Handmade Monday - Wine Bottle Gift Bag Tutorial

Good morning everyone. Bottles are one of the hardest things to wrap aren't they? This year I've made a few of these which instantly transform a lack lustre wrapped bottle into a thing of beauty. I hope you'll  agree. This is what you're aiming for.

These bags have been made with a definite festive feeling, however you could adapt to suit any occasion depending on the fabrics and embellishments you choose.
The gift bag is unlined and held together around the top by a drawstring fastening. This tutorial explains how to make the hessian bag from the photo. Hessian is a little like Marmite, you either love it or hate it, I love it (but incidentally I hate Marmite). I love it's smell, it's texture and it's versatility and it's price!

So let's get started:

You will need:

Fabric main part of bag  40cm x 22cm  (x2)
Fabric strip 44cm x 4cm   (Casing)
Fabric strip 88cm x 3cm (Drawstring)

Take the two main pieces of fabric and finish the edges to neaten them up. I actually didn't do that on this one because I wanted the rough and readiness of fraying hessian, but I did do a picture to show you what I mean.


See the zig-zag, just helps to stop the fraying



Then with right sides together, pin .....

and sew the 2 main pieces together

down each side and across the bottom taking a 1cm seam.......

 and reinforcing the stitching at the corners.

Reinforced stitching at the corners

Turn the bag inside out and press open the seams.

Now you are going to start making the bag look a little more boxy. At one of the corners of the bag, fold it so that the seams are aligned.





Align the seams by pinching the corners




Mark the point at which the width measures 10cm with a pin at each side.





Can you see how the width is 10cm? Mark with a pin





Then stitch from one side to the other.

This is what you should end up with.

Trim off the excess......

...... and turn your bag right side out pushing your finger into the corners to create that boxy shape that you're after. Depending on the type of fabric you're using it may even stand up on it's own now.

Now turn your bag inside out. Turn over approx 1cm around the top of the bag and then a further 2cm. Press in place.

Pin and stitch.

Now you are going to make the casing for the drawstring. Taking the fabric casing strip, fold both long side raw edges into the centre and press. At each end fold in about 5mm and press, to hide the raw edges.

I think I need a new ironing board cover!!

Mark the centre of the front of the bag along the top edge, with a pin. Start to pin the casing around the outside of the bag approx 6cm down from the top finished edge using the centre pin on the top edge as your starting and finishing guide.

Ensure that you start and finish in the centre of the front of the bag as this is where we need the opening to be for the drawstring.

Stitch into place. Don't forget to leave the openings for the drawstring unstitched!

Next make your drawstring. Take your strip. Fold the two long edges into the centre as before with the casing and press  .....

.....but this time, fold in half again and press. Finish off the ends as with the casing. 

Stitch around all edges.

Attach a safety pin to one end of your drawstring .....

.....and slip inside one of the openings of your casing.

Push it inside and work it all the way around the casing until it comes out of the opening on the other side.

Place your wine bottle inside your bag and pull the drawstring around the neck of the bottle. Tie a bow.






Ta Dah!!




...and with added gift tag



You're a genius! You've earned your self a glass of wine, shame you've just wrapped it up!

You'll notice that I have added a gift tag to make things pop a little more.

I have chosen a very plain fabric for both bags but your fabric choice can be as plain or as funky as you choose. Likewise, why not use ribbon for your drawstring if you prefer.

Now Wendy and all the crafters at Handmade Monday have been busy with their makes so that's where I'm off to now with my contribution. Make sure you pay a visit too or even better why not join in?

Handmade Monday - Tote Bag for a Wheelchair

Good morning everyone. I've got something to show you today that's bright and cheery on this grim Autumnal morning.

A little while ago, I was approached by a very lovely lady, to make a bag. Not any old bag though. She a had a dilemma...... no that's not the right word...... a gripe...... may be more appropriate. She longed for a pretty bag that she could put on her wheel chair. She explained to me that whilst backpacks fit nicely they aren't usually that pretty and she wanted pretty.

