Sometimes curtains are cute, but just not the right look for the room. Repurpose those curtains into a practical and pretty bucket bag to carry all your treasures around. A girl can never have too many bags and purses. This kind of treasure bag can be used as a simple purse, but it can also be used to bring books back to the library, carrying gifts to friends, or even pet supplies for the day.
Expanding the dimensions of the bag just a little, by using a serving plate instead of a dinner plate as the template, can yield a bag big enough to hold your necessaries when hitting the gym or the beach. And if you're really clever, you'll still have some curtain left over, so why not make a matching tank top or hat for a fully coordinated look.
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There are a lot of steps, but don't be afraid. Each step is fairly easy. And the draw string is optional if you're not into grommets or don't have the tool.
Materials
- Curtain for outer and/or lining
- Fleece
- Iron-on interfacing, we used Heat Bond
- Iron and ironing surface
- Sewing scissors
- Rotary cutter
- Cutting mat, we used a MemOffice Self-Healing Rotary
- Ruler, such as a Quilt & Sew graduated ruler
- Measuring tape
- Marking tool, fabric pencil or other
- Dinner plate, standard 8 inches
- Straight pins
- Sewing machine with appropriate thread
- Sewing needle with appropriate thread
- Hole maker, grommet tool and grommets
- Heavy yarn in a color matching the other fabrics
- Fleece
- Iron-on interfacing, we used Heat Bond
- Iron and ironing surface
- Sewing scissors
- Rotary cutter
- Cutting mat, we used a MemOffice Self-Healing Rotary
- Ruler, such as a Quilt & Sew graduated ruler
- Measuring tape
- Marking tool, fabric pencil or other
- Dinner plate, standard 8 inches
- Straight pins
- Sewing machine with appropriate thread
- Sewing needle with appropriate thread
- Hole maker, grommet tool and grommets
- Heavy yarn in a color matching the other fabrics
DIY Everywhere
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Instructions
1. Lay the curtain (outer fabric) on work surface and smooth.
2. Place the plate on your outer fabric.
3. Draw trace around the plate.
4. Cut out the circle.
5. Repeat above procedure with the lining fabric, fleece and interfacing.
6. Match the three pieces four pieces together with the outer and lining pieces on the ends.
7. Measure the circumference of the plate with the measuring tape.
8. Lay the remainder of the curtain (outer fabric on the board).
9. Mark the length of a rectangle on the outer fabric that is half of the circumference plus a seam allowance.
10. Measure the width side of the rectangle to be 11 inches.
11. Cut out the rectangle.
12. Repeat with other three fabrics.
13. Iron the fabric circles together, bonding.
14. Fold the outer rectangles length-ways, with the pattern inside.
15. Pin around the sides.
16. Do the same with the inner rectangles.
17. Sew the edges of each the fabric, leaving a 2-inch gap.
18. Pin one circle to the open side of the outer rectangle.
19. Sew around the circle.
20. Repeat with the inner rectangle.
21. Turn out the bags, through the 2-inch openings.
22. Nest the two bags, one inside the other, patterns together.
23. Pin the bags right sides together.
24. Sew the pinned area, leaving a 2-inch gap.
25. Turn out through the gap.
26. Reach inside the bag and hand-sew up the gap.
27. Smooth out the bag and iron the edges.
28. Cut a rectangle from the remaining outer fabric curtain, about 8 inches by 16 inches for a strap.
29. Cut the same out of the interfacing.
30. Iron the strap and interfacing together.
31. Fold the strap in thirds and iron again.
32. Sew the length of the strap to secure.
33. Pin one side of the strap to the top seam edge, about 2 inches down.
Pro tip: Sew the strap upside down and fold back up to sew a doubled area for more strength.
34. Pin and sew the strap to the other side of the bag to complete the strap.
35. Measure 2 inches from the side across the top of the bag, all the way around.
36. Using the hole-making tool, poke holes.
37. Install grommets in the holes using the grommet tool.
38. Thread the yard through the grommets to make a drawstring.
39. Tie the yarn into an attractive bow. It’s ready to carry your treasures!
2. Place the plate on your outer fabric.
3. Draw trace around the plate.
4. Cut out the circle.
5. Repeat above procedure with the lining fabric, fleece and interfacing.
6. Match the three pieces four pieces together with the outer and lining pieces on the ends.
7. Measure the circumference of the plate with the measuring tape.
8. Lay the remainder of the curtain (outer fabric on the board).
9. Mark the length of a rectangle on the outer fabric that is half of the circumference plus a seam allowance.
10. Measure the width side of the rectangle to be 11 inches.
11. Cut out the rectangle.
12. Repeat with other three fabrics.
13. Iron the fabric circles together, bonding.
14. Fold the outer rectangles length-ways, with the pattern inside.
15. Pin around the sides.
16. Do the same with the inner rectangles.
17. Sew the edges of each the fabric, leaving a 2-inch gap.
18. Pin one circle to the open side of the outer rectangle.
19. Sew around the circle.
20. Repeat with the inner rectangle.
21. Turn out the bags, through the 2-inch openings.
22. Nest the two bags, one inside the other, patterns together.
23. Pin the bags right sides together.
24. Sew the pinned area, leaving a 2-inch gap.
25. Turn out through the gap.
26. Reach inside the bag and hand-sew up the gap.
27. Smooth out the bag and iron the edges.
28. Cut a rectangle from the remaining outer fabric curtain, about 8 inches by 16 inches for a strap.
29. Cut the same out of the interfacing.
30. Iron the strap and interfacing together.
31. Fold the strap in thirds and iron again.
32. Sew the length of the strap to secure.
33. Pin one side of the strap to the top seam edge, about 2 inches down.
Pro tip: Sew the strap upside down and fold back up to sew a doubled area for more strength.
34. Pin and sew the strap to the other side of the bag to complete the strap.
35. Measure 2 inches from the side across the top of the bag, all the way around.
36. Using the hole-making tool, poke holes.
37. Install grommets in the holes using the grommet tool.
38. Thread the yard through the grommets to make a drawstring.
39. Tie the yarn into an attractive bow. It’s ready to carry your treasures!