Springtime can bring a new look for our homes by sewing a few simple-to-make projects. Outside, a cheery fabric wreath may hang on the front door to welcome visitors and inside, a kitchen or dining room table announces the change of seasons with beautiful fabric prints or solids in traditional colors of the season - soft pinks, yellows, greens and robin egg blues.

Some changes to consider may be as simple and quick to make as a new wreath for the front door, using festive fabrics to sew into a table runner and napkins, or even make handy drawstring bags to hold the candy treats of the season.

Springtime Fabric Rag Wreath
This simple project involves using a wire wreath form and many torn or cut strips of fabric in spring colors. Tie the strips using a single knot onto the rings of the wreath form. Many fabric strips bunched together on the form will keep them from loosening. Strips can be approximately 2 inches by 6 inches or any size for the look desired. Many strips are needed if the wreath is to appear full. Muslin strips can be interspersed with the fabric strips for added fullness.

Border Table Runner and Napkins
To make one rectangular table runner that incorporates an easy decorative border, use 1 yard (or more if your table is longer) of 45-inch-wide fabric. Cut the fabric in half length-wise. You will have two equal pieces. Trim the second fabric piece 6 inches narrower in width than the first keeping the same length measurement. Right sides together sew the two long edges using a 1/4-inch seam, turn right-sides out, centering the narrower fabric length over the larger one so the long edges show as a border, press. Finish the short ends by turning under, press and stitch closed.

Note: If a traditional triangle point on the table runner ends is desired, fold finished short ends to meet in a point then stitch across to secure. Add decorative buttons or purchased tassels if desired.

For fabric napkins to match the table runner, the left-over fabric length that was cut off can be re-cut and stitched together to make napkins with mitered corners, satin stitched edges, serger hemmed edges or simply edges folded and machine straight-stitched or stitched with a decorative pattern.

Drawstring Treat Bags - Cut out two rectangles (any size desired) from fabric and cut two long lengths of ribbon or cording. For what will become the bag bottom only, slightly cut rounded corner edges. Leave opposite end of the fabric rectangle straight - necessary to create a top casing or channel.

To make that top casing to eventually pull the ribbon or cording through, taking each piece separately, fold under straight short edge to the wrong side 1/2-inch and fold again, press the fold, stitch the hem close to the edge. Next, place both top hemmed fabric pieces right sides together and stitch a 1/4-inch seam all around starting from just underneath the hemmed folded edges. Trim seam to neaten, turn right sides out, press.

The top edge will have now channel openings in which to thread through ribbon or cording for the drawstring effect. Use a bodkin or paper clip to attach to one end of one of the lengths of desired drawstring. Weave drawstring tie through both casing channels starting from left to right. Use the second length of drawstring to pass in the reverse from right to left. Create a knot on each of the tie ends and gently pull all tie ends together to gather for closure.

Note: Bunny ears or other shapes cut from sturdy felt can be added (use fabric glue or stitch) to the upper inside of the top of the bag if desired for Easter or other celebrations. Felt appliques can be added to the front of the bag as well.

Enjoy the season. "Spring has sprung, the grass is riz: I wonder where the flowers is?" This sing-song verse is mostly attributed to Frederic Ogden Nash (Aug 19, 1902 - May 19, 1971) or poet e.e.cummings (Oct 14, 1894 - Sep 03, 1962), or may be Anonymous however, attributed authorship is obscured by time.


Sew happy, sew inspired.