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!
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Yay! You always do fun stuff!
September 23rd, 2009 at 10:56 pm
so darling! Thanks for sharing the idea and pattern.
September 23rd, 2009 at 11:41 pm
I am now looking at my plastic clothes peg basket with new dislike. Thanks for the pattern – I will definitely be doing one of these!
September 24th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
thanks for that great idea !
September 25th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
This is so cute!!! I love the little pocket that the apron makes!
I posted a link to your tutorial on Craft Gossip Sewing:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-dirndl-clothespin-bag/2009/09/25/
–Anne
September 26th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Super cute! Sadly, we are done with clothesline weather, but that’s okay, I still hang up the cloth diapers and just chip the ice off! It doesn’t really dry them, but it does whiten them up a ton and they smell so fresh. Thanks for the great idea.
September 26th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
Really lovely.
September 27th, 2009 at 11:05 am
I whipped one up yesterday for my mom’s birthday. Made this in hawaiian fabric (I live in hawaii) looked just like a muumuu. My mom loved it! Thanks for the pattern and instructions, you are great! BTW I cut 2 fronts out and sewed the opening together, clipped, ironed, topstitched. I just wanted to reinforce it a bit. Thank you sooo much!
September 30th, 2009 at 12:51 am
oooooooooooh i love it love it love it…
like all your treasures ;-)
much love from the northern bavarian part of germany,
silke
September 30th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
I love it! Unfortunately, I live in an apartment, so no yard to put up clothes on a clothesline… but I can see soooo many more uses for this, good for extra closet storage of things like hair accessories… or hanging storage for yarn or other craft supplies, anything!
October 8th, 2009 at 11:56 am
That’s what I really need to get fond of making laundry every day!!!
Thanx a lot I will try to sew it this week end!
Grüße from an Italian living in Austria!!
October 17th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
So adorable!
November 12th, 2009 at 9:17 am
So adorable! I made a functional one for my mother, but this one is so much cuter!
November 13th, 2009 at 5:38 am
This is so cute!! thank-you for sharing I think I’ll make one as a christmas gift!
November 13th, 2009 at 7:11 am
So, so cute!
November 13th, 2009 at 8:57 pm
I not only hope to make this soon, I also linked to this tutorial on my blog.
November 23rd, 2009 at 4:37 pm
This is so cute! Way to make work a happier time. You are a clever girl!
December 8th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Honestly, Hannah, this is one of the cutest things I have seen in a very long time! I posted about your fantastic tutorial on my blog:
http://thatwinsomegirl.blogspot.com/2009/12/laundry-just-got-whole-lot-cuter.html
December 28th, 2009 at 4:52 am
Why am I having a heck of a time figuring out how to print it at 200%??
I really want to make one, but can’t get it scaled properly.
January 12th, 2010 at 7:25 pm
depending on your printer, you may be able to enlarge it in your printer settings before printing out (that option is usually in the advanced settings) or you can open the file in a program like illustrator or photoshop and enlarge there before printing it out. if all else fails you can print it out and enlarge it on a good ol’ fashioned xerox machine. i hope that helps!
January 24th, 2010 at 11:58 am
I remember using one like this as a child in New Jersey.
WHAT MEMORIES!!!!
Our guild quilt show in AB Canada is doing an apron theme in June 2010.
I’ll make up afew to catch scraps of fabrics.
Thank you for the pattern.
July 26th, 2010 at 7:40 pm
I made this for my mother-in-law, and she loves it! I modified it a bit – use the apron fabric in place of decorative ribbon and made it do it ties in the back. It seems kinda small and miniature, so if I make again, I would try a bit more than 200%. Thanks!
December 3rd, 2010 at 11:37 am
This is so cute!! thank-you for sharing I think I’ll make one as a christmas gift!
March 20th, 2011 at 8:21 am
what a lovely idea… its so adorable!
Thank you for sharing this with us.
Spring is just around the corner and im going to make this for myself and a few of my friends!
May 3rd, 2011 at 11:48 am
Thank you so much. My mother had one of these when I was a child and have been wanting one for years but couldn’t figure out how to make it from memory. Now I have one and it is so much nicer and will hold up better than the ones at the store. You old this old lady very happy! :)
May 6th, 2011 at 7:47 pm
I am so glad to see this pattern. My mother-in-law made these for my sons (usually out of outgrown sleepers, onsies) for socks, hot wheels, small figures. My granddaughters have outgrown their dance recital costumes and now I can make them one to hold their things (may have to make a lining to stiffen some of them. Thank you so much!!!!
