Silk
and organza work very well together and there's plenty of opportunity to experiment in
order to achieve different effects. Why not try out this idea for a beautiful lavender bag
as a starting point - its just right for the Christmas season either as a gift for a
friend or as a special decoration for your home.
For this bag measuring 15 cms
square, I chose the same silver grey silk as the ‘Christmas Cushion’ and teamed
it with a dark grey glossy organza for the central panel. Here a beautiful beaded tassel
(in the same colourway) is top stitched to one corner and fans out over the central
lavender filled panel.
A silk
and organza lavender bag is quick and simple to make - just follow these easy steps:
Cut out a piece of silk 23 cms square. Turn
under a narrow hem of 1 cm all around and press in place. Do not stitch at this point.
Turn in the corners to form the first part
of a mitre.
The two sides of the right-angled triangles
you have created should measure 6 cms.
Complete the mitres by folding in the sides to
form a border 3 cms wide on all four sides
Cut out a piece of organza 15 cms square.
Open up the mitres slightly on the silk piece and carefully insert the organza so that it
fits snugly inside. Re-fold the mitres over the organza.
Carefully machine the seams in place on 3
sides of the bag including the mitres leaving one side open for inserting the lavender.
Carefully fill the centre section with
lavender and then stitch the remaining seams in place taking care not to get any of the
lavender caught in the seams.
To finish off, stitch a small tassel in one
corner so that it hangs across the centre section on the diagonal.
If you would like to hang the lavender bag
from a Christmas tree then cover a small ring in a metallic embroidery thread and sew it
to the top corner.
If you're
looking for gift ideas for friends or relatives who enjoy making their own soft
furnishings or who are complete beginners and are in need of some inspiration to get
started, then our Teach Yourself Guides are just the answer. Find out more about our
guides >>
