treat bags

This year I decided to make some little treat bags for my friends on my birthday. I wanted them to know how much I appreciated them! I made these up as I went along and I must say, they turned out pretty cute! It would be fun to make them in kid-print fabric for a child's party too. 

Here's how I made them. First off, you need 2 pieces of fabric (I used contrasts) one for the outside and one for the lining, each 6 1/2" X 16 1/2". Put them right sides together and stitch both short ends with a 1/4" seam.

 Now flip it right side out and press flat. On both finished ends, measure down 1 inch and make a mark 3/8" from the center in both directions, so you have 2 marks 3/4" apart on each end. Beginning at each of these marks, make a buttonhole about 1/2" long (so you are making 4 buttonholes, 2 at each end. Make sense?

 This part is a little tricky. Flip your bag back inside out. The buttonholes will prevent you from laying it flat. That's ok! Fold your bag so the seams are in the center, matched up, and stitch your side seams. Make sure you leave about a 3" gap on one side of the lining fabric so you can turn it when you are done. This is a little bit finicky, you will need to straighten your edges as you go, just go slowly and it will work!

 Flip your bag right side out through the gap in your lining seam. Hand or machine stitch the gap shut and press your lining to the inside of the bag.

 Now take a 12 inch piece of ribbon and thread it through the buttonholes, from the front, through 2 holes to the back, then back through the other 2 holes to the front again. Here's the front...

 And from the back with the ribbon peaking out....

 I glued a button on each side of the ribbon ends to prevent them from popping out of the buttonholes when you ope n the bag (also they looked cute so why not?)

 And there you have it! Fill it with goodies (mine had magnets, post its, a pen, emery board, a candy treat) and tie the ribbon shut.

 Put them in a cute basket and share with friends!

Have a wonderful day!