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Why do kids like toys with so many itty bitty little pieces? I guess it increases the fun factor. Tiny brushes. Tiny shoes. Tiny tea pot sets. Tiny cars. Well, my little girl really wants some new Polly Pockets for Christmas….and when she told me that, I almost tried talking her out of it. But then I suddenly thought, “well, hey, if I can just make her a little bag to carry it all in…..then it won’t be so bad.”
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So that’s what I did.
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I made a clear vinyl cinched-up pouch……that she can easily tote around with her little rubber-clothed dolls inside. And then made another one that was larger, to carry a bigger collection of blocks……for my little guy. Because we all know those blocks will end up scattered. And homeless. (And somehow under my bare feet. Ouch.)
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No more anxiety, wondering where all the little pieces of your children’s toys will go.Â
Just bag it up and make it fun for them to put all their pieces back into their special bag.
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See? Now Polly Pocket and her friends have a place to stay. No more random rubber skirts laying around the house.
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Now, just imagine a whole collection of these……filled with all sorts of things. Bathroom supplies, makeup, markers, craft supplies, etc. Whatever you need. And the vinyl makes it easy to see what’s inside.
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A perfect way to keep things organized. And pretty. And easy to see.
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Would you like to customize your own clear toy storage bags?
Supplies:
First, choose what size bag you want. Then find a circle of some sort to trace (a bowl, a cup, a canister) that is about the size you want the bottom of your bag to be. You will use the measurements of this circle to cut out the other pieces of your bag. Use the following equations to determine the size of your pieces.
(Just as a mini math refresher course, the circumference of a circle is the measurement all the way around a circle. The diameter of a circle is the distance across the circle. Remember? Ok, good. Let’s move on.)
Bottom Circle Piece: whatever size you want your circle to be
Vinyl Piece: height = circle diameter x 0.75, length = circle circumference + 1/2 inch
Upper Fabric Piece:Â height = circle diameter x 0.75 x 2Â length = circle circumference + 1/2 inch
Pull String Piece: height = 1.5 inches length = circle circumference + 4 inches
Now, that you have your measurements……….cut 2 circles out in your fabric, 2 circles of interfacing, 1 vinyl piece, 1 upper fabric piece, and 1 pull string piece.
**Now, just so you can see that math in action……..here are the measurements I used for the little orange polka dot bag. (And if you found a circle that was exactly the same size as mine, you could use my measurements.)
My Circle: diameter = 5 inches circumference = 15.7 inches (remember, the circumference = diameter x 3.14…..so you don’t actually have to measure around the circle.)
Vinyl Piece: hieght = 3.75 inches length = 16.2 inches
Upper Fabric Piece:Â height = 7.5 inches length = 16.2 inches
Pull String Piece: height = 1.5 inches length = 19.7 inches
First, iron your interfacing pieces to the wrong side of both fabric circle pieces.
***Before you start sewing…….review these tips for sewing with vinyl (that tends to stick).
Then fold your vinyl piece into a tube and sew the two ends together, using a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Sew another seam next to the first, just for added strength.
Next, pin your two circles together, with wrong sides facing each other…..so that the interfacing sides are sandwiched together. Then start pinning the sandwiched circles to the right side of the vinyl tube. Pin all the way around, using plenty of pins as you go. ***Remember, pinning something straight to something that is curved can be tricky. Just manipulate the fabric as best you can to fit inside that circle.
Now, sew the circle the and vinyl together, using a 1/4 inch seam allowance. And don’t worry……just sew a few stitches at a time, adjust, then sew a few more. This will take some patience as you go around the circle. Then trim off the edges a bit and then zig-zag all the way around, with a narrow zig-zag stitch.
Turn the tube right side out. You will really have to pinch the edges and bit and flatten the vinyl out with your fingers to get it to lay the way you want it.
Then zig-zag or serge the two short ends of your upper fabric piece. Then fold your fabric piece in half and with right sides together, sew the two ends together with a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Iron the 2 ends open from the inside of the tube.
Now, fold the top of the tube fabric down, revealing the right side of the fabric. Fold it exactly in half, matching up the raw ends along the bottom. So now there’s a fold along the top of the tube and 2 raw edges along the bottom. Iron the fold flat.
Now, make a seam that is a 1/2 inch from the top of the folded edge. Then up-pick the stitches along the side seam of the tube that are above the seam you just made parallel to the top fold. Unpick the stitches on both sides. (You’ll only be unpicking a 1/2 inch of stitches on the front and a 1/2 inch of stitches on the back.)
Now, slide the tube down upside down over the vinyl. Match up the top of the vinyl with the two bottom raw edges of the fabric. Sew them together with a 1/4 inch seam allowance, then trim and zig-zag the edges. Set aside.
Now, fold your pull string piece in half lengthwise, with wrong sides together. Iron flat. Then open it up and fold each edge into the center along that ironed fold. Iron again. Then sew closed.
Now, using a safety pin at one end of the pull string, thread it through the top casing of the bag. Place the two ends through a cord pull then tie each end into a knot.
Now you’re all set.Â
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And ready to stuff your bag with toys. Or supplies. Or whatever.