17 DIY Flour Sack Book Bag {plus a Promo and a GIVEAWAY}

If you are at all like us, then you like to hit up the local library.  And if you have kiddos in school, my guess is that they bring home books from their school library as well.  It is important to keep those books separate from the other piles of books throughout the house, so they get returned on time {no more frantic late night book searches}.

We had a designated basket for awhile, which worked great with the exception that it wasn't the most portable.  So, I decided to try my hand at one of my very first sewing projects, while also using things I had on hand at home, to DIY myself a little book sack for stashing a few library books and also for transporting them to and from the library. 

Yep!  Totally used a flour sack dish towel.  I have been trapped in the house and that is what I had, so that is what I used, and it. is. awesome.

To get started, I washed and ironed the towel, and laid a larger book on top of it to get an idea of the size I wanted.  Since we only ever have a couple of books at a single time, I didn't need anything too large and bulky.

Once I determined the width, I used a tape measure to measure and a ruler to draw some light lines on the towel with a pencil.

Then, while the dishtowel was folded in half, I cut each side {since the dishtowel had a bulky finished edge on one side, I opted to cut both sides to remove the original sewn edges, leaving the bottom folded and the top finished edge as is}.  Then, I cheated and used some hem tape to give each side a nice new, less bulky finished edge.

So now I had something like this {top - original edge, sides - hem taped edges}:

Next, I pulled out the sewing machine.  Knowing that books can be heavy, I wasn't going to "no sew" this little sack.  I needed to pull out the big guns....

A quick seam up each side of the towel and I now had a simple tote.

Since the tote would need a handle, I thought up a few ways to create one, but remembered I still had grommets leftover from these DIY Canvas Storage Boxes, so I pulled those out for this project too.  I thought they would add just a little extra strength and interest to the flour sack bag.

Using a grommet kit, I added two grommets to each side of the sack for a total of four.

Because I am a labelaholic and the white sack was looking pretty blah, I switched gears for a minute to play with the new Silhouette fabric interfacing.

The Silhouette can cut fabric!  This is music to my ears since I am not all that handy with scissors.  The first step is to use an iron to affix the fabric interfacing to the back of the desired fabric.

Once the interfacing is on the back of the fabric, it can be placed on a cutting mat to be run through the Silhouette.  Here it is cutting away.

I was really original and decided to have it cut the word "books".  It came out nice and crisp!  Crazy to think it had just cut fabric!

To get the newly cut fabric on the newly sewed flour sack, it was just a matter of removing it from the cutting mat and placing it on the sack in my desired location.

Eight seconds of pressing the letters with my iron....

And the bag was now labeled.

Now, I needed to figure out the handles.  I was completely out of rope, so ribbon was the next solution.  After brainstorming a bajillion ways to loop it through, I went back to the sewing machine.

I looped the ribbon through the grommet and sewed two lines across the ribbon to make sure it would really stay put.  A little Fray Check would prevent the ribbon edges from going all cray cray.

And here she is all nice and cute and ready to go to the library!

Yep!  Flour sack turned book sack!  I am so in love with it!  I think it just earned a permanent home on the hook!

No more misplaced books!  In fact, she is a constant subtle reminder of our next trip to the library.  Smitten.

And guess what?  It's Silhouette promo time, so you can play with the fabric cutting {and everything else cutting} tool too!

To snag one of these great deals, you can head here and enter ORGANIZING at checkout.

And, because I heart you and to bring on the super long weekend, I am giving away a Silhouette Portrait today too!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


So much fun to whip up something from nothing.  And sewing wasn't all that hard!  Now just to remember to pin and figure out how to get a nice straight line and I will be set, ha!

Have you taken on any impromptu sewing projects lately?

IHeart Organizing official giveaway entry rules can always be found here.

17 UHeart Organizing: Five Tips to Line Dry Laundry Like A Pro

Do you loooove to do laundry like I do?  OK, maybe I was being sarcastic....

But seriously, sorting is oddly soothing to me.  Maybe it's the #organizeratheart.

Casey from Pretty Organized, makes laundry look magical and even inspiring?  Is that possible?  She is here today to share her line drying tips, so enjoy!

It's almost summer in my neck of the woods, and that means I can line dry my clothes to save {and be!} a little green. I just started drying my laundry outdoors last summer, and I love it! Here are a few quick tips & tricks to make even the laziest launderers learn to love line drying. {Say that five times fast!}

Short on space?

If you hang items on hangers, you can double {maybe even triple!} the amount of clothing you can fit on one clothesline. Bonus: all of your shirts are already on hangers when you're ready to take them off the line!

 
A few mini binder clips will wind-proof your hangers in a snap. {A good breeze might knock clothespins off, but these little guys will hang tight!}

Need it dry faster?

 
Pin your clothes so that the openings face the wind, and leave the front side of the fabric unpinned. It will blow in the breeze & fill with air like a windsock, drying all of the surface areas at once instead of just drying from the outside in.

Too many wrinkles? 

Shake it out when it's wet & you'll annihilate most of them right off the bat! You can also lightly pull the fabric after you clip it to the clothesline to smooth creases. {Maybe you already knew this, but I only learned this tip from my mother-in-law last summer, so I figured I'd share just in case. The shaking trick works for the dryer, too!}

Scared to show off your skivvies?

Avoid offending the neighbors & air dry delicates discreetly using magnetic or microsuction hooks on the side of your washing machine.


Clothespins causing chaos?

Use gentler pins to reduce creases & save fragile fabrics from damage. Two of the gentler clothespin brands I've seen include the Soft Clip Fleur & Softouch {pictured}.


STILL hate doing laundry?

