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Why do kids like toys with so many itty bitty little pieces?* I guess it increases the fun factor.* Tiny brushes.* Tiny shoes.* Tiny tea pot sets.* Tiny cars.* Well, my little girl really wants some new Polly Pockets for Christmas….and when she told me that, I almost tried talking her out of it.* But then I suddenly thought, “well, hey, if I can just make her a little bag to carry it all in…..then it won’t* be so bad.”
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So that’s what I did.
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I made a clear vinyl cinched-up pouch……that she can easily tote around with her little rubber-clothed dolls inside.* And then made another one that was larger, to carry a bigger collection of blocks……for my little guy.* Because we all know those blocks will end up scattered.* And homeless.* (And somehow under my bare feet.* Ouch.)
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No more anxiety, wondering where all the little pieces of your children’s toys will go.*
Just bag it up and make it fun for them to put all their pieces back into their special bag.
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See?* Now Polly Pocket and her friends have a place to stay.* No more random rubber skirts laying around the house.
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Now, just imagine a whole collection of these……filled with all sorts of things.*
Bathroom supplies, makeup, markers, craft supplies, etc.* Whatever you need.* And the vinyl makes it easy to see what’s inside.
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A perfect way to
keep things organized.* And
pretty.* And
easy to see.
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Would you like to customize your own clear toy storage bags?- Main Fabric (The amount you need will depend on the size bag you make…….make your calculations below to decide how much you’ll need)
- Thicker Clear Vinyl (At Joann’s, I bought 17 gauge vinyl I think.* The amount you need will depend on the size bag you make…….make your calculations below to decide.)
- Fusible Interfacing (only enough for the two circle pieces for the bottom)
- A Cord Pull* (I bought mine at Joann’s)
First, choose what size bag you want.* Then find a circle of some sort to trace (a bowl, a cup, a canister) that is about the size you want the bottom of your bag to be.* You will use the measurements of this circle to cut out the other pieces of your bag.* Use the following equations to determine the size of your pieces.
(
Just as a mini math refresher course, the circumference of a circle is the measurement all the way around a circle.* The diameter of a circle is the distance across the circle.* Remember?* Ok, good.* Let’s move on.)
Bottom Circle Piece: whatever size you want your circle to be
Vinyl Piece:*
height = circle diameter x 0.75*
length = circle circumference + 1/2 inch
Upper Fabric Piece:*
height = circle diameter x 0.75 x 2*
length = circle circumference + 1/2 inch
Pull String Piece:*
height = 1.5 inches*
length = circle circumference + 4 inches
Now, that you have your measurements……….
cut 2 circles out in your fabric, 2 circles of interfacing, 1 vinyl piece, 1 upper fabric piece, and 1 pull string piece.
**Now, just so you can see that math in action……..here are the measurements I used for the little orange polka dot bag.* (And if you found a circle that was exactly the same size as mine, you could use my measurements.)
My Circle: diameter = 5 inches*
circumference = 15.7 inches* (remember, the circumference = diameter x 3.14…..so you don’t actually have to measure around the circle.)
Vinyl Piece:*
hieght = 3.75 inches*
length = 16.2 inches
Upper Fabric Piece:* height = 7.5 inches
length = 16.2 inches
Pull String Piece:*
height = 1.5 inches*
length = 19.7 inches
First, iron your interfacing pieces to the wrong side of both fabric circle pieces.
***Before you start sewing…….review
these tips for sewing with vinyl (that tends to stick).
Then fold your vinyl piece into a tube and sew the two ends together, using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.* Sew another seam next to the first, just for added strength.
Next, pin your two circles together, with wrong sides facing each other…..so that the interfacing sides are sandwiched together.* Then start pinning the sandwiched circles to the right side of the vinyl tube.* Pin all the way around, using plenty of pins as you go.* ***Remember, pinning something straight to something that is curved can be tricky.* Just manipulate the fabric as best you can to fit inside that circle.
Now, sew the circle the and vinyl together, using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.* And don’t worry……just sew a few stitches at a time, adjust, then sew a few more.* This will take some patience as you go around the circle.* Then trim off the edges a bit and then zig-zag all the way around, with a narrow zig-zag stitch.
Turn the tube right side out.* You will really have to pinch the edges and bit and flatten the vinyl out with your fingers to get it to lay the way you want it.
Then zig-zag or serge the two short ends of your upper fabric piece.* Then fold your fabric piece in half and with right sides together, sew the two ends together with a 1/4 inch seam allowance.* Iron the 2 ends open from the inside of the tube.
Now, fold the top of the tube fabric down, revealing the right side of the fabric.* Fold it exactly in half, matching up the raw ends along the bottom.* So now there’s a fold along the top of the tube and 2 raw edges along the bottom.* Iron the fold flat.
Now, make a seam that is a 1/2 inch from the top of the folded edge.* Then up-pick the stitches along the side seam of the tube that are above the seam you just made parallel to the top fold.* Unpick the stitches on both sides.* (You’ll only be unpicking a 1/2 inch of stitches on the front and a 1/2 inch of stitches on the back.)
Now, slide the tube down upside down over the vinyl.* Match up the top of the vinyl with the two bottom raw edges of the fabric.* Sew them together with a 1/4 inch seam allowance, then trim and zig-zag the edges.* Set aside.
Now, fold your pull string piece in half lengthwise, with wrong sides together.* Iron flat. Then open it up and fold each edge into the center along that ironed fold.* Iron again.* Then sew closed.
Now, using a safety pin at one end of the pull string, thread it through the top casing of the bag.* Place the two ends through a cord pull then tie each end into a knot.
Now you’re all set.*
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And ready to stuff your bag with toys.* Or supplies.* Or whatever.
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This post is sponsored by:
Clear Toy Storage Bags (with drawstring closure)
Threaded Mode
