The crafting bug seems strongest when the cooler weather arrives. For sewers, visions of upcoming holiday times means searching for quick and easy to sew gifting ideas, seasonal home décor items to make, and fun fall festivals and craft bazaars to attend – great for new crafting ideas.

A useful re-use/re-purpose/recycle idea is to make softly padded fabric coverings for empty butter or margarine containers, whipped topping tubs or for any glass or aluminum container or traditional Mason-type jar. These and a few fabric scraps, a small amount of polyester or cotton batting for a rounded puffy look, and bits of ribbons and laces can be transformed into beautiful containers to become candy dishes, desktop containers, potpourri holders, or to hold silk flower arrangements for centerpieces. The possibilities and gift ideas are endless.

Container Puffy Fabric Wrap
If your fabric seems to need a little stiffening, try using a liquid fabric starch to first pre-treat the fabric, dry and press smooth. The batting is used to allow the fabric to pouf out a bit around the container, giving it a soft, somewhat rounded shape. Using whatever container you have chosen, measure for the size of your batting to encircle the container; the top edge to bottom edge for the width and around the container for length and cut out. For a very rounded soft shape cut double the length. With needle and thread, whip the ends of the batting together to hold it in place or hot glue in place. Cut out a large circle of fabric that will be used to gather around the container.

Using a long running stitch placed about one to two inches inside the outer edge of the circle of fabric in order to later gather the circle close to the container’s top edge. Place the batting covered container in the center of the fabric circle and pull up the running stitch to gather. Adjust the gathers as you pull slightly until the gathered edge is close against the top edge of the container. Tie off. Encircle the top edge of the container with ribbon or lace to conceal the gathering stitches and glue or sew in place.

If a fabric cover for the container is desired, turn your container over on a section of fabric, cut out a circular shape that will be enough to cover the container top plus additional two or three inches. Sew lace to edge of circle if desired, or using pinking shears to edge finish so the fabric will not ravel. Use the same running stitch around the fabric circle and pull to gather so the top fits well over the container. Hand sew or glue ribbon or jute over the gathered stitches to cover.

Any cotton or cotton blend fabric will work well, even burlap or coarse linen for a more rustic look. For keepsakes and gift ideas, fill your containers with wrapped candies, small sewing items, colorful paper clips, potpourri in a tulle bag, or small silk flowers.

Sew happy, sew inspired.