dirndl clothespin bag
one thing i love about living in southern california is it’s always clothesline weather! line dried clothes, especially towels, are one of my favorite feeling things.
about 10 years ago i got this adorable dirndl-style vintage clothespin bag, and even though i am very delicate with it (as delicate as you can really be with a clothespin bag, anyways) i’m afraid the old fabric might tear anytime. to prepare for that inevitable event, i made a pattern from it so i can whip up a new one when the need arises.
i wanted to share this project in the summer when it was clothesline weather all across the country, but i just finished it up now. it’s not too late though, they would make super cute gifts for the holidays! and the dirndl styling is just in time for oktoberfest-i made the new one using some vintage dirndl fabric i had lying around from dresses i had shortened.
you will need:
download the pattern pieces here. enlarge 200% before cutting! the finished size is appox. 13.5″ wide across at the shoulders and 16″ long at the center.
1/2 yard of fabric
7″ x 10″ scrap of contrasting fabric for apron
12″ of alpine ribbon
1 1/2 yards of foldover braid or bias binding
1 yard of ric rac
wooden clotheshanger, cut down to 13.5″ across
14″ of thin ribbon or trim for the tie
to sew:
fold pleats on apron and stitch down.
sew foldover braid/bias binding around apron sides and bottom.
center alpine ribbon on top of apron and stitch across.
place apron on front panel and stitch down around sides and bottom of apron, and sides of ribbon, leaving the top front of the apron open, it’s a pocket!
place the right sides of front and back together and stitch all the way around from shoulder to shoulder (1/2″ seam allowance).
turn right side out and sew foldover braid/bias binding around neckline, then sew the ric rac trim around neckline.
stitch the 14″ tie down at the center of the back of neckline. that’s to tie around the clotheshanger so it won’t slide out.
insert clotheshanger and tie. add clothespins and go hang out your laundry!
March 21st, 2013 at 8:05 pm
It’s clothes line weather all year round here in Australia! Thanks for the great tip
March 25th, 2013 at 3:55 pm
Just started looking for a clothespin bag and yours is the cutest one on the net. Yes I am a guy and straight but I decided to hang clothes instead of firing up the 220 volts it takes to dry clothes in a dryer. Smells better too.
March 26th, 2013 at 12:14 am
awesome! line dried clothes are the best!
March 28th, 2013 at 10:44 am
Maravillosa idea y sus colores y telas me encantan, muchas gracias por compartir.
May 6th, 2013 at 4:06 am
I want to make sure I am understanding this right. Is the only opening the apron pocket? Thanks
May 6th, 2013 at 6:16 pm
the opening where you put the clothespins is the ‘neckline’ of the dress.
June 17th, 2013 at 1:09 pm
love your idea!! Just took a glance & you have beautifull ideas! Greetings from FLA
July 17th, 2013 at 2:11 pm
Thanks so much for this! I Can’t wait to make one. Now to just get my husband to put a line up for me on the other hand… He hates stuff hung on the line. HOW can you hate that?
July 18th, 2013 at 7:56 pm
i know! line dried laundry is the best!
August 17th, 2013 at 5:34 am
I know a lady that has made these out of vinyl fabric so that they are more rain proof in case you let it out.
August 17th, 2013 at 2:38 pm
I loved this. Thank you Sooooo much. I made one and blogged about it too. Though yours is MUCH better. I had fun. http://www.playmommaplay.com
August 22nd, 2013 at 3:36 pm
This is just great! Thanks for sharing that gorgeous pattern. It’s exactly what I was looking for :) I only have one question… Does the pattern include seam allowance?
August 22nd, 2013 at 5:24 pm
hi karine! yes, it does include 1/2″ seam allowance. i hope you have fun making it!
September 9th, 2013 at 1:09 pm
I was wondering … I DO NOT repeat DO NOT sew lolol and was wondering if anyone would be willing to make one for me… I “commission” your sewing art :) thanks!
Debbie Quintero
NY
September 10th, 2013 at 3:27 pm
So pretty. No clothesline NO Problem!Use it to store your panty hose. Place some pretty lavender sachet bags close with netting on opening . HMMM your closets will smell so nice.
September 30th, 2013 at 1:40 pm
I also like clothespin bags! I love your pattern and will make some for gifts.
