A Little Craft... Beanbag Container

by Somer

I made a set of bean bags for my niece's birthday, and since she likes to put things in and take them out, they needed a suitable container. I wanted something with sturdy enough sides that she could have a bean bag toss.

I started with a formula container, but any other container would works as well (hot chocolate is about the same size.) This one holds about six small bean bags. The lid had writing on it, so I tossed that in recycling. Remove the label and wash and dry the canister. Then measure from the top rim to the bottom rim, as well as the circumference.

 Now you need some fabric, heavy-weight fusible interfacing, 1/2" wide single fold bias tape, a piece of ribbon, and an 11-12" piece of webbing. I cut a piece of interfacing to those measurements and wrapped it around to make sure it fit. Cut it down if you need to. Cut a piece of fabric about 1" bigger all around than the interfacing. Press the interfacing to the wrong side of the fabric. Fold the extra fabric over on three of the sides and iron it in place. If you want a handle, now is the time to glue the webbing in place. Hot glue it to the top of the canister so it will be covered by the fabric.

Wrap fabric around the canister and hot glue in place, overlapping the folded edge for a clean seam. Smooth out any bumps or ridges.

 

Measure the diameter of the top of the canister. cut a piece of fabric the circumference of the canister plus 1/2" by two times the diameter. Sew along short edge using 1/4" seam allowance and press seam open. Fold tube in half with right sides out and iron flat. (See the fold line in the photo?)

 

Place bias tape about 1" from top folded edge. Pin almost all the way around, folding cut edge in. Sew in place, very close to edges of bias tape. Sew cut edges together along bottom.

 

Run a line of hot glue along inner top rim. Press cut edge into glue all the way around, taking small tucks if you need to make it fit.

 

Attach a safety pin to one end of the piece of ribbon and ease ribbon through casing created by the bias tape to make drawstring.  Remove safety pin and trim ends of ribbon at an angle. Finish ends with heat or seam sealant.  Now fill it with bean bags and play.

 

If you have a handle it can be hung up or carried like a purse. (Fabric is Woodland Delight by Paula Prass.)