Holiday Gift Blog Hop: Day 6

Christmas countdown: 16 days!

Are you ready?

We've been sharing tutorials for last-minute homemade gift ideas. Skip the stores (well, except your local quilt shop!) and spend time at your sewing machine instead. 

Today we're sharing a tutorial for a handy sack for golfers, using the On the Green collection. These golf-themed prints are so much fun--and if you have any golf lovers on your holiday list, we think you'll love this gift idea. Sure, you can store golf balls and tees in one of the zippered pockets on your golf bag, but this fun drawstring bag will hold all those golf accessories in one spot--no digging around inside the golf bag to find what you need. Check out our tutorial and and at the end you'll see how you can enter to win a fat quarter bundle of the On the Green prints.

And the back side:

Here's a quick look at the On the Green fabrics we used--so much fun to work with, and great for fussy cutting!

For this project, you'll need:
1 fat quarter blue argyle
1 fat quarter golf balls on green
1 fat quarter golf stripe
1-1/3 yards green craft cording
2" x 9" piece of fusible stabilizer
Chalk pencil

Cutting:
From the blue argyle:
Cut two 9" x 10" pieces
Cut one 2" x 12" strip
Reserve remainder for optional pocket lining

From the golf balls on green:
Cut one 9" x 10" piece

From the golf stripe:
Fussy cut one 9" wide  x 10" tall piece, positioning the ruler 1/4" above the red stripe as shown below

1. Fold the 2" x 12" blue argyle strip in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press. Unfold and then refold each long edge in to the center fold and press. Refold on original pressed line, which will encase all raw edges. Stitch down the center of the strip to secure. Strip should measure approximately 1/2" x 12".

2. Measure 3-1/2" up from the bottom edge of the 9" wide x 10" tall golf balls on green piece and draw a line with chalk. Measure 2" in from the left edge and mark. Measure 2" in from the right edge and mark. Make marks every 5/8" between the left and right marks. (You'll have 9 marks total.)

3. Flip this piece over to the back side and fuse the 2" x 9" stabilizer piece to the wrong side, with the bottom edge 3" above the bottom edge of the fabric. The stabilizer should be behind the chalk marks. 

4. Align the stitched blue strip on the chalk line. Stitch the blue strip to the green fabric vertically on the first chalk line, backstitching at both ends. At this point you may want to test the tee holder to make sure it holds the tee snugly. Stitch the blue strip to the green fabric on the second chalk line, backstitching at both ends. Repeat on remaining chalk marks to make the tee holders. On both side edges, stitch horizontally from the end vertical stitch mark to the fabric edge to secure the remainder of the blue strip in place. Trim blue strip even with green fabric.

5. We added an inner pocket--great for ball markers, keys, etc. Our inner pocket was fussy cut from this fabric and measured approximately 4-1/2" square: You can also fussy-cut a pocket from the leftover golf stripe fabric, or simply from the lining fabric.

6. Cut a blue argyle piece the same size as the fussy-cut pocket piece.

7. Layer pocket pieces right sides together and stitch around all four sides, leaving an opening along the bottom edge for turning (shown with red arrows). 

8. Turn the pocket right side out, push out corners, and press open edges in. Measure up 3" from the bottom of a lining piece and pin the pocket in place. Topstitch around the sides and bottom to secure the pocket in place.

9. Layer the two lining pieces right sides together and stitch around both long sides and the bottom edge, leaving an opening along the bottom for turning. 

10. Layer the fussy cut 9" x 10" golf stripe piece and the 9" x 10" golf balls on green piece right sides together and stitch around both long edges and the bottom edge. (Note: the tee holders should be positioned toward the bottom half of the bag.) Using the motifs on the fabric as a guide, pick open 1/2" of the stitching on each side, starting just below the brown stripe (approximately 5/8" down from the top fabric edge). This will create the holes for the casing.

11. Turn the outer bag right side out and insert inside the lining as shown, right sides together. If you made the inside pocket, make sure it is opposite the tee holders. Match the side seams and pin the raw edges along the top. 

12. Stitch along the top edge of the bag and turn right side out through the opening in the lining. Slipstitch the opening closed and tuck the lining into the outer bag. 

13. Now it's time to mark the lines to create the casing. Mark a line on the green side of the bag that is aligned with the bottom of the brown stripe. This is your top casing line. Measure down 1/2" and mark a second line all the way around the bag. See chalk lines and red arrows below.

14. Stitch all the way around the bag on each marked casing line, making sure to only sew through the outer bag and lining layers you intend to (in other words, don't accidentally stitch through the outer bag and lining layers on both sides of the bag!).

15. Cut two 24" lengths of craft cording. Tie a knot on one end of one length, insert a safety pin into the knot, and feed through the entire casing, exiting out the hole you began in. Tie the ends into a knot and trim excess. Repeat with the second length of cord, starting and ending in the opposite hole. 

You're done! Fill with golf balls and tees, and wrap up for Christmas! 

A peek at the inner pocket:

Tees all loaded up!

For a chance to win a fat quarter bundle of On the Green, make sure you're signed up to follow our blog either by email or through a blog reader (see both options in the right hand sidebar). Leave a comment letting us know you are, and leave a second comment letting us know that you follow us on Facebook. In your comment, let us know--what's your favorite edible holiday treat? The giveaway will remain open through Friday, December 12th at 11:59 pm EST. 

Check out our other quick and easy holiday gift tutorials!
Day 1: Baby blocks using Safari Playground

Day 2: Travel sewing kit using Made with Love

Day 3: Berry basket of coasters using Origins

Day 4: Mitered napkin set using Boy Meets Girl 

Day 5: Bow banner using Zoey

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