When my kids were young, I took a shirt of son’s and a dress from daughter.
( Or purchaced small clothes from thrift stores ) turned them inside out, sewed the bottom of dress or shirt closed, the shirt front was sewed partway up. Turned them right side out…..Clothespin Bags. When ever I hung clothes I thought of the little ” angels”. Mary B.
January 14th, 2014 at 11:29 pm
I think this clothespin bag is so cleaver! Thank you for sharing this great idea! For those who can’t hang clothes out in the winter months, it can be used for those grocery sacks we all get regularly.
It could also be used as a hanging tote for your car when on trips, to store things you may need while enroute but don’t want to have to dig thru a suit case or back pack to find certain items.
blessings and <3 <3 heartfuls of thanks! ~kathryn
June 12th, 2014 at 3:22 pm
this is just what I was looking for.
Thanks
June 13th, 2014 at 8:24 pm
This is SUPER cute. I had so much fun making this.
Since I am nowhere near a copy store and my computer was not behaving today, I did the enlarge by hand. I will link to my manual enlarge once I have it posted to my website. It was pretty easy but a bit time consuming.
July 8th, 2014 at 11:26 am
Does anyone know of a good substitute for Alpine ribbon? I can’t find any around my location…New Brunswick, Canada, nor online.
July 10th, 2014 at 12:29 am
hi mary! this website has some cute trims http://www.shop.continentalstitcherytrims.com/Tyrolean-trims_c22.htm
July 11th, 2014 at 4:45 am
Thank you, Hannah! This site looks great!
August 4th, 2014 at 6:30 am
I love this little clothespin bag and will definitely make it. As many people have noted, a lot of us grew up with mothers and grandmothers who used clothespin bags that were shaped like little dresses. I found this site after I noticed that my store-bought clothespin bag was starting to fray. It won’t be long before it fails, but I will be ready.
Several people have commented about trying to increase the pattern pieces to 200%. How about providing the finished length and width of the bag? That might help some of us to get close to the 200% size.
August 6th, 2014 at 5:59 pm
good idea sandra! the finished size is appox. 13.5″ wide across at the shoulders and 16″ long at the center. i hope that helps!
August 28th, 2014 at 2:16 pm
Sooooooo cute! Pinning!
August 29th, 2014 at 1:08 am
How wonderful, now that’s what l call a peg bag and so easy to do. I have made this for myself and now making for friends. Thank you so much for sharing your pattern
August 29th, 2014 at 10:49 pm
Very pretty and useful. I however plan on using one of my colorful T shirts or tops for the body. Also useful as a soiled/ clean clothes holder in the bag and clothe spins and handy extra plastic rope when travelling. In India we normally line dry clothes anyway. I plan on using an inch of Velcro to keep the pocket closed. Tks
Nalini
September 11th, 2014 at 7:31 am
Love it. Could it get any quiter? Thank-you
October 1st, 2014 at 3:52 pm
I have made these before but decades ago. Tho I made them w/old baby clothes, they didn’t hold a candle to yours’ and I thank you for the tutorial which I will use to make more new & improved pin bags. Your creativity is inspiring. Thank you again. Also you and others have offered many excellent alternate uses for the bags. My daughters need several of these. Pardon me, but you rock!
October 8th, 2014 at 3:04 am
When I have seen your clothes pin bag I loved it immediatly! So during this summer I made it and it now is very very beautiful. I received a lot of compliments and many people asked me to make it. Thank you very much for your tutorial. (If you want, you can see it on my blog: http://improvvisamentecreativa.blogspot.it/2014/09/alla-fine-ce-lho-fatta.html
Anna Maria
November 11th, 2016 at 10:30 pm
years ago, I had bo pattern, I bought a clothespin bg at a bizarre and took it apart, to make one, all the girls got one for putting in their hair clips and bows.
July 1st, 2017 at 1:22 pm
made this cute Clothespin-Bag myself, all my Friends like it
February 13th, 2018 at 11:38 am
Thank you for the great photos. I was at a loss as to what “alpine tape” is, but once I saw how you used it and what it looked like, I know that it’s what we call “Cotton Twill Tape” or “Herringbone Tape” in the US. It is used the same way as you are showing, but also to make the ties on washable hospital gowns as well.