together and then, about 2 inches from the top, I cut a 1/2 inch slit thru both layers,on the left side. Then, holding both layers together, I fold the fabric over to the right side and make a 1/2 slit exactly where the first slit was (thus putting a slit equidistant from the top on both sides. This slit will leave what I call a "flap" of material. I fold the flap in on one side about 1/4 inch, then fold it down again until it's even with the slit. Then I pin that end.
I repeat this step on the right side, keeping everything neat and straight as I go along the casing. Then I flip the whole thing over and do the same on the other side of the bag. The idea is think of the bag as gift wrap with raw edges; whatever you can fold and sew to neaten up the edges makes it that much nicer. Not necessary, just nice. (It also makes the bag more durable, less likely to rip at the casing when the cord gets repeatedly tugged on.)
I use 1/8 inch white cording. (Cheap at Walmart.) I tie a tight knot near the end of it and stab a safety pin thru it, close the pin, and draw the string through the casing on one side and then just keep on going through the other side without stopping. Finally I wrap a about 6-8 inches around my hand for a comfortable "grip" and then I snip the cording. Voila! Baby's delivered!
I'm going to try her method and see which way is faster. I skip the ironing unless the fabric is unmanageably wrinkled after washing it. I use pins or fingers to hold fabric in place, except the casing, which goes much more smoothly with pins,in my o-pin-ion. : I iron last thing before stuffing them with a Ziploc bag filled w/ toiletries.
By the way, my mom and I agreed we are not putting stuffed animals inside Ziploc bags. We just don't want any little animal suffocating inside the plastic, nor breaking out in a rash if they're allergic to the soap :")
Any questions?
Zoanna
posted by Zoanna at
3:08 PM
1 Comments:
Hey, that's another great, quick way to do it!
For those of us who are lucky enough to have a buttonhole stitch on our machines, we can create buttonholes in a jiffy and then slit them open w/ a seam ripper.
That may be an option to neaten up the slits and make them more sturdy.
I LOVE the idea that our bags are gonna be different - so much the better! Every recipient will only feel more unique.
You shouldn't say my bags are gonna be prettier... I am so impressed by your creativity in mixing and matching fabrics. Which I can't do, because my fabrics don't match at all!
Love
Isabelle
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