{via}

You could always try to convince everyone in your household to wear the new Wool & Prince shirts. They can go 100+ wears without washing, and they won't wrinkle or smell. {I still can't decide whether this is awesome or gross!}


What are your favorite laundry time-savers? Any tips you can share to help newbies like myself?

 

"My name is Casey, and I live in a sweet, tiny little house in Delaware with my hubby & our two adorable rescue dogs. As a longtime fan of Jen's phenomenal organizing skills, I am absolutely THRILLED to be a contributor for IHeart Organizing!  

I used to be a total mess, but after I let go of the idea of “perfect,” I found freedom. I stopped trying to fit the mold & learned how to make organization work with my natural habits, and I have become obsessed with creative organizing solutions ever since! When I'm not drooling over the latest amazing project features over here, you can find me happily tinkering away on my own blog, Pretty Organized, where I share my addiction to aesthetics, small space storage ideas, DIY projects, and all things aqua!" 

38 Reader Space: Laundry Room Love Affair!

OK Dudes and Dudettes... You know I rarely play favorites.  And I have seen a lot of makeovers in my time.  Like, a lot.  And I have to say, this one ranks super duper high on my list of ohmygoshicantbelievemyeyes makeovers.  The before and after photos are jaw dropping, but what really gets me is the final budget.  I think that is why I am so over the moon obsessed with this laundry room transformation.  Kelly, from the blog View Along the Way, used a total of $157 smackaroos to create an absolutely priceless space, thanks to a little elbow grease and oodles of creativity.

Here she is now to share all the details on how she made a laundry room to lust after!

What is the main function of your space?

"Laundering our unmentionables."

Any superstar tips for keeping it organized?

"An oldie but a goodie: designate a place for everything.  But especially in a space like a laundry room that exists only for function, keep everything in a spot that's comfortable and accessible.  I keep the laundry detergent right over the washing machine, and I'm on the tall side so it's within easy reach for me.  Stuff I use less often, like my iron {*ahem* #iliveinyogapants}, stays on the top shelf.  Everything that's not cute stays hidden behind those cabinet doors."

What items did you find were essential when organizing the space, and why?

"One thing that's been virtually lifesaving is my drying rack.  My baby girl wears cloth diapers, so we used to have to haul out a free-standing drying rack every few days and put it back when the diapers were dry.  Except we rarely actually put it back, so it just got in the way and gave me one more excuse to put off doing another load of laundry." 

What did you do to go the extra mile and "Make it Pretty"?

"I stenciled the back wall with a peacock stencil and iridescent paint.  Totally not functional, but it makes me happy, so that counts for something.  My husband made the fancy geometric light fixture, which we ended up loving so much that we're starting to wonder if we should move it to one of our main living spaces where we can see it more often!"

What items did you DIY to stay on budget?

"We DIY'd everything!  The floors were a yellowed, old linoleum, and to save a few bucks, we decided to take a chance and try painting them in chunky horizontal stripes.  I'm so glad we did because it worked so much better than I expected.  They still look perfect, without a scratch to be found.  The cabinet came from a yard sale, and we built the shelves out of scrap wood in our garage.  {Which, by the way, could really use your expertise, Jen!}"  

How has this space impacted your life for the better?

"Not once since we did this room makeover have I ever fallen behind on laundry.  Okay, that's not true at all.  But when I DO finally get around to catching up on it?  It's a hundred times more enjoyable!  We used to just have one wire shelf on the back wall so our laundry products were overflowing and falling off the shelf, and I could never find what I was looking for.  Now everything is within reach and I know where to find it.  Before, no matter how much I scrubbed I could never get that floor to look clean, so it always felt like an uncomfortable space to be washing our clothes.  Now it's a happy space, and the extra organization means I spend less time doing chores and more time hangin' with my kiddos."

Let's take a moment to glance at that absolutely awesomepants laundry room before and after....

Oh boy, where do I begin.  Why do IHeart this space so much?  Hmmmmm.... do you have a few hours for me to explain the reasons?

• She painted the floor.  Wait.  One more time.  She painted the floor!  Totally resourceful and to make it even better, she painted the floor with stripes that make a huge impact!  Heck yes.
• She also stenciled a focal wall.  A girl after my own heart, I am a focal wall addict.  
• She only spent $157 to make her room look like a million bucks.  Enough said.
• She found storage from a thrift sale.  Talk about poppin' tags!  And then she DIY'd shelves out of scrap wood.  Looking at it, you would never know that the entire setup wasn't a high-end custom install. 
• She really thought about placement when storing away her laundry room gear.  Frequently used items within reach, less used items up higher.  No worries Kelly, #ilovemesomeyogapantstoo
• That wall mounted drying rack is such a smart way to utilize the small space.  No more tripping over the rack on the floor.  
• High fives for tucking the non-pretty necessities behind doors and keeping the good lookin' stuff on display.  
• Who wouldn't want to do laundry in that space?  I am sure she definitely whistles while she works!

Stunning right?  You can find even more eye candy and specific details about the laundry room transformation over on Kelly's blog here.  And what is even more exciting is that she is also sharing some exciting news and details over on BHG's Style Spotter's blog.  Wahoo!

This makeover story got me wondering, what's the best $157 you have ever spent?

ATTENTION!!  Want to be featured in a Reader Space edition?  Have an awesome organizing story to share?  I am looking for projects that have made a positive impact to your life.  Please submit your story and photos here and I would heart to feature them right here, on the blog!!  Photos should be high resolution and unedited.  Please include a description of the project, including any costs, inspiration, and how it has changed your life and routine for the better!  Oh, and no worries my friends, we will NEVER judge "before" pictures because that just wouldn't be nice!  Only love goes on at this blog!