Learn how to sew farmhouse inspired Santa sack reusable gift bags made from all-natural cotton Calico fabric and red piping cord to give that classic farmhouse look.
I think fabric gift bags are by far the best looking and easiest way to wrap Christmas presents. The bags can become part of your Christmas decor and you don’t have to spend any extra time or money wrapping gifts year on year. They are a fantastic zero waste gift wrapping option.
These Santa sacks are super festive and so quick and simple to make. It would be a great idea to make a few of these bags in various sizes and coordinating fabrics so you could mix and match. In fact I might just do that next year!
I finished the bags with iron-on transfers and cute wooden name tags with personalised laser engraving but you could also try stencilling, embroidery or using patterned fabric to reflect your own unique style.
What you will need:
- Calico fabric, or any fabric of your choice (we made 4 bags and used 2 meters of fabric)
- Cotton sewing thread
- Piping cord or ribbon
- Sticky tape
- Embellishments such as iron-on transfers and wooden tags
Instructions:
Cut your fabric to the desired size, allowing extra for the seams. The fabric we used was 92 cm wide and two meters long. We folded it in half and then cut four 50 cm long pieces. This meant we only had to sew 3 sides of the bag instead of 4.
If you have an overlocker, overlock the cut edges of the fabric. If you don’t have an overlocker you can either sew a zigzag stitch along each side or use pinking shears to help stop the fabric fraying.
Iron your fabric, making sure it’s square when folded in half, and pin the side edges together.
Sew the bottom and side seams of your bag.
Turn the top of the bag over by about 2cm (this will depend on the width of your cord) and press with the iron. This will become the casing for the drawstring.
Sew the top seam of the bag ensuring you leave a gap to thread the drawstring. Insert a pin in the fabric so you remember where to stop sewing.
Cut a length of piping cord long enough to go through the top of the bag plus about 10 cm. Tape the ends of the cord tightly with sticky tape to stop them fraying.
Using a safety pin, thread the drawstring through the casing and then tie the ends together.
Turn the bag inside out and attach your iron-on transfer and other embellishments.
And that’s it. It really is that easy. I can’t wait for you to show me your creations.
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