Easy Sew Clothespin Bag from a Keepsake Baby Dress
With spring weather on the horizon, my days of hanging laundry on the clothesline are near. Line fresh clothes not only smell and feel great, but line drying saves a lot of money too! As a mom of 6 living on a farm, I do a lot of laundry, so I wanted to make myself a clothespin holder that makes me smile.
I’d been hanging onto a dress all 4 of my daughters wore as toddlers for sentimental reasons, but the well-loved dress had seen better days. The dress was in no shape to pass along to another little girl, or to save for my grandchildren. Rather than leaving it at the top of my closet forever, I made a clothes pin bag out of the dress. Now, I smile each time I hang clothes on the line!
Here’s an easy tutorial to make a clothespin bag from a keepsake dress-
Choose a baby or toddler size dress that buttons down the back.
Next, you’ll want to cut off (or remove with a seam ripper) any sashes as close to the side seams as possible.
If the dress has any tags, use a seam ripper to remove them.
Now, look at the back of the dress. This is where you’ll reach in for clothespins.
Decide how many buttons should be undone to create a comfortable sized opening to reach the clothespins. My daughters’ dress buttoned way down the back, so I chose to leave the bottom two buttons buttoned. For a smaller dress, or one with a shorter opening, leave all the buttons un-done. Remove the buttons that will remain un-done for the opening using scissors or a seam ripper. Fold the sides of the opening as pictured below, then sew the flaps open.
Decide how deep you want your bag. I find an (approximately) 9 inch pocket to be comfortable to reach in. Cut the skirt of the dress off, about one inch longer than you’d like your bag. I cut this dress 10 inches below the waist. Since the skirt was very full, I folded the dress in half to make the cut.
Turn the dress inside out, and pin the opening shut.
Sew a 1/2 inch seam to close the opening of the skirt. Reinforce the seam with either a zig-zag stitch, or a serger. Turn the dress right-side out, choose a sturdy hanger, and fill the bag with clothespins.
This clothespin dress bag is so adorable, and such a good way to use a keepsake baby dress!I love seeing our little blue dress while I hang my daughters’ clothes. As I pin their current clothes to the line, I’m reminded of each girl as a toddler. I can picture that little one running around my legs as I pin her now much bigger clothes on the line.
Anything that makes me smile while doing chores is definitely welcome- as is anything that makes my chores easier.
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I love this idea! Easy, functional and beautiful. Thanks for sharing! #client
What a great idea this is. I love awesome ways to upcycle old stuff like this 🙂
Been making these for years. (My girls are now 51 and 52)……Have one hanging in my laundry room right now.
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What a cool idea! I could see using that in my daughter’s closet too to hold her hair bows and headbands! Thanks!
So cute! And doesn’t laundry on the clothesline smell the best? Like sunshine. 🙂
Now this is really sweet! I remember my nana having something similar to hold her clothes pins back in the day. Where we live we aren’t allowed to hang clothes out to dry which is so stupid considering they are concerned with the environment. I would love to hang our laundry outside to dry for free in the wind.
As a super sentimental person, this is the best idea. I really, really love it and every time I would use it, I’d get all misty.
Wow, that’s a lot of socks! The clothespin bag is so cute!
That would be a great gift for a baby shower. I would fill it with children’s clothes. So cute.
I love it! Easy, functional and so cute!! Thank you for sharing it!
So smart! This is the cutest idea I’ve seen in awhile. I’m a huge sentimental softie too. 🙂
Oh my goodness that is such an adorable idea, and SO easy!!
What a sweet idea! Great way to save a child’s dress. Turned out cute.