Pillowcase Embroidery Bag

Materials:

pillowcase
scissors
embroidery needle
embroidery thread, variety of colors
embroidery hoop
10 flat buttons
2 raised buttons
2 yards of rickrack
1 bottle "no fray" glue
1 bottle of textile adhesive

Steps:

1. Lay the pillowcase flat.

2. Cut the side seams from the top edge (opening) up each side 12 inches (figure A).

3. Apply no fray glue to the cut edges.

4. On the front fold each of the cut corners in toward the center with wrong sides together forming a triangle. Using colorful embroidery thread, sew a running stitch from the point of the triangle down the middle (figure B). Repeat with the back side of the pillowcase (figure C).

5. Whip stitch the raw edges of each triangle using different color embroidery thread (figure D).

6. Fold the bottom of the pillowcase up toward the top and sew each side together with a whipstitch using a different color embroidery thread.

7. Sew in pockets by sewing running stitches to divide the big pocket into as many sections as desired (figure E).

8. Pull a threaded needle through the points of a length of rickrack and fasten the thread into a circle to make a rickrack posie. Glue the raised buttons to the top of the posies and sew the bottom of the button to the pillowcase, one on each side just above where the pocket is located (figure F).

9. Decorate the large embroidery hoop with rickrack and buttons as desired using textile adhesive. Decorate the smaller hoop with rickrack only (figure G).

10. Braid three favorite colors of embroidery thread into two small lengths. Knot the ends and fasten one to each of the pillowcase points for button loops.

11. Place one embroidery hoop on the outside of the pillowcase between the point and the button (figure H). Fold the point down toward the button and fasten the braided loop over the button enclosing the hoop in between (figure I). Repeat with the second embroidery hoop on the other side. The hoops will become the handles of the bag.

12. Decorate the pockets with your favorite embroidery designs (figure J).

Website: www.greydelisle.com