Bean Bags

Here's a great project that my mom came up with! She's a genius. You can visit her blog at www.madetomother.com. I'll post the pictures below. You have no idea how hard it is to do pictures and get them where you want!

1. First, you'll need to pick a template for your beanbag. A square card or piece of rectangular cardboard would serve you well. You could even make a circular or heart-shaped bag.
2. Now, cut out your piece. If the fabric is a little on the flimsy side, use fusible interfacing fused to the wrong side of your fabric, following the manufacturer's directions.
3. My mom's sewing machine has the ability to embroider; she made 6 of each color she chose and embroidered our names, the color of the bag and the number it represented. For example, red was #1 and blue was #2. Now would be your time to embroider it on the fabric.
4. Next, fold your fabric right sides together and make your seam allowance very small; lining up the edge of your fabric to the edge of the presser foot makes an accurate seam allowance.
5. Only go half way up the third side to leave room for turning the fabric right side out. Be sure to back-stitch.
6. Clip the corners and turn it right side out, pulling out the corners with a pin.
7. Fill the bag with dried beans like white beans, navy beans or you can use dry rice or wheat berries which give it a distinctive aroma. Hey! You could even use a really pretty fabric or something see-through and fill it with potpourri or rose petals! Measure out the amount you want it filled; for example, 1/2 cup for every bag. That way, you'll have equal amounts in each.
8. Now, fold the raw edges in and sew it shut either by machine or by hand-stitching (whip-stitch). Ta-da!!! First, you'll need to pick a template for your beanbag. A square card or piece of rectangular cardboard would serve you well. You could even make a circular or heart-shaped bag.
9. Now, cut out your piece. If the fabric is a little on the flimsy side, use fusible interfacing fused to the wrong side of your fabric, following the manufacturer's directions.
10. My mom's sewing machine has the ability to embroider; she made 6 of each color she chose and embroidered our names, the color of the bag and the number it represented. For example, red was #1 and blue was #2. Now would be your time to embroider it on the fabric.
11. Next, fold your fabric right sides together and make your seam allowance very small; lining up the edge of your fabric to the edge of the presser foot makes an accurate seam allowance.
12. Only go half way up the third side to leave room for turning the fabric right side out. Be sure to back-stitch.
13. Clip the corners and turn it right side out, pulling out the corners with a pin.
14. Fill the bag with dried beans like white beans, navy beans or you can use dry rice or wheat berries which give it a distinctive aroma. Hey! You could even use a really pretty fabric or something see-through and fill it with potpourri or rose petals! Measure out the amount you want it filled; for example, 1/2 cup for every bag. That way, you'll have equal amounts in each.
15. Now, fold the raw edges in and sew it shut either by machine or by hand-stitching (whip-stitch). Ta-da!!! You have yourself a beautiful, easy to make, handcrafted bean bag or sachet!