Tutorial: Bottle Bag ... great Christmas gift!

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This is something I'm putting together for work but will gladly share it here first!

Do you want to make something for someone special but hard to buy for this Christmas? Why not a bottle bag?

BOTTLE BAG

Materials:

• 17cm (6 ¾”) of 110-115cm (44-45") wide holiday or novelty print fabric 23cm (9” of fabric for a larger bottle)
• Approximately 50cm (19 ¾”) of 2.5cm (1")  wide or narrower ribbon
• Bodkin or safety pin
• Taylors chalk
• Scissors
• Thread

STEP 1

Cutting the fabric

Cut a 17cm (6 3/4") wide band of fabric leaving the fold intact. Measure 46cm (18") from the fold and cut so that you have a 17cm x 46cm (6" X 18") piece of folded fabric.

STEP 2

Marking the fabric

Working with the fabric folded and the right sides together, mark both sides of the fabric, with a dot 26.5cm (10 1/2") and 29cm (11 1/2") from the folded edge on each side.

STEP 3

Stitching the side seams

Using a 1/4" seam allowance, stitch the side seams, leaving the 2.5cm (1") area between the blue dots un-stitched. Backstitch where you stop and start stitching to reinforce the seam.
Press the seam open, clipping the seam allowance at the fold.
Apply a seam finish to the seam allowance raw edges.

STEP 4

Square the bottom of the bag

At the bottom of the bag, fold the fabric to match the seam line with the bottom fold line, creating a triangle.
Measure 2.5cm (1") from the point in on the seam allowance.
Stitch perpendicular to the side seam, as shown in the diagram.

STEP 5

Preparing the top of the bag

Turn under 1/4" on the top of the bag, bringing wrong sides of the fabric together. Press well.

Step 5 cont.

Fold the top of the bag, wrong sides together, so that the turned under top edge is just below the bottom of the opening in the side seam.

Press the top folded edge keeping the fold even across the top of the bag. 

 

STEP 6

Sew the Ribbon Casing

Stitch on each side of the side seam opening, to create a casing for the ribbon.

 

STEP 7

Drawstring, Alterations & Tips

Press the bag as it was sewn. Turn the bag right side out and press.
Use a safety pin or bodkin to thread the ribbon into the casing. Thread the ribbon around the casing twice, bringing the ribbon in opposite directions through the front casing, with one end out each side.
Place the bottle in the bag. Gather the casing by pulling the ribbon. Tie the ribbon, enclosing the front of the bag.

 

Additional Ideas

• Use machine embroidery on the centre of the bag before assembling.
• Appliqué an image on the front of the bag before assembly
• Use glitter and metallic fabric for a special New Years Eve gift bag.
• For a larger bottle, such as the 1.5 litre bottles, change the width of the 17cm (6 ¾”) measurement to 24.5cm (9") and make the bottom corner stitches, 5cm (2") in from the end of the triangle.
• Leave out the casing and simply use a ribbon to tie around the outside

Leave out the casing and attach a handle to the bag on the outside (see instructions below)

BOTTLE BAG WITH HANDLE

Materials as for bottle bag

STEP 1

Fabric cutting as for bottle bag

For the strap cut one strip 68CM (26 ¾”) from fold and 6cm (2 ¼”) wide.

STEP 2

Marking the fabric

Working with the fabric folded and the right sides together, mark both sides of the fabric, with a dot 29cm (11 1/2") and at 27cm (3/4” further down) from the folded edge on each side.

STEP 3

Stitching the side seams

Using a 1/4" seam allowance, stitch the side seams.  

Press the seam open, clipping the seam allowance at the fold.
Apply a seam finish to the seam allowance raw edges. 

STEP 4

As for the bottle bag

STEP 5

Preparing the top of the bag

Turn under 1/4" on the top of the bag, bringing wrong sides of the fabric together. Press well. 

Fold the top of the bag, wrong sides together, so that the turned under top edge is just below the bottom of the marks made at the side seam.

Press the top folded edge keeping the fold even across the top of the bag.

STEP 6

Preparing the handle

Fold the fabric strip in half lengthways and stitch together.  

Using a bodkin or loop turner turn the handle right side out.
Press and fold back 2cm of each end. Press these flat.

STEP 7

Attaching the handle

Attach the folded back ends just under the stitch line at the top of the bag.  

Reinforce the handle with a cross stitch.

STEP 8

Tie the top of the bag with a ribbon

 

Please note I am happy to share this. It is not exactly something original! If you do use it please refer back to me and remember all images and words are mine.

If you do make one please let me know, I'd love to see it and also would love to know if the instructions are ok :)