Some of you may even know this lovely lady, Maria from Mias Crafts. Her website is packed full of craft ideas whether you're into jewellery, salt dough, rag rugs or papercrafts there will be something there that lights your candle. Oh yes, she even has those as well - candles holders I mean, so make sure you pop over to say hello.

Maria had seen this post which had inspired her to get in touch and I'm very pleased she did. This is what I came up with.

A tote bag, made a little larger than normal to fit across the back of a wheelchair.....

....with handles at the side to easily slip over the handles.

A roomy front pocket.....

....and a useful inner one too.

The fabric is of course CK .......

........and the lining is my beloved Laura Ashley Heath Green Gingham.

Venturing into unchartered territory, Maria was wonderful to work with, sending over precise measurements and indicating the exact positioning of the handles she would like. She received my package a couple of days ago and tells me she's chuffed to bits. I believe she has already given it a trial run.

This custom make was lovely to do as it solved a problem and gave me an excuse to sew (like I need one!)

So if you've seen anything on these pages that you like the look of but may want to slightly change please get in touch, caroline.lovis@tiscali.co.uk  I'd be only too happy to discuss your custom made requirements.

Of course I met Maria through marvellous Handmade Monday run by Wendy which is where I am off to now. If you're stuck for a Christmas make idea there will definitely be something there for you. This week Wendy is celebrating a massive 100,000 views on her blog and if you're quick there's still time to enter her fabulous giveaway.

Have a good day x

Linen Tote Bag and a mission accomplished

Before I start today I must point out that I'm experiencing problems commenting on a few, not all, of your blogs, so if you feel I haven't visited for a while, rest assured I have. I'm working myself up to 'Blogger help' but I'm not quite in the right frame of mind to tackle it yet.

Not too long ago I was contacted by a lovely lady querying if I could make a bag for her. The brief was ('should I choose to accept it' - that's the Mission Impossible bit) for it to be a tote'ish style bag, with a gusset, that had to stand up on it's own as she intended to use it to house her knitting bits. It was a bag that was to travel around alot so it needed to work hard and be able to contain all of the essentials necessary for a work in progress. She wanted the bag to be wide enough to accomodate her knitting needles when they were feeling in need of a lie down and it was to incorporate some of my applique work.

I love these oppportunities a) because it is a customer with a genuine need  and b) it really makes me think about a project.  I was thrilled that she felt she could approach me.

The biggest challenge I faced was how to make it stand up and for this I used fusible fleece for the first time. I got it from here, an amazing little website packed full of useful hints and tips for bag makers as well as mountains of supplies. Fusible fleece offers support to a project whilst retaining a certain 'slouchiness' and I used it with a medium weight interfacing, it seemed to do the trick.

But before I go galloping on ahead,  let me draw your attention to the applique.



'My little house' - ahhhhh





If you've been following for a while you'll remember that this 'little house' started it's life here since then it has gone on to appear here and here each time being slightly adapted, it even appears in my sidebar. It's one of the very first things I ever made using free motion stitching and I love my 'little house'. Does that sound mad? I'm thinking of using it on lots more things and maybe developing it on a range of items.

Anyway back to the bag.........remember it was to be a 'home for knitting'........

.......with enough room for tired knitting needles to lie down.......

........and it had to have a gusset.

I picked up the red gingham from the front door of the house and used it for the lining. I think this is one of my favourite parts of a project, choosing the colours and deciding how they are going to work together.

The finishing touch, a sweet little sentiment ..........

Now although this is destined to be positioned at the feet of an avid knitter, it looks just as nice hanging from a door.

My customer received her bag a few days ago and is very pleased with it which always makes everything worthwhile and keeps me smiling.
Thank you for sticking with this lengthy post, I hope you enjoyed reading it.

Have a good day, I'm off to make some more needlecases after a man has been to see me about my drains, it already sounds expensive doesn't it?