Ditty Bag Sewing Instructions
Besides thread, you will need:
DRAWSTRINGS a
pair of 30-inch shoelaces (any color) or two 30-inch lengths of suitable
material (twine, thin cord or crocheted rug or plastic canvas yarn etc.) which
slides smoothly, will not unravel, and has no knots!
***No
joined shoelaces or
knotty yarn,
please!***
FABRIC two
pieces of washable, sturdy, colorful, but not OLD, cloth which measure
12x18 (different is OK) or one 12x36. A yard of 36 wide cloth will give
three 12x36 lengths; 45, four 11Ό x36 pieces and 60, five 12x36 sections.
To prevent cloth from unraveling, cut with pinking shears or, later, turn hem
under, serge or double seam raw edges. (A 12x18 cardboard pattern is helpful to
mark the material for size and list bag notes).
Sewing
instructions:
Place the right
(pattern) sides of the material together, making a 12x18 rectangle (if 36, the
fold becomes the bag bottom). BEFORE sewing a 1/4 seam around the two 18
sides and the bottom (to form THE BAG), decide
how to handle the
casing.
Section
formed by a
2 hem created next from the open bag top. Some sewers sew the entire 18
length, then cut the seam threads between 2 Ύ and 3 Ύ from the top edge.
Others choose not to sew that one-inch space when sewing the 18 seam. However
you do it, take a second afterward to finger press open (flatten back) a 4
length of seam salvage from the top down on both seams. (NOTE: It is through
these seam openings, which will be visable later only on the outside of the bag,
that the drawstrings will be placed. This
extra
effort allows the drawstrings to easily move in or out of the casing). After
you make the seam all around about 3/4 from the fold-over,
then hem another seam an inch lower, close to the cut edge. Turn the bag inside
out before doing the drawstrings.
Drawstring
instructions:
Insert one
drawstring (using a safety pin or some type of threader) at either hole, bring
it around and through the casing to exit at the SAME hole and knot both ends
tightly together. Do the same at the other hole. |
