Oh how I love Trader Joe's ... not only for the fabulous food they sell, but also for the hardy brown paper bags you get when you forget to bring your own reusable bags.
My Husband is in Japan and so it was a craft night tonight ... Check out my brown bag and linen envelopes!
What a great gift they make, all tied up with matching cards.
Some are very simple with just a few free motion stitched scallops ...
All have a bit of linen and ledger paper stitched to them ...
One has with a stitched heart ...
And one has a flower and few dots ...
This envelope is addressed and ready to be mailed ...
And they all have a tiny bit of free motion doodling on the back flap!
Here's what I did:
Cut down the side of a hardy brown paper bag.
Using a craft knife, carefully open up an envelope.
And then trace the envelope to the inside of the paper bag.
Using a ruler and a stylus, score the fold lines.
Cut a small panel of linen and ledger paper and glue to the envelope using a fabric glue stick.
Next, free motion stitch around the linen and ledger paper, then add the scallops.
Next, glue the envelope together.
Oh, and don't forget the back ... add a little free motion doodle to the back flap.
Happy Gift Giving!
Phew! I'm your fan! These are absolutely amazing... what a great idea... I'm definitely going to try and make some quilted envelopes. I used to love Trader Joe's when I lived in San Diego.
Posted by: Helena | January 29, 2011 at 06:23 AM
awesome, so many possibilities! thank you so very much for this tutorial... :)
Posted by: donna!ee | January 29, 2011 at 06:50 AM
Once again...you make it look so easy....the free motion is hard for me to do...and yours look so perfect....another night of successful crafting!!!
Posted by: Lee Ann | January 29, 2011 at 08:00 AM
I love this!
Posted by: Ginger | January 29, 2011 at 01:59 PM
Cynthia, these are beautiful, wish I could come over for free motion lessons. I do have questions: 1) Do you have to have layers for free motion stitching, or could you do this stitching on a piece of fabric or paper? I've been playing with my free motion quilting foot on my Janome sewing machine with fabric, it's so much fun:)
Posted by: Susan Hosueman | January 29, 2011 at 02:29 PM
Wow! I love mail art and these are no exception!! :)
Posted by: Roben-Marie | January 30, 2011 at 04:12 PM
This is adorable!!!
Posted by: Jackie | January 30, 2011 at 04:21 PM
Thanks for sharing the process. These look like so much fun!
Posted by: Cindy Jones Lantier | January 30, 2011 at 04:38 PM
Love your free motion stitching! Made me drool!
Posted by: Sandi Keene | January 30, 2011 at 04:42 PM
o those are darling! thanks for the step by step!! i really like the linen & white stitching against the humble brown bag...great reuse!
Posted by: jean | January 30, 2011 at 08:15 PM
nice! I need to see if my machine can do free motion
Posted by: stephanie | January 31, 2011 at 10:42 AM
Bee-utiful! Thanks for the tutorial.
Posted by: Deborah | January 31, 2011 at 03:52 PM
1. The only interferes with my learning is my education obstacles.
2. When a mathematical principle used to reality, they are not certain; as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality.
3. Common sense is formed in eighteen of prejudices before.
4. The release of atomic energy has not created a new problem. It has merely made the necessity of solving an existing one more urgent.
5. If you are out to describe the truth, leave elegance to the tailor.
6. I don't know the third world war will use what weapons, but I'm sure the fourth world war weapons will be with sticks and stones.
Albert Einstein sayings
Posted by: Air Jordans | May 09, 2011 at 12:19 AM