Creative articles about sewing

Sewing a bottle bag from felt

Dear community,
in this blog post you can find detailed instructions for sewing a bottle bag from felt.

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Bottle bag sewing instructions

This year, I want to give a few home-made culinary delights that I’ve bottled as presents. I don’t particularly like the look of the folding bottle bags you can buy, so I have come up with my own.

You will need:

  • a bottle for giving
  • (wool) felt 1-1.5 mm thick
  • material for decoration, such as fabric remnants for appliquéing, bows, buttons, ribbon or, as in my case, a strip of jersey remnant and some crafting felt
  • scissors
  • tailor’s chalk

your Bernina/a sewing machine

 

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First, I created the pattern and drew it straight onto the felt with chalk.

For the measurements, first measure the circumference of the bottle at the thickest point:

 

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and the height of the bottle:

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Now we lay out the felt folded double and add 5 cm to the bottle height (my bottle is 20cm long, so I lay out the felt 25cm long folded double = blue line). The width is calculated using the bottle circumference divided by 2 plus the seam allowance (my bottle has a circumference of 19cm, so this gives a width of 9.5 cm + seam allowance = 11 cm). The felt thus measures 25 cm x 11 cm folded double.

 

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The next step is cutting out the shape for the bottom of the bottle bag. For this, I drew lines 2 cm from the fold (slanting outwards slightly) and 3 cm from each side. You can see better what I mean in the pictures 😉

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At the top edge, a suitable object is used to draw a round end in the centre (you can leave out this step if you prefer a rectangular bag).

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Now for the final marking. Placed the bottle centrally, about 1.5 cm from the top (round) edge and draw round the bottom with chalk.

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You now have a tailor-made pattern for your bottle bag. This is then cut out (but do not cut the fold!)

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Now you have the opportunity for embellishments. I simply cut a strip of jersey fabric against the grain, pulled on it hard and sewed the strips on in the shape of a Christmas tree. On top, I then put a small star made of crafting felt.

You can let your imagination run wild here and embroider or appliqué anything you like. Pretty decorative lines of sewing look really nice on the felt.

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Now, sew the bag together, from one side, over the top to the other side. The bottom of the bag remains open (see red dotted line)

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I used the Edgestitch foot #10 to ensure uniform stitching.

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Edgestitch foot #10

 

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Stitch settings

 

Now simply cut out the marked circle carefully and your unique, attractive packaging for a gift bottle is ready.

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I fill my bottles with things like home-made eggnog and aromatic oils that I want to give to people as presents. You can find the recipes on my blog.

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Have a peaceful, cosy Advent period and enjoying the last few days of the year.

Paola

 

 

 

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