I Love To Create Mystery Box Challenge: No-Sew Valentine Gift Pouch & Giveaway

I had the opportunity this week to take part in a mystery box challenge sponsored by I Love To Create.  I didn’t know what supplies I’d be getting until I opened the box – and with them, I made this no-sew stenciled gift pouch for Valentine’s Day!  Perfect for stashing gifts for your sweetie, even if you don’t know how to use a sewing machine.  (And be sure to read through for a great giveaway at the end of this post!)

See, I got all these fabric stenciling goodies, and a blank pillow cover.  But every time I looked at the ric rac and the Fabric Fusion, I just couldn’t help but think outside the pillow.  So instead, I whipped up this little fabric gift pouch.  In addition to what’s pictured here, you will also need scissors, an iron, and about 18 inches of ribbon.

First things first, cut two pieces of fabric 7″ x 9″.  On the right side of one of the rectangles, glue a line of ric rac 1.5″ down from the top edge along both sides and the bottom.  I know this seems wrong, but trust me – when you turn it later, it will work itself out.  Here’s what to do:

Glue along the OUTER edge only of the ric rac, and glue it along the edge of the fabric rectangle.  Start on one side, go down, fold the ric rac and glue along the bottom, fold again, and then glue up along the third side.  The white-on-white makes it tough to see here, but the top 1.5″ has nothing glued on it.

Now, run a line of glue on top of what you just glued down, both on and off the ric rac.  Take your other rectangle, and place it right side facing down, sandwiching everything together and again – leaving that top 1.5″ unglued, with nothing on it.

Next, create a tube by turning and gluing the top edge down on each side.  Tuck your ribbon in before gluing it down (so you don’t have to thread it in separately), making sure not to glue the ribbon.  You may find it helpful to iron the edge down first, so that it folds easily when you glue it.  Wrap the ribbon around, and glue the other side down.  Tie a knot in the end of the ribbon – this will be your cinch closure.

Now, let your whole “sandwich” dry before turning it.  Fabric Fusion dries prtty quickly, so you won’t have long to wait – I only waited about 20 minutes before continuing to the final step of creating the pouch.

Once it’s dried enough to continue, reach inside the pouch, and gently turn it right-side-out.    Iron it out flat.

Next – it’s time to stencil!  SO VERY lightly, spray your stencil with adhesive.  I cannot stress enough that a little goes a long way!  Adhere the stencil to your pouch, and use Tulip soft matte fabric paint to stencil on your design.  I used a sponge roller, but a brush would also be effective.

Once your paint dries – you are ready to use your pouch!  Just toss in a sweet gift, and cinch the top closed by gently pulling the ribbon.

Want to see what some of my friends made from their mystery boxes?  Check out SevenAlive’s Ombre Stenciled Bleeding Heart Pillow, It Happens In a Blink’s Stenciled Love Pillow, and Pitter and Glink’s Watercolor Heart Embellished Pillow!

Now – who’s ready for a great giveaway?  One lucky winner can to pamper themselves with a $100 bundle including goodies from Starbucks, Craft Stash, and Udderly Smooth! Rafflecopter will walk you through how to get your entries in below – the giveaway begins at 12:01 am EST on 02/05/2015 and ends on 02/12/2015 at 11:59 pm EST. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway