Sew a Drawstring Library Bag

My girls LOVE books.

I have always read to them. When I was pregnant I read aloud (only at home of course... crazy lady at 2 o'clock) and as babies I would sit them on my lap and read my magazines and books and their children's books to them, they still love being read to, only now that my eldest can read, she loves to read her books to her little sister.
When I'm asked what they would like for Birthdays, Christmas and so on, books are always on their list.
So it may surprise you that we have all only just joined the local library. The girls were beside themselves with excitement and couldn't wait to get their little hands on their very own library card.
On our first visit I gave them a limit of 3 books each. What a dilemma. I ultimately managed to convince them that they will be able to come back time and again and eventually borrow all the books they were deliberating over.
Once in the car the girls were chatting excitedly about their first visit to the library when my eldest pipes up with "Mummy we really should have a library bag to keep these books safe you know"

With those words came our next project...

Sewing a Drawstring Library Bag

It's easy I promise and will only take you about 15mins

You will need

Fabric 76cm W x 46cm L

1m of cord or ribbon

thread

and all the other necessary sewing equipment, sewing machine, scissors, pins and an iron. 

1. Finish all the edges of your piece of fabric either with an overlocker or zigzag stitch.

2. Turn over the finished edge of the fabric down to approximately 7 to 10cm on each side of the fabric and press, then turn over the top finished edge of the fabric and press. It should look like this...

3. Turn over the top edge again 2.5cm and press, this should create enough room for the drawstring to be threaded through depending on the size of the ribbon or cord you have selected.

4. Using a straight stitch, sew along the bottom edge of the fold ensuring you are catching the finished edge underneath and backstitch at the beginning and end.

5. Fold your fabric in half printed sides in together. It should look like this and measure approximately 37cm W now. 

6. Using a straight stitch, sew along the bottom and side finished edges, stopping about 1cm from the top of the folded edge. Don't forget to backstitch at the start and end.

Yay you're almost done.

7. Turn your bag right side out and thread your ribbon or cord through the drawstring sleeve. Sew or singe the ends of your ribbon to prevent them from fraying and tie them together.

DADA! Stand back and admire your handywork. Well done, I told you it was easy didn't I.

I don't like the ends of my ribbon even so I tied mine so that the ribbon ends fell at slightly different lengths. 

The girls both wanted the same fabric so they each chose different ribbons in order to tell them apart. Now they have some pretty library bags to keep their treasured borrowed books safe.

You may want to make some more of these, they come in handy for plenty of other things such as sports gear, toys, sleepovers and toiletries you could even make little ones to fill for party favours.

This is also a nice easy project to teach your little ones how to sew.

Happy sewing.

Love Jade xx

Passionfruit Lamington Cakes

HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY!   26.01.2013

What comes to mind for you when you think of Australia Day?
To us Australia Day is friends and family, Triple Js Hottest 100 Countdown, Australian Flags in our letterbox (thank you Mr Hooker), Cold Bevvies and food, BBQ, damper, and Lamingtons.
I love the traditional Lammie but here I'm going to give you my delicious tropical version of the old favourite.

Passionfruit Lamington Cakes

Passionfruit buttercake

90g softened butter

2 eggs

1/2 cup caster sugar

1 cup self raising flour

3 tbs passionfruit pulp

Passionfruit Icing / Decorations

50g butter

1 1/2 cups icing sugar

4 tbs passionfruit pulp

1 cup desiccated coconut

1 cup thickened cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 180*C and line a standard muffin pan with paper cases.

2. Beat the butter, eggs, sugar and flour in a bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the mix has changed to a paler colour. Stir in the passionfruit pulp.

3. Divide the mixture among the cases.

4. Bake cakes for approx. 15 mins (different ovens may require different baking times)

5. Turn the cakes out onto a wire rack to cool.

6. While the cakes are cooling, make passionfruit icing. In a small saucepan combine butter, icing sugar and passionfruit pulp, stirring over low heat until smooth. Set aside until cool.

7. Remove cases from cakes. Roll in the passionfruit icing and allow to stand in the mixture for 15mins, turning occasionally. Roll the cakes in coconut and place on a wire rack over a tray. Refrigerate for 30mins.

8. Whip cream and vanilla extract together.

9. Cut cakes in half and fill with cream.

Makes 12 cakes.

My girls loved rolling the cakes in the icing and coconut.
This recipe is definitely becoming a favourite for my friends and family and I'm pretty confident it will with yours as well.

ENJOY!

Love Jade x