Tuesday 5 February 2013

BAG YOURSELF SOME VINTAGE STORAGE......A Tutorial....

Hi lovely sewers
This week as well as churning out candy bunnies, I have been giving a bit of thought to the bedroom makeover. I have a walk in wardrobe, and in it storage baskets in a frame in which I keep all my lingerie and hose. However my socks and tights are fighting for space so I decided I could do with a drawstring bag to add to the storage and which could be hung decoratively on the built in cupboard doors.
So I chose a couple of pieces of the fabric I had already sorted as possibilities for the room, and set to.

This is how I did it....a little tutorial.....

You will need..

1/2 yard of cotton fabric, either medium furnishing weight or patchwork fabric for the outer layer
1/2 yard of a contrasting or toning cotton, similar weight. ( both about 45 inches wide ) for the lining.
3/4 yard to 1 yard  of piping cord.
1 yard cotton tape, ribbon or string.
Matching thread.


First find a template to draw a 10 inch circle. I could only find the base of a 9 inch cake tin so used that and added 1/2 inch all round for my seams. Starting at the edge of your fabric cut one circle out of each of your fabrics.
Cut a rectangle from each fabric 14 inches by 27 inches
Cut two strips from the lining fabric, one 28 inches by 1 1/2inches and the second 28 inches by 2 inches.


Take the 1 1/2 inch strip and fold in half along the length, wrong sides together. Take the piping cord and place it right up against the inside of the fold. Starting a couple of inches away from the end and using a zipper foot stitch as close as possible to the cord and continue to within 2 inches of the end of the cotton strip.




Take the circle cut from the outer fabric, and starting where your stitching began, carefully pin the corded strip around the outer edge of the circle keeping the cut edges matching. It is usual to have binding cut on the bias when using piping cord, but this does take rather a lot of fabric and as I was using some vintage fabric, I didn't want to waste any. For this project it worked OK, even though I did not snip into the curved seam, but I would not recommend this for anything on a bigger scale.
 

When you have pinned all around, again using the zipper foot carefully stitch the piped strip around the circle again starting and finishing where your original stitching on the tape began and ended. You should have a small amount that is not yet attached. This is where you cut the cord so that it meets flush and turn in one end of the tape and let it overlap the other end to give a neat join. Pin when done and finish stitching this portion.






Next take one of the rectangles and with right sides facing sew a half inch seam down the short sides, creating a tube. Do the same with the lining piece. Press the seams open.


Now you will join the outer tube to the already piped circle. With right sides facing pin the tube to the outer edge of the circle and again using your zipper foot stitch close to the piping.
Next with right sides facing join the lining tube to the lining circle in the same way, this time you need a 1/2 inch seam as there is no piping to sew against.



Having the outer bag piece inside out, and the lining bag piece the correct way, slide the lining inside the outer bag. The right sides should now be facing and the top of the bag pieces level.. Stitch around the top with a 1/2 inch seam leaving about 4 inches unsewn to turn the bag right sides out.  Pull both parts of the bag through this gap and then push the lining down inside the outer bag and press the top edge before top stitching all around closing the gap as you do.




Take the remaining 2 inch strip and fold it in half lengthwise with the right sides facing. Stitch the long edge with a 1/4 inch seam. Fasten both ends of your stitching securely as you will now turn this tube right side out. Press the tube with the seam centred at the back. Turn one short end in and neaten with hand stitching.




Now mark a line on the outer bag about 2 inches from the top all around. This is the placement line for the  casing you have just made. Pin the top of the casing under this line starting with the neatened edge about 1/4 inch away from the back seam, and finish the same distance from the other side, if necessary cut the casing to fit allowing about 1/4 inch to tuck in and neaten as you did at the beginning. Attach the casing by stitching close to both the top and bottom edges ensuring that you secure it well at both the start and end on each row of stitching as this is where you will thread your ribbon or tape to draw the bag closed.


Finally thread your tape through the casing and then either knot or neaten the ends before knotting them together and voila....




one useful drawstring bag for all manner of things....hosiery, hair equipment, face cloths in a bathroom...the uses are endless and the look too depending on your fabric choice. You could even use lightweight velvet and store your jewellery, or use fun 50s nursery prints and use as pyjama cases.

I would love to see your versions if you decide to have a go......

Must be wine o'clock by now so will bid you all goodnight and happy sewing.

TTFN
Jenny xx




10 comments:

  1. Love your drawstring bag. The contrasting fabrics make it so cute.
    When I have more time I will have a go.
    Rosezeeta.

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  2. "...I have a walk in wardrobe, and in it storage baskets in a frame..."
    oh Jenny, I truly have Wardrobe Envy!
    I only have (just about) a walk in bedroom!!
    xxx

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  3. Jenny, your bag is so pretty and your tutorial easy to follow for a simpletion like me. You can never have too many bags. xx

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  4. love the fabric of your lovely bag.
    Gillx

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  5. absolutely gorgeous! have fabrics in mind that will be perfect for this - thank you so much for posting this tutorial

    BH xx

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  6. Popped over to say hi! Your bag is beautiful, I love vintage style and what a great tutorial. Hope you have a lovely weekend. Karen :)

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  7. The fabric bag is really lovely. I've never tried to do my own piping before, but you make it look so easy.

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  8. ooh, I love the tutorial! I'm now kicking self for chucking out some cord last week. Tidying up and thought 'I'll never use this' so chucked it. argh!

    Thank you for your comment today. I agree, we are very lucky :O)

    Oh the ballet was so glorious. We were close enough to really appreciate the costumes. They were beautiful.

    xx

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  9. Oh my goodness this is so darling!
    Thank you for visiting me the other day..your sweet comments brightened my day.
    Hope your Monday is off to a great start. xo

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Hi thanks for stopping by, but even better say hello. I love to read your comments and its also a way for me to meet you. I do read every coment but don't always have the time to find your email or web, so do pop back if you have asked a question as I will answer it here.xx