Welcome to those joining us as part of Creative Crafting blog tour, hope you are enjoying the various stops.
This is where I blog about items I make, either for our home or for sale. I often write about recycled and upcycled projects.
What do you make with your former shirts? I love upcycling former clothes into new creations, often favouring eco bags. Today I am going to share with you a tutorial for making a drawstring recycled bag, lined with shower curtain fabric. This makes it ideal for swimming gear.
Swimming Bag Tutorial
To make your own swimming bag you will need one shirt, plus lining. I suggest using shower curtain fabric to make it semi waterproof
- Sew down the front of the shirt, alongside the top stitching. Tip: Remove the buttons, stitch the seam and sew back on.
- Create a pattern template – cut a template for the swimming bag. This bag is 31 cm by 41cm, don’t forget to include seam allowance on your pattern.
- Cut out two pieces of the shirt fabric, ensure it is straight when pinning on your pattern. Tip I suggest folding your pattern in half length ways and ensuring it lays down the middle of the buttons.
- Cut out two pieces of shower curtain fabric. Note this needs to be 2cm longer than the shirt to allow the fold over at the top.
- Cut out a small piece of fabric to create the piece your piping will thread through near the base of the bag
- Stitch your piece of fabric for the tape. Turn through and fold over, pin near the bottom of one of your side panel, facing inwards.
- Stitch three sides of the shirt, right sides together. Strengthen the corners by double stitching, and cut the edges off to reduce bulk.
- Turn to the right side out and press
- Hem the top of your two lining pieces
- Stitch your lining together. On one side start your side seam 1.5cm down, as this is where you are going to fold over and thread in your piping.
- Insert your lining bag. Pin the bottom to the bottom of the main bag.
- Turn over the top to create your channel for the piping, and tack.
- Stitch round the top
- Using a safety pin thread in your piping.
- Tie the two ends of you piping at the bottom of the bag, with one piece of piping threading through your tab.
You’ve done it… excellent one recycled swimming bag:)
Like me you probably have lots of the shirt left, this is what I made:
I am particularly delighted with the bottle carrier, and the thank you notes – both of which I have been meaning to make for sometime. What will you make with the left overs of your shirt?
To celebrate taking part in my first ever blog hop I am offering a giveaway. Simply leave a comment stating which of the shirt items you would like and a random winner will be picked on Sunday the 11th August:) Plus as usual I am off to Handmade Harbour to see what other people have been making this week. thanks for taking the time and hope to see you again soon.
Vicky
Anthea
Tuesday 11th of March 2014
Another brilliant idea Vicky! thanks for linking up to #Pintorials :-)
buntyw
Monday 12th of August 2013
Fantastic - I can't believe how far one shirt went!!!
karentraversy
Sunday 11th of August 2013
Great ideas! I am also on the Blog Tour and enjoying visiting the other stops. I pinned and Liked.
The Old Button (@TheOldButton)
Sunday 11th of August 2013
Brilliant. Don't need to say anymore.
Heather Feather
Saturday 10th of August 2013
The bag turned out great! I love how you kept the button front detail!