Are You Ready for Egg Hunting?
Get the kids involved in making these cute drawstring bags for your Easter egg hunt!
Easter Egg Hunt Bags
Our cute rabbit and chick bags are perfect if you are planning an Easter egg hunt this year. Why not get the kids to help make their own drawstring egg-collecting bag? If they are too young to use the sewing machine, keep them involved by providing them with felt, buttons, feathers and beads. These can be glued on once the bag is made and they can create their own Easter bunny, chick or creature from their imagination!
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How To Make Your Easter Hunt Bag
You will need:
Fabrics for the exterior and lining. A fat quarter of each per bag will be adequate.
Wadding or fleece (optional). This will depend on the thickness of your chosen fabrics. We used quilting cotton with a thin fleece to add body.
Ribbon for the drawstrings. You will need approximately 50cm of ribbon per bag cut into 2 equal pieces.
Threads.
Felt or other embellishments for the facial features.
Instructions
Print out your pattern and cut out all the pieces.
Pin the pattern to the fabric and cut out. You will need 2 x exterior fabric, 2 x lining and 2 x wadding if using.
Take the drawstring channel pieces and fold under 1cm at each short end. Press well. Stitch 2mm from the fold.
Fold under 1cm along each long edge and press well.
Pin the channel 3cm down from the top edge of the bag front and back. If you are using wadding, pin through this layer as well, treating the wadding and exterior fabric as a single layer.
Stitch along the long edges of the channel piece only, about 2mm in from the edge. Do not stitch across the short ends, these must remain open. Repeat for the other piece.
If you are stitching your embellishments to the bag then you should do this now. If you are glueing them you can do this later once the bag is complete.
FOR THE RABBIT: Place the ear pieces right sides together and stitch around the edges with a 0.5cm seam allowance. Leave the bottom edge unstitched. Turn through and press. Topstitch close to the edge, along both sides of the ears. Line up the open edges of the ears with the top edge of the bag front and stitch in place.
FOR THE CHICK: Cut wing shapes from felt and line up the bottom edges with the side seams of the bag's front exterior. Stitch in place.
Take the lining pieces and place them face down on top of the bag front and back so that the right sides of the fabric are facing each other (The rabbit ears / chick wings will be in between the 2 layers). Pin and then stitch along the top edges with a 1cm seam allowance.
Take the bag and lining pieces and open them out. Place them right sides together, matching all edges. Pin, then stitch the sides together with a 1cm seam allowance.
Stitch the bottom seam of the bag exterior. Stitch across the bag corners pressing them together so that the side and base seams are aligned.
Repeat this process with the lining, but leave a 4-5cm opening in the base seam to allow for turning.
Turn the bag right side out through the gap you left in the lining. Press the top edge of the bag making sure that the seam between the exterior and the lining is right at the top of the bag. Topstitch around the top edge of the bag about 2mm from the edge through all layers.
Fold under the raw edges of the opening and stitch closed.
Give the bag a press or a steam. Thread the ribbons through the drawstring channel. Start on one side, thread through the channel and back through the channel on the other side. Tie the 2 ends together. Repeat this process with the remaining ribbon from the other side of the bag.
If you need to glue any embellishments to your bag, do this now. Once dry, pull the ribbons to close the bag.
You are all set for an Easter egg hunt!
If you missed our earlier post, follow the link to see our other ideas for things to make with children over the Easter break.
Happy sewing!
Suzanne, Charlotte and Rebecca