May 8th, 2011 at 8:59 am
Thankyou for the idea I still hang my wash outside on the line Doreen Brit in TX
May 14th, 2011 at 7:28 pm
Sure is cute. I can certainly use this a lot in Hawaii. Thank You for sharing!
May 24th, 2011 at 4:49 am
I like the idea you got and share with everyone. It is really cute! I’d like to make some of them and share the idea with my sisters and daughter.
Thank you for sharing.
May 31st, 2011 at 5:47 pm
Love it!!! But I can’t sew : ( you should sell them ; )
I guess I will have to stick to the plain white ones. Its beautiful.
June 5th, 2011 at 10:34 am
I would love to try this project. When you say to enlarge 200% before cutting, what do you mean. How would a rookie go about that?
June 5th, 2011 at 1:43 pm
you can enlarge it before printing, in a graphics program or some printers allow you to enlarge it before printing in your printer settings. or else you can print it out and enlarge it on a photo copier.
June 12th, 2011 at 6:50 pm
I love your website and all of the wonderful sewing ideas you publish, I am going to sew the dirndl clothespin bag for my daughter in-law as she hangs all of their laundry on the clothesline in the nice weather and this will be handy for her. I made an apron bag for my clothespins and it is handy, but with all of the pins I carry it starts hanging clear down to my knees, this Grandma is short. I enjoyed all of the girls comments. Thank You, Barb
July 28th, 2011 at 8:14 am
Hope this isn’t a stupid question, but how do you increase the size of this pattern? I hit on on the + and still the same size.
August 5th, 2011 at 6:58 pm
O my goodness!! This is soooo cute! Thank you for sharing!
August 13th, 2011 at 8:14 am
Love, love, love it! I made one for my daughter a few months ago. She called last night and asked if I could do one for her neighbor. So easy to do, and so cute. Love your ideas. Thanks
October 7th, 2011 at 7:17 am
I made one like this for a friend and added hands, feet , and a head just for fun.
November 3rd, 2011 at 1:41 pm
I love this pattern!! I just made one for a client and she absolutely loved it. Thanks for the super easy directions and pictures :)
December 25th, 2011 at 10:46 am
Adorable… I made one a while ago but still did not get a chance to thank you :) Here is the link to my Clothes pegs Ann (as I call her):
http://blog.sophiaburns.com/2010/07/clothes-pegs-ann_10.html
She served me well all summer!
January 7th, 2012 at 10:11 am
I liked your pattern so much, that last week I decided to make some more “dresses” :) http://blog.sophiaburns.com/2012/01/sew-cute.html
Thanks again for posting this lovely pattern!
January 9th, 2012 at 11:11 am
Thanks for the super cut pattern! Going to attempt making one today!
March 12th, 2012 at 5:44 pm
I just adore this and will be making a few…one for my daughter-in-law for sure! THANK YOU!
March 18th, 2012 at 10:26 pm
Thank you!! I just chanced upon you Hannah, and I am already in love with you!!
Super cute stuff, and I’ll be ordering a skirt from you very soon! Do you post to Australia?
March 19th, 2012 at 12:07 pm
thank you!!!
i ship everywhere, mish!
May 8th, 2012 at 4:15 pm
Thank you so much for sharing such a fun pattern. I just finished mine and love it. To the apron/pocket I added a waist band and some apron ties so that it makes a pretty bow in the back. Also, left the arm holes open to fit any size hanger but added contrasting cuffs to finish off the arm holes.
May 28th, 2012 at 1:33 pm
Thank you for sharing. My son-in-law hangs the clothes and saw one I had and loved it but it’s not as cute as this one. Someone gave me the other one yrs ago. Thank you.
May 31st, 2012 at 5:45 am
I have used a baby outfit, about one year size, and sewn the legs or bottom of dress closed and the arms closed to help keep spiders out. The opening is usually in the back side, and my man has to help take clothes down sometimes. He says he always feels like he’s reaching into a dirty diaper or something, so he should like this one much better. I think it’s so cute!
June 28th, 2012 at 7:23 pm
This is just so CUTE! Love it!
January 8th, 2013 at 12:43 pm
Love this sweet bag’s vintage charm! I included this tutorial in my blog post on clothespin bags today. Thanks!
January 12th, 2013 at 2:06 pm
Thanks for the details. I made one and it is so pretty. Viji