A couple of months ago I looked over from the computer and saw this:
Atti had discovered this plastic bag I use for one of my crosstitch projects and had himself a ball crinkling the plastic and shaking the threads all around the floor. I nearly had a heart attack when I realized my immobile baby was suddenly able to get into trouble and I had all kinds of visions of what could happen if he kept playing with the plastic bag.
But he loved it. And every time I left it on the floor, or even dangling from off the edge of the table, he found a way to get to it. Sometimes I couldn’t even figure out how. So I decided that if I was ever going to get any peace, I better make him a version that wouldn’t threaten to smother him.
I just used fabric that I had in my stash, quilting cottons for the bag and lining, wool felt for the “bobbins”, and some cellophane I had for a halloween project, and in an hour I had a bag that he loves and that lets me relax.
You’ll need:
Bag pieces cut to 6.5″ x 9″
2 outer pieces
2 lining pieces
4 cellophane pieces
Side pieces cut to 3.5″ x 9″
2 outer pieces
2 lining pieces
4 cellophane pieces
Bottom pieces cut to 3.5″ x 6.5″
1 outer pieces
1 lining pieces
2 cellophane pieces
Sew the sides to the front and back pieces to make a tube.
Open up the bottom end of the seams 1/4″ and sew the bottom on. This is just like sewing a box pillow, but since you have seams at every corner, you don’t have to snip anything, those open seams will fall into place just right.
Repeat this process with the lining fabric, and again with the cellophane but at a double thickness. I wanted to maximize the rustling effect, so there are two pieces of cellophane on each side.
Stack the lining bag inside the cellophane bag, making sure that the right side of the lining is what is showing. Then place both bags together inside the outer bag.
To finish the bag I zigzagged all three layers together and then just folded it over about a 1/2″ before securing it with a simple running stitch.
To make the bobbins I just cut a bunch of squares of wool, stitched them together on three sides, stuffed some cellophane scraps inside, and sewed it shut. Easy as pie.
Now my only problem is that Atti loves this thing so much, and the cats love chasing after the wool bobbins flying all over, that my house is littered with these little toys. But at least they don’t hurt when I step on them barefoot.