DIY-Clothesline Clothespin Bag

Last summer, I was granted the energy saving opportunity to use a clothesline to dry my clothes. Joe didn't take part in it but for the most part, I was happy using it.

I had a limited amount of clothespins however and had to use certain ones for certain items. For example, new pins were the only ones that held up my coveralls or jeans. So this spring, I bought a new package of clothespins. I don't want them to sit out all summer so I made a little bag for them. Here's how you can do it yourself!

1) Make a pattern out of newspaper and pin it to your material. Cut your material out. Pinking shears may be the best to use depending on the material you use. I used lightweight canvas but denim may be used too. This would be a good use of a jeans leg! The key of the pattern is that one side has slightly longer straps than the other-about 1 1/2 to 2 inches.

2) I wanted to add some decoration and detail so I gathered three more materials and printed off two different sizes of clothespins. These I cut out and then cut out the material shapes.

3)Then I pinned and sewed the shapes onto what would be the front of the bag. The front has shorter straps.

4) Then I pinned and sewed the straps on both sides. In between the straps, you need to make a small cut and fold that down.

5) Then I pinned the two sides of the bag together with the inside out. After that, back to the Singer!

6) Turn the bag right side out.

7) Now you have to put in buttonholes on the longer straps. I had the end of the buttonholes end about 1/2" from the end of the strap. The buttonholes proved to be pretty difficult because I was using a buttonholer that is probably 60 years old. I had never made buttonholes before so I did some practice ones. It wasn't super easy.

8) Then sew on your buttons in about the same location on the short straps (front).

Then ta-da! You have a bag for your clothespins to hang out your laundry if it ever gets warm and sunny! It actually will hang really well but the clothespins will help keep it from sliding. Sliding could be good as you could have it move with you down the line.