Decorative flower bags are a brilliant addition to any living room, dining table, or entryway. The side panels offer a wonderful space to show off embroidery, while the flowers and embellishments you select make the bag a gorgeous way to add color and personality to your home.
Supplies & Materials:
Project Needs & Notes
- 3/4 yard solid-colored quilted cotton fabric (for outer shell)
- 3/4 yard printed quilted cotton fabric (for inner lining and handle)
- Medium weight (2.5 ounce) cutaway stabilizer
- Air-erase pen for marking
- 1 1/4 yards (about 45") length of decorative trim
- Faux flowers, leaves, decorative items, tissue paper, etc.
- Dry floral foam
The designs used in this tutorial include:
For this tutorial, I used the large size of the Feliz Flutterby Poinsettia and Holly design and the large size of the Autumn Watercolor Medallion - Leaves . For the best fit, choose designs that fit into a 8" x 8" space for this project.
Finished Size: 10" wide x 10" high x 10" deep
Begin by preparing the side panels of the outer shell.
Draw an 11" x 11" square on the solid-colored quilted cotton. Leave a couple of inches of excess fabric around the square.
Mark the center of each side of the square, and draw a cross through the square to connect the marks. The center of the cross should be the center of the square.
A template is a printout of the design, and it's an excellent tool for planning where to stitch.
Print a template of the design from your embroidery software.
Arrange the template so the center point of the design is on the center of the square.
There should be at least two inches of space between the edges of the design and the square.
Hoop the quilted cotton with a piece of cutaway stabilizer, lining up the marks on the fabric with the marks on the hoop.
Attach the hoop to the machine, and move the hoop so that the needle is right over the center point. Embroider the design.
After embroidering, cut out the square shape. It isn't necessary to trim the stabilizer away from the back of the fabric.
Repeat the steps to embroider panels for the other sides, if desired.
Prepare the bottom of the basket. Cut a piece of solid-colored quilted cotton to 11" x 11".
Place the bottom piece flat with the right side facing up.
Align the first side panel on top, right sides together, with the bottom edge of the side panel aligned with one of the sides of the bottom.
Pin in place along this side and sew a 1/2" seam along the pinned side only, starting and stopping 1/2" from each corner.
Repeat this process for each of the remaining side panels. Align the bottom edges of the side panels with the remaining sides of the bottom piece. Pin in place, and sew a 1/2" seam starting and stopping 1/2" from each corner.
Align the side edges of the side panels together, right sides together.
Pin in place, and sew a 1/2" seam along the pinned edges.
Turn the outer shell right side out and press the seams with an iron.
To add the decorative trim, pin the trim in place with the top edge of the trim 3/4" from the top edge of the outer shell.
Overlap the ends of the trim about 1/2" and sew the trim in place.
To prepare the handle, cut a piece of the print fabric to 17" lx 4".
Fold the long edges in to the wrong side 1/2" and press.
Fold the fabric again bringing the long folded edges together.
Pin in place and sew a 1/4" seam along both of the long edges.
Mark the center of the top edges of the front and back of the outer shell.
Pin the ends of the handle in place at each of the marks, leaving about 1/4" of the raw ends extending up past the edges of the fabric.
Fold the bottom of the outer shell in so that the handle will reach all the way around.
Tack the ends of the handles in place by sewing a 1/4" seam along the top edges of the fabric.
To prepare the inner lining, cut five pieces of the print quilted cotton fabric to 11" x 11". Assemble the inner lining just as you did the outer shell.
Next, insert the outer shell inside the inner lining, right sides together. Align the seams. Pin in place, and sew a 1/2" seam along the top edge leaving a 5" opening along the right or left side.
Turn the bag right side out and insert the inner lining inside the outer shell. Turn the fabric of the opening in 1/2" and press. Press the seams and top stitch a 1/4" seam along the entire top edge of the bag.
Now that the bag is complete, add tissue paper, and dry floral foam.
Arrange faux flowers, leaves, and other decorative items, too.
These gorgeous floral bags can easily be adapted for various seasons, holidays, or to match your home decor.
