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Christmas gift bags are easy to make. They can be made from a variety
of fabrics including felt, cotton and polyester. My personal favourites
are made from festive material with a plain, poker dot or check lining.
The options are endless.
Here are some simple instructions for making bags. The trick is in
sewing the pieces together. Please make sure you read all the instructions
before you start.
You will need:
- Paper and pencil for drawing your bag pattern
- Fabric for the outside of the bag
- Contrast fabric for the lining
- Thread and finishings
- Draw a bag pattern the size you want on paper.
- Draw a handle pattern. If you don't want to make a handle you could
use cord.
- Cut out the paper shapes remembering to leave a seam allowance.
- Using your main fabric, fold fabric so the right sides are together.
Make sure you have any pattern in the fabric going in the correct
direction.
- Pin your bag pattern to the fabric and cut out two.
- Using your lining fabric repeat step 5 above.
- Keep the cut bag pieces together as you have cut them and pin all
four pieces together.
- BEFORE you sew CHECK that you have the two lining pieces, right
side of fabric together and the two main fabric pieces are together
with right side of fabric together.
- Sew the bag sides and base together through all 4 pieces of fabric.
Sew around the top leaving an opening large enough to turn the bag
through.
- Clip the seam on the corners. Take care not to clip too close to
the stitches or you will weaken the seam.
- Turn the bag through the opening in the top. Part the main fabric
pieces and turn . The main fabric will be right side facing out. When
you turn the bag you will have three pieces of material on one
side and one piece of material on the other.
- Open the bag. At the bag top, baste the lining to the
main fabric.
- Attach the loop at the back of the bag so that the edges of
the loop and the bag are together. The loop will be pointing
down inside the bag.
- Fold the fabric for the bag collar in half and place the pattern
against the fold. Cut out the bag top.
- With the right side of the fabric together, sew together the short
ends of the bag collar.
- Fold the bag collar in half so that the fabric is right side
out and iron.
- Pin the bag collar to the inside of the boot so that the seam
matches the back seam of the boot and baste in place.
- Stitch the bag collar in place.
- Turn the bag collar to the outside. The loop should also be
pointing outwards. Iron the seam at the top of the bag.
The elves like to finish their bags by sewing cotton lace around
the bottom edge of the bag collar.
Other ideas for finishing
- Attach Christmas buttons, or tiny decorations to the bag.
- Sew ric-rac (zigzag braid) or cord to the edge of the bag collar.
- If you are using plain fabrics, you could appliqué pieces
on to the main fabric pieces before you sew the bag together.
- Decorate with fabric paints and glitter.
- Cross-stitch a picture and attach it to the bag collar.
The options are endless. If you have any ideas you would like to share
please send them to the elves@digitalelves.co.nz
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