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Saturday, August 20, 2011

Fabric Twist Tie...

Do you have pipe cleaners or should I say chenille stems hidden away from an old craft project. Well, get them out...we're going to pretty them up!!

Scrap fabric and a  quick stitch will make this great fabric twist tie for any gift bag. You can also make it to match the gift or the gift bag!


These are called Fuzzy Stems...there must be so many names for them now.


You can use any color, because we are covering them with fabric. We just need the wire part to act as the twist tie.


Dig through your scrap basket...these 1 1/2 inch strips worked great!


Cut the strip an inch or so longer on each side of the stem


Fold fabric in half the length of strip, wrong side together.


Iron flat...


Start on one of the short ends and stitch to a 1/4 inch from the long edge. Pivot and then stitch down the length of the strip with a 1/4 inch seam.

I used black thread so you can see it in the pictures. Have your thread match the fabric.


Leave the other short end open to insert the pipe cleaner.


After pipe cleaner is inserted, stitch opening closed with a short stitch.




Using pinking shears, trim close to stitching...about an 1/8 th of an inch away or so.


Trim down the length too. Pinking prevents the fabric from fraying unless you want the frayed look.


Here you have a quick fabric covered twist tie to secure any gift bag.

Great for sewing or quilting friends...add a little fat quarter, tape measure, thread, ribbon etc!!



Get out those old pipe cleaners and start sewing...great for the holidays too. Maybe we can start these early, so we have them in time for Christmas...ahhhh...I know Christmas!

Happy sewing,
~Karen~

15 comments:

  1. Love this idea! It would be much quicker and easier to put on than a ribbon around the top of a package like that one. I'm thinking I might need to create a few ready for last minute wrapping.

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  2. What a clever idea! I LOVE it!!

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  3. Another fine idea you've come up with Ollie. (You too young to get that one??)

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  4. What a great idea! I have a bunch of those "pipe cleaner thingies" around here somewhere.

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  5. I have pipe cleaners in my draw and this idea is great. It will make the fabric firmer. I give lots of jams away.

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  6. I have a bunch of those pipe cleaners around... my cats love for me to twirl them around a pencil and make it into a cat toy! I am definitely going to make some of these, though, what a great idea! Thanks for sharing, I love your blog.

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  7. Love this idea!! Thanks for sharing, I can't wait to use it! We have a baby shower coming up for my daughter next month, this would be great for the goodie bags.

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  8. Great idea and easy too! I've been meaning to ask you how you store your sewing machine bobbins. I put mine in a little plastic box, but the loose ends of the threads keep getting all tangled. I should probably take the thread off after completing a sewing project, but thread is expensive. Any ideas?

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  9. Fantastic idea! And so inexpensive. Thanks for this one, Karen!

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  10. What a great idea! BTW, I read almost every post you make and want you to know that I love them all!

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  11. What a great idea! Super smart! Thanks for stopping by my blog!
    Ky
    http://burstofcreations.blogspot.com/

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  12. Brilliant! Simple, ecological, and my cats won't try to eat them as they do with some of the regular ribbons. Great way to use op scraps.

    Orea
    http://orea-highervoice.blogspot.com/

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  13. How charming! Going to make some! TFS~

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  14. Just a note to let you know that I shared this on my post today on my Coupons, Crafts and Causes.

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  15. If you have a serger, you could also do a overlock stitch to keep the threads from ravelling also. I'm not a huge fan of pinking shears simply because I find them so hard to cut with, but a serger would work beautifully. :)

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Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment...I just love hearing from you!