Clothes are both a financial and anemotional investment, and they are always worth protecting. Even when hanging up in a closet, clothes may be vulnerable to dust, bugs and too much light exposure. When it comes to the most expensive or irreplaceable clothes, it can often be best to place them into a garment bag to preserve them.
A garment bag protects the item but also can keep the pieces of an outfit together and keep the outfit wrinkle free. This project calls for a basic bed sheet that transforms into a garment bag when you apply some sewing techniques. Choose a sheet with thicker fabric to make the bag travel worthy. Fancy buttons and a bow at the top make the bag pretty enough to hang in a room insted of in a closet.
Advertisement
Materials
- Bed sheet, washed and pressed (if necessary)
- Fabric scissors
- Measuring tape
- Washable marker
- See-through ruler (Martha Stewart Gold Metal Edge ruler or something similar)
- Sewing machine with buttonhole function and coordinating thread
- Ironing surface
- Iron
- Seam ripper
- Binding tape
- Straight pins
- Buttons (tutorial uses seven flat buttons 1 1/2 inches across)
- Needle and thread
- Clothes hanger
- Bed sheet, washed and pressed (if necessary)
- Fabric scissors
- Measuring tape
- Washable marker
- See-through ruler (Martha Stewart Gold Metal Edge ruler or something similar)
- Sewing machine with buttonhole function and coordinating thread
- Ironing surface
- Iron
- Seam ripper
- Binding tape
- Straight pins
- Buttons (tutorial uses seven flat buttons 1 1/2 inches across)
- Needle and thread
- Clothes hanger
DIY Everywhere
Instructions
1. Lay out the bed sheet, with the pattern showing, and smooth out all wrinkles.
2. Measure from the bottom right up 25 inches, and draw a line out from the edge with the marker.
3. From that line, measure out 43 inches, making a corner with the marker.
4. Cut from the bottom edge, straight up to the corner mark.
5. Stop at the mark, and turn the fabric.
6. Cut from that corner, straight to the edge, to create a rectangle.
7. Carefully cut off the hemmed edges.
8. Fold in half lengthwise.
9. Lay the rectangle out flat, pattern up, short side at the top.
10. Measure 5 inches from the bottom right edge, and make a mark.
11. Measure down from the top right edge 1 1/2 inches, and make a mark.
12. Using the ruler, draw a line between the two marks. This forms a triangle.
13. Cut along the line.
14. Lay the cut fabric, folded, on the original piece of fabric, both with their patterned sides facing upward.
15. Measure 2 inches above the folded side.
16. Mark around the other three sides.
17. Cut out the second piece along the marked lines.
18. Match and place the four sides together in pairs.
19. Sew one pair together on the long side to create three pieces: the piece just sewn (forming the back of the bag) and two halves.
20. Turn the edge of the long sides down 2 inches on the two half pieces.
21. Iron the folds.
22. Sew along the edges of the folds to secure them
23. Smooth the bag upright on the surface.
24. Measure from the top five inches, and make a mark on each half. Measure 5 more inches, and make a mark. Do this seven times in all.
25. On the right side half, use the buttonhole attachment on the sewing machine to make buttonholes centering on the seven marks. (You may need to measure the buttons first, adding 1/4 inch extra).
26. Cut open the buttonholes with the seam ripper, and cut away excess thread.
27. Hold up bias tape (binding tape) to the bottom edge of the right front.
28. Cut enough tape to cover that straight edge.
29. Pin the tape in place open.
30. Repeat for the top on each side.
31. Sew the tape into place.
32. Pin the three pieces together with the patterned sides together.
33. Sew on the four outer sides, leaving a gap at the top.
34. Turn the bag right-side out.
35. Make a mark in the center of each buttonhole.
36. Sew on the buttons by hand on those marks.
36. Wiggle a hanger into the bag and up through the opening at the top.
1. Lay out the bed sheet, with the pattern showing, and smooth out all wrinkles.
2. Measure from the bottom right up 25 inches, and draw a line out from the edge with the marker.
3. From that line, measure out 43 inches, making a corner with the marker.
4. Cut from the bottom edge, straight up to the corner mark.
5. Stop at the mark, and turn the fabric.
6. Cut from that corner, straight to the edge, to create a rectangle.
7. Carefully cut off the hemmed edges.
8. Fold in half lengthwise.
9. Lay the rectangle out flat, pattern up, short side at the top.
10. Measure 5 inches from the bottom right edge, and make a mark.
11. Measure down from the top right edge 1 1/2 inches, and make a mark.
12. Using the ruler, draw a line between the two marks. This forms a triangle.
13. Cut along the line.
14. Lay the cut fabric, folded, on the original piece of fabric, both with their patterned sides facing upward.
15. Measure 2 inches above the folded side.
16. Mark around the other three sides.
17. Cut out the second piece along the marked lines.
18. Match and place the four sides together in pairs.
19. Sew one pair together on the long side to create three pieces: the piece just sewn (forming the back of the bag) and two halves.
20. Turn the edge of the long sides down 2 inches on the two half pieces.
21. Iron the folds.
22. Sew along the edges of the folds to secure them
23. Smooth the bag upright on the surface.
24. Measure from the top five inches, and make a mark on each half. Measure 5 more inches, and make a mark. Do this seven times in all.
25. On the right side half, use the buttonhole attachment on the sewing machine to make buttonholes centering on the seven marks. (You may need to measure the buttons first, adding 1/4 inch extra).
26. Cut open the buttonholes with the seam ripper, and cut away excess thread.
27. Hold up bias tape (binding tape) to the bottom edge of the right front.
28. Cut enough tape to cover that straight edge.
29. Pin the tape in place open.
30. Repeat for the top on each side.
31. Sew the tape into place.
32. Pin the three pieces together with the patterned sides together.
33. Sew on the four outer sides, leaving a gap at the top.
34. Turn the bag right-side out.
35. Make a mark in the center of each buttonhole.
36. Sew on the buttons by hand on those marks.
36. Wiggle a hanger into the bag and up through the opening at the top.
Advertisement