Scrap Happy November – Mini Knot Bags
A big snarl of knots
In early September, a crafty friend invited me to join in a delightful scheme…24 people were each to make 24 small gifts, to be collected by my crafty friend, and redistributed. Each of us will then get 24 little gifts, to be opened – one different little handmade crafty gift each day beginning December first. What fun! I started working on this project right away – and in this post I will describe the mini Japanese-style Knot Bags that I made for my contribution.
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Kimono Fabric Scraps
The bags were made from some kimono scraps given to me by a very kind Japanese seamstress.
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Yoyo circles
The linings were made from circles of very light weight fabric: some cut out by my grandmother, who intended to make them into a Yoyo quilt; and others rescued from a disintegrating yoyo quilt which I took apart and washed.
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Pattern
I drew a pattern to fit inside a “yoyo” on a scrap of paper, and then adjusted and simplified to make it feasible to use for this project…
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Thrums
Most of the sewing was done by machine, but for the decorative stitches, I used silk thrums (the loom waste that remains after weaving).
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Shopping
Constance says these are delightful, capacious, stylish and useful Hitty-sized shopping bags, but for the human’s advent calendar, an emergency tea bag and a sweet treat was inserted into each knot bag. They are also small enough to hang on a tree for a decoration afterwards.
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In the following gallery, you can see the method of sewing the mini Knot bag:
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- Cut two lining pieces. Note that one handle is longer than the other.
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- Cut two outside fabric pieces
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- stitch the top seams of both handles, and stitch the “U” of the bag. Do the same for the outer fabric. DO NOT sew up the handles!
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- Press the OUTSIDE edges, both at the side seams and extending up to the top of the handles. Do this for the outer fabric as well, making sure you cut little wedges out of the bottom seam allowance so it will eventually lie flat.
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- Turn the lining right side out, leave the outer fabric inside out.
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- Tuck the lining inside the outer fabric…make sure the tall and short handles match up!
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- Pin the raw edges of the inside of the handles and upper edge of the bag, and machine sew all round.
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- The outer edge of the handles are still free – snip into the tight corners, and then pull the lining out through the tall handle, this will turn the bag right side out.
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- The lining should then be tucked back into the bag.
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- the pressed outer edges of the handles should then be pinned together.
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- Hand stitch the outer edge – I have used a back stitch in a contrasting colour, but you could use a running stitch, slip stitch or anything that you find suitable.
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- This is the finished bag.
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- Slip the tall handle through the short handle – there you have a knot!
ScrapHappy is a group of bloggers using up scraps of anything – no new materials…Anything made of genuine scraps is eligible, and posts come out once a month on the 15th!
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Here are the links for the ScrapHappy people – headed by Kate and Gun, who devised and run the group. This is my seventh Scrap Happy post – Yay!
Kate , Gun, Titti, Heléne, Eva, Sue, Lynn, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Tracy, Jill, Claire, Jan,
Moira, Sandra, Linda, Chris, Nancy, Alys, Kerry, Claire,
Jean, Jon, Hayley, Dawn, Gwen, Connie, Bekki,
Sue L, Sunny, Kjerstin (me!), Vera, Nanette, Ann and Kym
Quimper Hittys 
I love these, they’re so pretty and also useful for Hittys. Do you use kimono silk much? I ask because I also have some kimono scraps, but no project in mind for them, and I wonder if they wouldn’t make nice Hitty clothes…
I have used Kimono scraps for this and that – I loved the variety! I made some kimono for the Hittys with some of the scraps: https://quimperhitty.com/2019/03/31/sakura-2019/
Those are SOOOOO lovely
Thank you – I love the idea, and the size and shape of the fabric scraps was just right for this project!
Ah, you so satisfy the scrap happy person in me each 15th of the month. You’ve made some very sweet little bags here and also included the instructions how to make them. Your lovely work and detailed instructions are a blessing to those who may want to make one or more. Thank you so much for sharing your joy in these special ways.
You are welcome, and thank you for coming along on some of my sideways adventures…I really like how these little ones turned out, and think I might try to make some larger ones – I just love the design!
These little knot bags are so pretty and multi useful…for Hitty and humans alike.
I liked the view of them all together – the individuals getting them are going to miss the overall effect, but I think the little bags will be appreciated anyway!
you never fail to amaze me! These tiny bags are wonderful and so-o much time and tiny stitches. Now every Hitty will want one.
Thanks very much…the little bags were so fun to make, and I know they are going to people who will appreciate the fabrics, the design and the idea of them – so a bonus in all directions!
Wow what a super project to be part of, and the bags are simply delightful.
I just loved the idea, and was so happy to be asked to join the project! Making the little bags was probably the most fun, but I am looking forward also to opening the other offerings!