I love quick and easy sewing activities, especially when I can use some of the lovely fabric scraps I’ve kept that aren’t suitable for larger projects. In an earlier post, I showed you how to make cute little snap purses (Easy step-by-step sewing tutorial: How to make a snap purse.). This time I want to show you how you can make beautiful lavender bags and juggling bags in minutes.

This is a great project for kids because it’s quick, easy (you can hand stitch if you don’t have a sewing machine) and, as I’ve said, you don’t need a lot of fabric. This means it won’t cost too much if you want speciality fabrics and fun prints like the Star Wars ‘fat quarters’ (18 inch – 22 inch /50cm by 55cm ) I bought on eBay for £4-£5 including postage. If you don’t fancy buying fabric, you can recycle old cotton shirts or clothes instead.

I think these little pyramid-shaped bags make lovely gifts, and because you can use the pattern to make lavender bags or juggling bags, there’s something for everyone.

How to make lavender bags & juggling bags tutorial.

Items required.

• Cardboard template 10cm x 10cm
• Pencil or dressmaker’s chalk
• Sewing Machine (optional)
• Cotton material for lavender bags and juggling bags
• Needles and cotton thread (for sewing machine and for hand-stitching and tacking).
• Lavender (dry)
• Rice (dry)
• Ribbon (1cm wide)
• Scissors
• Small funnel or a plastic sandwich bag with the corner cut off, (makes it easy to get rice/lavender into bags).
• Stitch cutter
• Crochet needle (to push out corners of bag once turned right side out).
• Kitchen scales

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Instructions.

1. Using a pencil and a ruler, measure and cut out a 10cm x 10cm square. This will be the template you use to cut your fabric squares. Alternatively, you could use a beer mat or a coaster as a template as they are a suitable size for this project.

2. Double over your fabric so you can cut out two 10x10cm fabric squares at a time (enough for one lavender bag or juggling bag).

3. Place the cardboard template on the edge of the fabric so as not to waste it and draw around it with a pencil or dressmaker’s chalk.

4. Cut along the marks on the fabric so you have two 10 x 10 cm fabric squares.

5. Place the two squares right sides facing each and tack down one side to stop the fabric moving when you sew along the first side.

6. Sew (by machine or by hand) along the first side, allowing a 5-7mm seam allowance (I just used the edge of my sewing machine foot as my guide, with the needle set to central position).

7. If you’re making juggling bags, then skip this and move to 8. If you are making a lavender bag, cut an 8-10cm piece of ribbon and fold it in half, then open up the fabric you have sewn and butt the ribbon against the seam, with the open end in line with the edge of the second side of the squares of fabric.

8. Sew along two more sides (5-7mm seam allowance, starting at the tag), leaving the 4th side open.

9. Pull open the 4th side and then bring the two seams together so they meet and press the edge flat.

10. Sew along this edge (5-7mm seam allowance) to the point where the seams meet, leaving a gap of approximately 4 cm.

11. Carefully turn the bag right side out by pushing the fabric through the opening. You may need to use the wrong end of a pencil to gently push it through.

12. Insert the tip of a funnel into the opening and then a) juggling bags, pour in the dry rice until it weighs about 85g, or b) lavender bags, add a mixture of 1 part lavender to 2 parts dry rice to the bag. (If you haven’t got a funnel, cut the corner off a sandwich bag and insert that into the opening instead).

13. Make sure the edge of the fabric at the opening is turned in by the same 5-7mm seam allowance and then neatly hand stitch the opening shut using cotton thread of a similar colour to the fabric.

14. That’s it! Your lavender bag (or juggling bag) is finished.

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Here are some lavender bags & juggling bags I made earlier!

I love this Lavender bag made with Cath Kidston style fabric. I used the ribbon one of my Cath Kidston purchases was wrapped in for this project.

Juggling bags made with Star Wars Fabric.

Over to you.

What do you think of this sewing project? Have you got any simple ‘crafty makes’ you’d like to share? As always, I’d love to know what you think.

If you enjoyed this project, don’t forget to check out my snap purse tutorial (HERE).

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