big.inhackney x The New Craft House Fabric Tutorials

We teamed up with big. this winter to offer an alternative to wasteful wrapping paper, using deadstock fabric instead. Looking for something to turn your fabric wrapping into? These easy projects are a great place to start. 

Hair Scrunchie

This project is a simple way to turn a basic black bobble into something much more special and you don't even need a sewing machine to make it!

Supplies

A scrap of fabric, about 9cm x 33cm (the more fabric you use the more scrunch you’ll get)
Scissors
A plain hair bobble
A needle 
Thread to match your fabric

Steps

1. Cut your fabric to the desired length, we recommend around 30cm. 

2. Wrap the right sides of your fabric strip together around the hair bobble. You’ll have to move the fabric around, bunching it up as you go This can be a little fiddly, don’t worry if the fabric keeps slipping as you’re going to secure it with stitches in the next step. 

3. Tie a knot in the end of your thread, thread your needle and sew the fabric together along the raw edge using a running stitch, about 1cm away from the raw edges. Keep your stitches fairly small to secure the fabric well. When you reach the other end, tie off the thread. 

4. You should now have a tube of fabric around the bobble. Turn this tube the right way around.

5. Fold under the raw edges at the each end of the tube and sew the two ends together, using a slip stitch to keep the stitches hidden.  

Wash Bag Tutorial

If you have access to a sewing machine and would like to try something a bit tricker, follow our tutorial to make the perfect wash bag. This tutorial can be made in any size, try it smaller or larger. The sizes we've indicated here are to make a fairly large bag but you could make a mini pouch for your handbag or something larger to go travelling with.

Supplies

Fabric - depending on the size of your fabric wrapping you may or may not have enough to make a bag this size. You can make a smaller bag, use other scrap fabric from around the house or buy more from us here.
Foam - you could also use a batting/wadding
Lining
30cm Zip, we've used one of our Monochrome Zips 
Scissors
Sewing machine

Steps

1. Cut out two 33cm x 20cm pieces of your fabric, your lining and your foam padding. If you would like a more structured bag you can double up on the padding, cutting four pieces.

2. On both bottom corners on every piece, cut out two 5cm squares. These will help to create the boxed bottom to your pouch. Cut out an extra two 11cm x 4cm pieces of your fabric. These will be the tabs to cover the end of your zip.

3. Fold in each side of your small fabric tabs to the centre and finger press. Fold in half again so that you have a little tab with no raw edges exposed. Place your fabric tabs around both ends of your zip, they should reach the edge of the zip ends. Straight stitch across both of your fabric tabs, trying to get as close as possible to the zip. A zipper foot will help!

4. Time to layer up! With the right sides facing up, lay your zip along the top edge of one of your pieces of lining. Put one of your front fabric pieces on top, right sides together. Place the the foam piece on top. Make sure that all your layers line up along the top edge then pin. Stitch together right across the top edge using a 1cm seam allowance. Make sure you don’t hit the teeth of the zip as you go!

5. Fold back all layers of fabric away from the zip then repeat step 4 for the other side of the pouch, sandwiching your zip and stitching as before.

6. Open flat, with all layers of fabric pushed away from the zip so that you have the zip down the middle. Stitch a line of topstitching 3mm away from each side of the zipper teeth. This will stop your fabric getting caught as you use the zip.

7. Unzip your zipper half-way then open up the layers and fold both pieces of main fabric to one side, right sides together. Repeat for the lining so they’re both on the other side, right sides together. Pin together all the way around.

8. Stitch around the edges and bases using a 1.5cm seam allowance. Leave a gap of about 7cm at the bottom of the lining and don’t stitch around the cut out squares. 

9. Fold your cut out square corners so the raw edges line up together in a straight line. Pin together then stitch with a 1.5cm seam allowance.

10. Turn your pouch the right way round through the gap you left in your lining. Use a slip stitch to hand sew the gap closed or topstitch on the machine.

Your wash bag is finished!