Fabric Party Goody Bags

Every party has to have a goody bag for all the guests to take home.  When I was a kid, my mom threw us the most fantastic themed birthday parties.  She always decorated a cake, and usually sewed goody bags to go with the theme or colors of the party.  She did all this all in Papua New Guinea - the remote, very tropical, 3rd World, island in the South Pacific.  When I started throwing my kid's birthday parties (11 years ago - eek), I wanted to continue her tradition.  So, for most of my kids parties, I have sewn goody bags for the guests (I'll have to find them all and share pics with you sometime).

For Olivia's 1st birthday, I needed to make something with scooters on it.  But, I just couldn't find the perfect fabric.  I wanted something with both the pink and minty green, and I definitely wanted scooters.  Months ago I picked up this cute scooter fabric and this sweet minty green floral.  I decided to use both fabrics for the bags.  I made 12 bags with 1 yard of the green floral, a swatch of the pink scooter fabric, a little square of heat 'n bond, and 1 spool of grey satin ribbon.  I'm pretty proud that the  grand total was under $9 for all 12 bags.

These take very basic sewing skills to make. And if you get an assemble line going, you can have them all made in just over an hour.  I have lots of step by step pictures for you to follow.

Start by cutting out the rectangles for the bags.  Using 1 yard of fabric and making 12 bags, you need to cut rectangles that are 6 1/2" by 16".  This will give you finished bags that are about 6" by 7".  Also iron on a piece of heat n' bond to your accent fabric (mine is the scooters) and then cut out the shape that you want to adhere to the bag.

Fold the bag piece in half and iron on the scooter shape where you want it.

Fold the bag good sides together now and stitch down each side with a 1/4" seam allowance.

Now, fold down about 1/4" of fabric around the top of the bag.  Iron this flat.

Then, fold the top down again, this time just less then 1".  Iron it flat again.

Stitch down the top of the bag.  I sewed mine 6/8" seem allowance (I have that marking on my machine).  Turn the bag right side out.

Now you are going to use a seam ripper to open a small bit of the seam so that you can thread the ribbon drawstring through.

Using a large safety pin, thread the ribbon through the opening and tie it off.

And really these are such great keepsake from parties.  My kids use past birthday bags for all kinds of things.  They store their favorite rocks in some and use them for toiletries when we travel.  Do you have birthday traditions for your kid's parties?