Are You Giving A Quilt As A Gift?

A fun quilt gift giving idea that you'll want to use from here on out!

Now that you’ve finally finished up those quilts that you're giving your loved ones for the holidays this year, you have to figure out how to wrap it. I'm sure you're aware: quilts are totally lame to wrap. They're weird and floppy, they're squishy and they're obviously quilts.

I have a solution!

Use your scraps or extra blocks leftover from the project to make a matching/coordinating drawstring bag for gifting or storing!

You can piece blocks or use strip piecing to make a fun striped version, or you can make an improv bag like mine!

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Your List of Supplies

• Fabric scraps

• Fusible interfacing - I love this Pellon Wonder Web that comes prepackaged because I don't use interfacing very often and love that this has product details so I can keep it organized with my other hodgepodge of items, but they DO sell it on bolts by the yard at most fabric shops and that would be a great option if you are making more than one bag.

• Iron + Ironing board

• Approximately 1 1/2 yards of cotton webbing or ribbon (for your drawstring)

• A safety pin - we're going fishing!

Step 1: Piece your fabrics

You can follow the same pattern as your quilt or sew the fabric scraps together completely without order. You'll essentially be creating a small quilt top that measures about 24" x 42".

Square up your edges.

Step 2: Iron on the interfacing

Cut your interfacing to match the measurements of your pieced top.

Place an old towel over your ironing board to avoid any interfacing mishaps from ruining your ironing board cover.

Lay your mini quilt seam sides up and place the interfacing adhesive side down (the adhesive side has the little bumps).

Now iron the back (smooth) side of the interfacing, pressing for about 5 seconds. Check to make sure that the little adhesive dots are starting to melt and begin moving the iron around. Once all of the adhesive has melted, you're finished and you can let the piece cool off a bit.

ZigZag stitch the edges

Sew a zigzag stitch around all four edges. If you have an overlock machine, this would be a great time to use it!

Sew into a pouch

Fold your fabric in half (hamburger style!) with right sides together. Pin one short edge and the long edge together and sew a 1/4 inch seam, making sure to backstitch at your start and stop.

Buttonhole it up

Using either your button hole stitch on your machine, or this classic button hole tutorial , create two holes for your drawstring leads along the top opening 1 1/2" from your zigzagged edge.

Sew the casing.

With the bag still inside out, fold the raw edge out and over to create a casing with the zigzagged edge placed approximately 1" from the fold. Pin in place. Sew the casing shut along the zigzagged edge.

Fish the drawstring

Attach the safety pin to one edge of your ribbon or webbing. Insert it into one of the buttonholes and slide the safety pin around the casing to the second buttonhole by scrunching and releasing the fabric around the pin. Exit through the buttonhole.

Turn it out

Turn the bag right side out and fill with your folded quilt. Tighten the drawstring and tie the ends into bows and get that baby ready to gift!

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Share your makes!

I love seeing how your projects turn out and would love to see your lovely gifts this holiday season! Be sure to tag me on Instagram @UrbanDwellStudio