Two Gifts In One "How To Project"

Gift Bottle Cover With Flower Holder

As promised in my last blog, here is an easy "How to Project" for those who know how to stitch a straight line with their sewing machine. My gift bottle cover was for a bottle of wine that I was bringing to a neighborhood party. I knew the hostess loved bright colors so I started with a deep raspberry wool sweater that I no longer needed in Florida. First, I felted the sweater to keep the yarns from unraveling. If you're unfamiliar with felting wool just google "felting wool" and you'll find all kinds of information on the felting process. It's important to make sure the bottom of the wine bottle slips through the cuff of the sweater after the felting process.

Some items needed for this project

Marking and cutting off the sleeve



I turned the sweater inside out, slipped the wine bottle back into the sleeve and marked approximately where to cut the sleeve off. I wanted a rolled cuff at the top when finished so I rolled the cuff before marking so it would be long enough to do this. I first stitched a straight stitch across my marked line then went over it again with a zig zag stitch. The felting process should stop any unraveling but I wanted to play it safe with a double stitch line. I cut the sleeve off from the sweater.

 

Marking and cutting the bottom angles

With the wrong side still out I inserted the wine bottle back in to the sleeve. Fussing just a bit with the bottom I created small equal angles on two sides. I pinned and marked these. Taking the wine bottle out I stitched the two angles with a straight stitch then a zig zag stitch. I cut off the angle pieces and turned the sweater right side out. I inserted my wine bottle once again  to make sure I had the fit I wanted, and I did!

Pom Pom Fringe sewn around the cuff edge

Next I sewed pom pom fringe to the under side of the cuff with my sewing machine. I decided to use beige trim to off set the raspberry color. This completed my gift bottle cover and I moved on to make the flower holder that I would tie around the bottle.



Flower, Candy, Holder

Some of the items needed for flower holder

For the flower holder I chose a contrasting cotton print fabric that would pop off the raspberry color of the gift bottle cover. The size of the fabric holder was determined by the size of the glass test tube that would slip inside to  hold the water and flowers. Be creative, this holder could also be filled with chocolates, a wine opener, a small unlit candle or ??. Cut size according to what you plan on inserting inside.  I pinned right sides together and stitched three sides leaving an opening to turn right side out.

Folding the sewn end up

After turning right side out and pressing, I folded the sewn bottom edge up to about 3" below the unsewn edge. See photo. I folded the raw edges to the inside, put some stitch witch tape inside and ironed closed. I sewed down the two sides on the print fabric where I pinned. See photo. That now formed my tube/casing for my test tube to slide into.

Fold top edge to back of holder

I slid my test tube into the casing to determine how much I needed to fold the top edge over to the back side. I wanted the test tube edge to reach the top edge of the casing.

Back top edge

After determining how much I wanted to fold to the back side I sewed a pink button to hold it in place, leaving it down enough so the ribbon could either be threaded through the open loop area or twisted around the button. Either way it makes for easy hanging later on off a cabinet knob, door handle, or hook  anywhere in the house.

Be Creative!

Hope you enjoyed this "How to Project" This project can be easily adapted to any object, whether it be a bottle of homemade dressing, fancy dipping oil, chocolates or cookies in a tin. Remember if it fits through the cuff of the sweater you can use it!! The flower holder can be hung separately as a daily reminder of the fun time had by all on that special day. 

Questions and Comments are always welcome, Till next time!

Sew Happy,

Karla