How to Make a Peg Bag

Hello! Well it would appear that, technically, Spring is here. It's still rather chilly but I feel like we're on the cusp of that glorious season, rather than in the midst of it. Even if it's not warm enough to sit outside, one of my biggest pleasures when the weather warms up is being able to hang washing on the line again. Nothing smells better than air-dried laundry. A while back I made a peg bag, and I've been saving this tutorial until a time when people might actually want to peg out their washing without freezing their fingers off. 

I hope you all have a lovely weekend. We are off down south to attend my sister's wedding. Suits and dresses are reading and waiting. Happy days!

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A Peg Bag Tutorial

Last year, my mother-in-law asked for a new peg bag for Christmas. My first thought was that it was a very utilitarian sort of thing to make and give someone, that there was nothing very special or gifty about it. But I duly set about it; I emptied my own peg bag of pegs and turned it inside out to see how it was made. I bought some fabric, a heavy-duty printed cotton from Ikea; I knew that my mother-in-law would like this Swedish-style country pattern very much, and the fabric needed to be sturdy enough to take lots of everyday use. But, do you know, the more I got into this project, the more I enjoyed it. It occurred to me that why not make everyday household items as pretty and lovely as possible, and ask for or give them as gifts? Why not take care to make them as nice as they can be? Successful companies like Cath Kidston have built their brands on this idea.

A year ago there is no way I would have attempted this. But last summer I went on a sewing course and learnt how to use my machine properly (ish), to sew carefully and accurately, and to understand why certain things need to be done a certain way. And so, I humbly share with you my tutorial for making this peg bag, should you want to make your own. Don't worry, you wont see me on The Great British Sewing Bee any time soon, I am very much a beginner. It's very easy, I promise.

I opted to use two types of fabric for my peg bag but there is no reason why you shouldn't use one - or three - depending on what you fancy and what you have in your fabric stash.

Materials you will need:

• Brown paper or lining paper for the template.
• A child's wooden coat hanger.
• Fabric of your choice - two fat quarters or the equivalent amount will easily be enough.
• Some ribbon or lace trim - enough to go across the width of your bag, 50 cm should do it.
• Plus good, sharp scissors (not the sticky ones from the kitchen drawers), threads to match your fabrics, a fading ink pen and a sewing machine.

Begin by making your template. Put the coat hanger onto the paper and draw around the shape (not the hook, just the "shoulders"). This will determine your width. Then make it as long as you want - I was aiming for a vaguely squarish shape that flared out at the bottom. Cut out 2cm all the way around your template - this will be your seam allowance. You can see here that I folded my template down the middle before cutting so that I knew it was exactly symmetrical. Draw a horizontal line approximately one third of the way down the template, which will determine where the opening for the pegs will be.

Now cut out the back of your peg bag by pinning your template to the fabric and cutting carefully around the edge.

Now you want to get ready to cut both front panels. Remember that line you drew before (arrow 1)? Well you need to draw one more line 2 cm above it (as in arrow 2) and another line 2 cm below it (arrow 3). This creates your seam allowance either side.

Now for the bottom front panel. Take your template and fold it along the top line (arrow 2). Pin it securely to the fabric and cut around the edge.

Then re-fold along the bottom line (arrow 3) (tucking in any paper that will interfere with the shape of your template), pin and cut out. This gives you the top front panel.

And now you should have three panels - one for the back and two for the front.

Take your two front panels and line them up right sides together, pinning along the long, straight side.

Using a fading ink pen, draw a line 2 cm down and about one quarter of the way in on either side, as below. This is the part you are going to sew shut, leaving the central pocket open. You could mark this spot with pins if you prefer but I find the pen easier.

Sew along the line on each side, then press your seams open. The front should look like this now.

Now flip it over and turn each hem under twice, pressing it well, and pin into place. Sew both hems then press again.

If you're using any lace or trim, pin it in place underneath the opening as below, and carefully sew it into place.

Now you are ready to sew your front and back pieces together. Place the pieces right sides together and pin all around the edge.

There is one section you don't want to stitch shut and that is the very top part where the coat hanger hook will go. Place two pins in here facing vertically downwards, to remind yourself to stop sewing at this point.

Starting on one side of the top opening, stitch all the way around the edge leaving a 2 cm seam allowance, until you reach your vertical pin on the other side. Snip your corners on the diagonal, turn it the right way out and press well. Insert your coat hanger (this will take a bit of gentle wriggling but it will go in) and ta da, your peg bag is complete.

I made a tea towel to match with the scraps of leftover fabric, with lines of washing flapping in the breeze, for a bit of fun.