The Bumbling Bee: Hello Sun! and make your own peg bag....

So this weekend the British public ventured out of hibernation to enjoy the glorious sunshine...and, wow, it actually feels like Spring might just be on it's way! Although we currently only have one lone Snowdrop in our garden we went to a local National Trust place which was overflowing with Snowdrops, Helebores and...ummm....loads of other flowers. It was so good to just get outside into the sunshine!

This got me thinking that I might be able to start hanging our clothes out to dry outside soon. Now, I know, drying clothes isn't a very exciting topic to talk about with you guys but stay with me for a moment...because that then got me thinking that I should find a home for my recently purchased pegs -and so began my adventures in making the peg bag I want to share with you today!

Initially I never intended to make a house. It was going to be a nice little neat square using two different cherry fabrics that I collected long ago. But then I wondered how I would hang it and a coat hangar seemed like the most obvious option...but, you know, a coat hangar was going to distort that 'neat little square' (which was unrealistic in itself because I never sew anything that is actually neat) so I decided to change up the shape and I figured if something is going to look like a house, well, why not make it one?

This is so simple and you can decorate it to your hearts content. I thought about adding in some picket fencing but it takes me so long to embroider that I was happy to settle for two windows and a door!

1. Firstly cut out a triangle and square for the roof and main body of the house. Pin right sides together and sew together.

2) Next cut out your decorations. Be creative! Decide where you want them to go and either secure with a couple of little stitches or Wonder Web. Then grab your embroidery thread and sew round the edges however you like.

3) Grab the fabric for the back of the bag. Using the house shape as a template, draw around it, adding an extra 10cm to the bottom. Cut out, and cut the fabric into two pieces (you want the top half to be the biggest).

4) Hem the sides that you have just created, these will be the opening to the bag.

5) Next lay the fabrics right side together and pin (make sure you place the larger of the two backing fabric on first). Sew the fabric together by starting and finishing at the centre of the roof, leaving a 1cm gap for the coat hangar. Turn the right way out and press.

6) The bag will distort when pegs are put in so I recommend adding a button to hold the shape. I just made a really simple loop to hook round the button.

7) Unless you have made a really big bag then you will have to cut the hangar down to size! Take the coat hangar and saw the ends off. Use the sandpaper to sand down any sharp edges.