Reusable Bouquet Bag

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• Reusable Bouquet Bag Template
• 1/2yd White Canvas
• 1yd Printed Cotton Fabric
• 1 1/3yd Cotton Webbing
• Basic Sewing Supplies

DIRECTIONS:

1. Use template to cut two pieces of white canvas on the fold and two pieces of printed cotton on the fold.
2. Cut two pieces of strapping 24" long each. Fold the strap in half and position the two ends so that they're centered along the top edge of the canvas piece (the larger, flat edge).
3. Flip the strap so that the raw edges of the strap ends are lined up with the raw edge of the canvas and the bulk of the strapping is resting on top of the canvas. Pin in place and baste edges of strapping to the canvas with 1/4" seam allowance. Repeat for the other piece of canvas and strapping.
4. Keep the strapping pinned to the canvas and, with right sides together, line up the printed cotton over top of the canvas and the strapping and pin in place. Sew top and bottom edge with 1/2" seam allowance; keep the angled edges open.
5. Flip right side out through the open side edges and use iron to press edges flat. Topstitch along the top and bottom edge a scant 1/4" from the edge.
6. With wrong sides together, pin the two bag pieces together and sew the sides with a 1/4" seam allowance. Flip over to the wrong side, iron flat, pin, and sew the sides again with 1/2" seam allowance. Flip back to the right side and iron side seams flat.

1. Cut a 15" x 22" rectangle and a 2.5" x 6" rectangle out of the printed fabric.
2. With right sides together, fold the large rectangle in half matching long edges together. Pin and sew the long, raw edges together. Turn right side out and press the seam into the center.
3. Fold the short edges to the center, overlapping by 1/2" and press with iron.
4. Thread a needle with double thread and sew down the center with long up-and-down stitch, pull the ends tight to gather up the center of the bow, arrange the bow folds and tie a knot in the thread, and cut off the excess thread.
5. With the small cut rectangle, fold in the long edges to slightly overlap in the center, press with iron. fold one of the short edges in 1/2" and press with iron.
6. Wrap the small rectangle around the center of the bow, overlapping the folded edge over the raw edge. Trim excess off the raw edge as needed, and handstick onto the back of the bow.
7. Center the bow on the top of the bouquet bag, and hand stitch center in place, then hand stitch the top and bottom tips of the bow into place on the bag.

JOANN HACKS:

• Instead of hand stitching the bow onto the bag, you could use a dab of hot glue.