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Why not try different colour combinations for a bag that can be used all year round? Or you could alter the dimensions and make a mini patchwork sack - or a giant one. Mencap's Make With Me campaign encourages people to get creative and raise funds for ...
This Christmas sack project is part of Mencap's Make With Me campaign. Once you've completed it, it's perfect for stuffing full of presents or, post-Christmas, storing decorations in. It's suitable for beginner/intermediate sewing machine users, and will teach you the basics of making patchwork.
8. Lay the long strip against the main bag fabric to check that it is the same length. If it is too short, add on more 9cm scraps until it is the same length. (If it is slightly longer, don't worry ? you'll trim it later)
13. Pin the patchwork strip to the other piece of bag fabric, right sides facing. Sew together. Again, turn over your fabric and iron all of the seams open and flat.
15. With a contrasting colour of thread (I used red), stitch a straight line down either side of the long seam above and below your patchwork strip (top and bottom).
16. Now to make the casing for your drawstring - fold your bag in half, right sides facing with short sides together. Make a 0.5cm cut approx 5cm down from the top edge. Cut through both layers of fabric.
21. Fold your bag in half, right sides facing, short sides together. Pin around the side and bottom of the bag. Sew around the perimeter ? do not sew across the top.
Your patchwork sack is now finished and ready to be filled with gifts! The bag can also be hung up by the drawstring. The bag also makes a great storage bag for Christmas decorations. Why not try different colour combinations for a bag that can be used all year round? Or you could alter the dimensions and make a mini patchwork sack - or a giant one.
Mencap's Make With Me campaign encourages people to get creative and raise funds for Mencap to support people with a learning disability, their families and carers. Visit makewithme.org.uk, @makewithme or facebook.com/makewithme.
21 December 2011 12:40PMThey're a good idea. Better than spending money on a glossy decorated paper gift bag, which many people chuck out with the rubbish on Boxing Day. (Not us thrifty types of course. If we're given one, we fold it up carefully and someone else would get a pressie in it next year.)
I find stripes only work as patches when you can see the lines as you're stitching, i.e. turn the patches so there's a striped one joining to a random-pattern one. Have the striped patch uppermost to the machine presser foot.
This article was published on guardian.co.uk at 11.07 GMT on Wednesday 21 December 2011. It was last modified at 11.22 GMT on Wednesday 21 December 2011. EmailClose Recipient's email address Your first name Your surname Add a note (optional)
This article was published on guardian.co.uk at 11.07 GMT on Wednesday 21 December 2011. It was last modified at 11.22 GMT on Wednesday 21 December 2011.