I have almost enough tote bags for this year, but with a goal of at least 100 shoe boxes next year I will need 200 drawstrings for the tote bags I plan to make. Making them from unloved fabric will be
Using Unloved Fabric for Parts of Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Gift Projects
While purging my fabric stash of unloved fabrics I wondered what to do with fabrics too sheer for pillowcase dresses, too lightweight for my Operation Christmas Child shoebox sized drawstring tote bags or just a design I do not like. I decided I can use them for PARTS of other projects.
I have almost enough tote bags for this year, but with a goal of at least 100 shoe boxes next year I will need 200 drawstrings for the tote bags I plan to make. Making them from unloved fabric will be
I have almost enough tote bags for this year, but with a goal of at least 100 shoe boxes next year I will need 200 drawstrings for the tote bags I plan to make. Making them from unloved fabric will be
Patchwork Apron & Drawstring Bag for an Operation Christmas Child Shoe Box Gift
Along with my patchwork pillow case dress, I designed a scrappy apron for my Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift with my scraps. I love to figure out designs and piecing scraps of fabric together so I am having fun making use of my scraps in my effort to purge my stock of fabrics. It is hard to see in this image, but the center fabric is yellow with green vines and pink flowers.
If you'd like to make drawstring tote bags for your Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes check out our tutorial: Drawstring Gift Bag Sized to Hold a Shoebox.
If you'd like to make drawstring tote bags for your Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes check out our tutorial: Drawstring Gift Bag Sized to Hold a Shoebox.
Purging Party Patchwork Dress for an Operation Christmas Child Shoebox
I shared earlier that I have joined up at the Purging Party over at Stitched in Color and one of the items I am working on purging is all of my scraps left from pillowcase dresses I have made. I decided it was about time to try to match them up and make patchwork dresses for my Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.
I have seen some gorgeous patchwork dresses online but have never tried my hand at matching fabrics, other than two at a time and often one of those is a solid. But I took the plunge and this is the result at my first attempt.
I had this center piece just the width it is here and started with that. Of course, as you can see, I added two solid fabrics right off! The mustard gold piece was just wide enough to cut into two to put on either side of the center panel. The rose and blue/pink piece I had the most of, but used it all up in
I have seen some gorgeous patchwork dresses online but have never tried my hand at matching fabrics, other than two at a time and often one of those is a solid. But I took the plunge and this is the result at my first attempt.
I had this center piece just the width it is here and started with that. Of course, as you can see, I added two solid fabrics right off! The mustard gold piece was just wide enough to cut into two to put on either side of the center panel. The rose and blue/pink piece I had the most of, but used it all up in
Shoebox Drawstring Bag Style #2 ~ Large Enough to Hold Operation Christmas Child GO Box
After sharing my scrappy drawstring bags sized so an Operation Christmas Child shoebox can fit inside, I received dozens of requests for a pattern. I designed three bags to share instructions for and one post became too long to share them all at once. So I am sharing them in three different posts (find links
Drawstring Gift Bag Style #1 ~ Illustrated How-To Instructions: To Hold an Operation Christmas Child Shoebox
I recently shared my drawstring bags I made for my OCC shoebox gifts sized so a shoebox can fit inside. Operation Christmas Child shared the post for my Scrappy Draw String Tote Bags on their Facebook page and I have received dozens of requests for a pattern. I've designed three bags and the original post was too long to share them all at once. So I am sharing them in three different
Simple Drawstring Tote-bag to Hold an Operation Christmas Child Shoebox ~ Illustrated Instructions & Pattern
I posted about my drawstring bags I made that a shoebox could fit inside to include in my shoe box gifts. Operation Christmas Child recently shared my post for my Scrappy Draw String Tote Bags on their Facebook page which generated dozens of requests for a pattern. Here is a step by step, illustrated how-to of my method for
Fabric Purging for Puzzles ~ Perfect for Operation Christmas Child Shoe Box Gift
As I shared earlier, I have joined up at the Purge-Along party to purge my unused fabric stash. I am having a ball working on gifts for my Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes with fabric I've had in my stash for a while. Like this Noah's Ark piece.
I inherited it from my mother-in-law who no doubt planned to make something for my girls when they were young and never got around to it. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with it so it sat on my shelf, unloved, while other fabrics got chosen first. Then I received the puzzles.
I was blessed with dozens of these two styles of Noah's Ark puzzles that are too large to fit into a shoe box. But if we take off the back and just include the pieces like a jigsaw puzzle they will be great. So I am going to sew little bags and tuck the pieces inside along with an image of the completed puzzle so they know what it is supposed to look like. Thankfully this is a large piece. Sometimes it is necessary to get creative to fit an item into a shoe box gift.
We have several drawstring bag tutorials you can find on our Crafting for Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes Tutorial Index Page. There are also DIY toy tutorials.
I inherited it from my mother-in-law who no doubt planned to make something for my girls when they were young and never got around to it. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with it so it sat on my shelf, unloved, while other fabrics got chosen first. Then I received the puzzles.
