The 'crafting bug' seems strongest when the cooler weather arrives. For sewers, visions of upcoming holiday times means searching for quick and easy to sew gifting ideas, seasonal home décor items to make, and fun fall festivals and craft bazaars to attend – great for new crafting ideas.

A useful re-use/re-purpose/recycle idea is to make fabric coverings for saved soft margarine or whipped topping tubs, milk, bleach, liquid machine detergent or liquid fabric softener bottles (rinsed thoroughly, cut off to desired height) or any glass container or Mason-type glass jar. These and a few fabric scraps, a small amount of polyester or cotton batting, and bits of ribbons and laces can be transformed into beautiful containers to become renewed and repurposed as candy dishes, plant containers, potpourri holders, or to hold silk flower arrangements for centerpieces and much more. The possibilities and gift ideas are endless.

Fabric Containers Instructions

If your fabric seems to need a little stiffening, try using a liquid fabric starch to first pre-treat the fabric, dry and press smooth. The batting is used to allow the fabric to pouf out a bit around the container, giving it a soft, somewhat rounded shape. Using whatever container you have chosen, measure for the size of your batting to encircle the container; the top edge to bottom edge for the width and around the container for length and cut out. For a very soft shape cut double the length. With needle and thread, whip the ends of the batting together to hold it securely or hot glue in place.

For the fabric cover, turn your container over, and drape fabric over the top. Cut out a circular shape that will be enough to cover the container plus an additional two or three inches. Sew lace to edge of circle if desired, or using pinking shears to edge finish so the fabric will not ravel.

Using a long running stitch placed about one to two inches inside the outer edge of the circle of fabric in order to later gather the circle close to the container’s top edge. Place the batting covered container in the center of the fabric circle and pull up the running stitch to gather. Adjust the gathers as you pull slightly until the gathered edge is close against the top edge of the container. Tie off. Encircle the top edge of the container with ribbon, lace or jute or sisal cord to conceal the gathering stitches and glue or sew in place.

For keepsakes and gift ideas, fill your containers with wrapped candies, small sewing items, colorful paper clips, potpourri in a tulle bag, small silk flowers, or live plants. The containers are easy to make and practical to hold just about any type of small items and make great crafting gift ideas.

Sew happy, sew well to recyle, reuse, repurpose, renew!

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