Blog swap! Recycled shirt sleeve wine bag tutorial

Blog swap! Recycled shirt sleeve wine bag tutorial

• 1.11.2010

Hello there!  We're thrilled to be swapping blogs with Suzannah today!

kirstin and jordan

 

We are Kirstin and Jordan, sisters living in Denver, CO and Lubbock, TX (respectively).  Our blog, kojodesigns, chronicles our shared passions for throwing fabulous parties (favorites of last year? Cocktails and Mocktails in Denver and the Infamous "H" Party in Lubbock), upcycling and refashioning Goodwill bound items into fantastic additions to our homes and wardrobes (a pantry door into a coffee table, for example), and all things regarding our first love, paper (stationary, invites, cards, even wrapping paper)!  We love Jesus, our families (Jordan has two little girls and Kirstin is mama to a 20 month old little boy), travel, and creating things to make our homes and lives more beautiful.  So nice to meet you!

I mentioned earlier that we love reusing the materials that we have on hand... Well, last month, I (Kirstin) made a whole stack of drawstring pajama bags out of button up shirts.  They only used the bottom half of the shirt, however, leaving approximately 18 button up shirt sleeves scattered around my craft room.

Pair this with the fact that our life seems to be one. constant. baby. boom.  It is lovely, really.  Glowing pregnant friends and tons of chances to throw baby showers and a constant need for champagne/sparkling cider to deliver to brand new parents in hospitals.  Like I said, lovely.  And, at the same time, quite the chance for upcycling my pile of sleeves into fun and functional wine bags.

Care to join me?  You'll need:
-the sleeve from a button up shirt (these go quick, so if you have a little time grab a few sleeves and you'll have a whole stash of wine bags ready for last minute champagne deliveries)
-a sewing machine
-ribbon (maybe a yard or so)

1. Trim your sleeve so that it's about as tall as a wine bottle (a foot and a half-ish).  Make sure that your cut is parallel to the sleeve cuff.

2. Turn your sleeve inside out and sew straight across the bottom.

3. To make a flat base at the bottom of the wine bag (so that the bottle of champagne/cider has a little 'platform' to stand on), box the corners of your seam.  To do this, make a little triangle with your seam (your sleeve should still be inside out).  Sew straight across your corner, perpindicular to your sewn line (if your corner was making the tip of a triangle before, you've just completed the 'bottom' of that triangle).  Box the other corner as well, using the same method.

4. Turn your sleeve right side in.  Slip a ribbon through the opening at the cuff.  This will fit around the 'neck' of your bottle to cinch the bag closed.

5. Fill with a bottle of champagne or sparkling cider and set off to celebrate with your friends and their new teeny weeny (or switch things up and use for whatever celebratory occasion you might encounter!).

Thanks to Suzannah for letting us be a part of her blog world today!  When you have a minute, come visit us at the kojodesigns blog... Happy wine bag crafting, friends!