I was blessed with dozens of these two styles of Noah's Ark puzzles that are too large to fit into a shoe box. But if we take off the back and just include the pieces like a jigsaw puzzle they will be great. So I am going to sew little bags and tuck the pieces inside along with an image of the completed puzzle so they know what it is supposed to look like. Thankfully this is a large piece. Sometimes it is necessary to get creative to fit an item into a shoe box gift.
We have several drawstring bag tutorials you can find on our Crafting for Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes Tutorial Index Page. There are also DIY toy tutorials.
Heavy Duty Fabric Scraps Utilized for Game Bags for OCC Shoebox Gifts
I have found a fun blog party to join this summer to work on purging my stash of scraps and fabrics that seem to stay in my stash for far too long. Using up the older, not so loved fabric. Of course I am purging for a cause: to fill my Operation Christmas Child shoe box gifts with hand made items.
One of the first scraps I came upon were these from when I made heavy duty bean bags for our AWANA kids at church to use during game time. The ones they had purchased kept tearing and I kept mending them. I finally decided to make some and since I did two or three years back I have never had to mend one. I thought this tough fabric would be perfect as marble bags and bags for other small games with many pieces to tuck into a shoe box. This way the child will have a convenient way to keep all the pieces together. Off to stitch a few!
If you'd like to sew some drawstring bags for your Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes we offer several simple ones on our Simply Shoeboxes Crafting Tutorial Index Page.
One of the first scraps I came upon were these from when I made heavy duty bean bags for our AWANA kids at church to use during game time. The ones they had purchased kept tearing and I kept mending them. I finally decided to make some and since I did two or three years back I have never had to mend one. I thought this tough fabric would be perfect as marble bags and bags for other small games with many pieces to tuck into a shoe box. This way the child will have a convenient way to keep all the pieces together. Off to stitch a few!
If you'd like to sew some drawstring bags for your Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes we offer several simple ones on our Simply Shoeboxes Crafting Tutorial Index Page.
Scrappy Drawstring Tote Bags for Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Gifts
I have been having a ball Purging my unwanted fabric and changing it into useful things for my Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts. I am so glad Stitched In Color choose to challenge us to purge our unloved and scrap fabrics. My latest stitching is a drawstring bag large enough to carry the shoebox full of gifts.
I love to include tote bags in my shoeboxes so the child can carry their new goodies easily. I decided a few weeks ago that I'd make drawstring bags just large enough to tuck the shoe box inside -- that way they can carry all their goodies with or
I love to include tote bags in my shoeboxes so the child can carry their new goodies easily. I decided a few weeks ago that I'd make drawstring bags just large enough to tuck the shoe box inside -- that way they can carry all their goodies with or
Crafting for Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes Report ~ My Finished Items
Do you remember awhile back I shared the supplies I had planned out to craft for an Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift with a pillow case style dress as the anchor? Here are the finished products.
As I shared in my original post, Choosing Fabric & Yarn to Craft for OCC, I focused on the teal from the flip flops. Then I choose my fabric and bias tape and focused on the orange and teal colors. I added a hat and scarf and a purse to match using the orange and teal theme. I thought the little purple platypus and "pocket Pelican" Tiny Beanie Babies matched the bright colors perfectly. I will add school supplies, hygiene items and some more toys to complete the box.
You can find the instructions for the basic pillow case style dress and hat & scarf in these earlier posts (I haven't written up the instructions for the little purse):
You can find the instructions for the basic pillow case style dress and hat & scarf in these earlier posts (I haven't written up the instructions for the little purse):
Making Bead Kits for My Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Gifts
This is the first year I have made jewelry bead kits for my Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts. I got this large box of 1800 beads last year when someone had it leftover from a church project and didn't want it. I knew I could use it for my shoeboxes, but it just sat on my shelf waiting.
I wasn't sure what containers I could use but knew I could get little plastic bags at the local craft store for a few pennies. Then Office Max had these adorable plastic containers on special for 25 cents each. I divided the beads in pink and purple sets putting the pink in the clear containers and the purple in the purple containers. I then made satin drawstring bags using up scraps from another project to tuck them
I wasn't sure what containers I could use but knew I could get little plastic bags at the local craft store for a few pennies. Then Office Max had these adorable plastic containers on special for 25 cents each. I divided the beads in pink and purple sets putting the pink in the clear containers and the purple in the purple containers. I then made satin drawstring bags using up scraps from another project to tuck them
Choosing Fabric and Yarn to Craft for an Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Gift
I am currently focusing on my 2 to 4 year old girl boxes for my 2014 Operation Christmas Child shoe box collection. I plan on including a pillow case style dress in each. I have quite a bit of fabric I have been given or inherited, some was received as Christmas presents for this very purpose. My husband picked up some flip flops for me to tuck in these boxes and so I have been beginning with those and matching fabric to them.
Here is a bright piece I have been just dying to make up -- I love to include bright colors in my boxes. When my husband found a pair of blue/teal flip flops I knew it would match perfectly. I have some plain teal fabric scraps from another project and I'm adding orange bias tapes to it. I also have orange and blue/teal yarn that I will make a hat & scarf set for the box. I had a lot of fun matching these supplies and using up some of my stash. I'll bring you the finished product when I have it completed.
UPDATE: You can see the finished dress and other goodies I included here: Butterfly Dress for Operation Christmas Child Shoebox.