Free Pattern...the 'thread' sac

Last week I had the opportunity to go to one of my favorite quilt shops - Ladies of Liberty in Independence, Oregon - with my mother-in-law...we were meandering around the quilt shop looking at every thing and enjoying all the beautiful quilts and little sewing items when I saw this little 'thread catcher'.

I immediately wanted the pattern...come to find out there wasn't one...so I snatched up some very adorable civil war prints and ran home to figure out the pattern on my own and make one.

This little sac could be used for a lot of different purposes...the purpose for it in the shop was to catch loose thread so that the thread didn't end up on the floor.  I think I may make a dozen of them just to have in my sewing room for 'whatever'.

Here is the pattern!

 Materials Needed:
-         Outside fabric 12” square
-         Inside fabric 12” square
-         One 2 ½” strip of bias binding (approximately 21” long)
-         12” square of batting – I prefer a thicker batting to give it some poof, I used wool batting.
-         Heavy thread for gathering the bowl/paired with a large needle used for gathering.
-         Sewing machine
-         Hand sewing needle and thread to stitch down binding.

Sewing Directions:

1.    Trace an 11” diameter circle onto a piece of paper or paper side of ‘butcher’ paper, and cut circle out.  *Note: use a compass to make circle or just use a ruler and mark the four sides and connect the circle.  The circle does not have to be perfect. 
2.     Trace circle onto backside of one of the fabrics.  Layer outside fabric, batting, and inside Fabric – cut circle out of all three layers at one time.
3.      Layer inside fabric right side up, batting, and outside fabric right side down.  Pin edges to hold in place.
4.      Using heavy thread and large needle, hand sew a running stitch all the way around the outside of the circle, sewing thru all layers.  Stitch should be fairly big.
5.      Gather thread until sides are raised up to about 1” or the height you desire.
6.       Knot off thread.
7.       Fold and press bias binding in half.
8.       Sew binding onto the outside of the sac by matching raw edges of binding and top of sac.  At the start and stop of the binding, fold binding into a triangle to hide the raw edge.
9.       Flip your little sac wrong side out and hand stitch the folded edge of binding down to the inside fabric – hiding your stitch line.
10.    When done with stitching, flip sac to the right side out and smooth the inside.  Your little sac is ready to be used.  It certainly can be used for a lot more than just thread. J  Hope you enjoyed the process!

Enjoy...happy sewing. janaé