Candy Cane Holder

This is my tutorial for some cute Candy Cane Holders I have been making for the "Last Minute Gift Countdown" over at Cotton Spice. Head on over there for some more great ideas, plus more to come!

CANDY CANE HOLDER INSTRUCTIONSThese are cute little Candy Cane Holders that you can use to decorate your tree, or give as a small gift to friends and loved ones.

Materials:

Various long scraps of red fabrics
Various long scraps of white fabrics
Scraps for backing and front pocket
Scrap of thin batting
Ribbon
Candy Canes of course!

Make a Candy Cane piece of fabricThis is where you cut up perfectly good fabric to make a new piece of fabric!

1) Cut strips of red and white fabrics in various widths. I cut my strips at 1 inch and 1 ¼ inch.
2) Sew together using ¼ inch seams, alternating red and white fabrics until you have a new piece of fabric.

Make a Template

1) Place a real candy cane on a piece of paper and draw the outline.
2) Draw another line outside of first line, adding approx. ½ inch all around, except at the very bottom of the cane.
3) Cut out template.

Cut Layers

1) Using the template you made, draw pattern on the wrong side of the backing fabric. This is your sewing line. Add a generous allowance when you cut it out.
2) Using this backing fabric as a pattern, cut out matching pieces from your red/white stripe fabric and batting.
3) Cut one piece for the pocket. Use only the bottom half of your template, and fold your pocket fabric in half so the folded edge will be the top edge of the pocket.

Sew Candy Cane Holder together

1) Place your layers in the following order from the bottom up:
a) Batting
b) Red/white stripe
c) Pocket
d) Backing
2) Sew layers together following your drawn line, leaving an opening approx. 1 inch for turning. Make sure you back-tack at beginning and end of stitching.
3) Trim excess allowance to ¼ inch of sewing line.
4) Clip inside curves.
5) Turn your Candy Cane Holder right-side-out through the opening. This will be quite tight to turn, but hang in there – it WILL work! (You could always buy the larger size candy canes for your pattern. This will make the holder larger and give you more room when you turn.


Finishing

1) Sew around entire candy cane through all layers approx. 1/8th inch from edge. Be sure to fold in opening and catch it with your stitching.
2) Put your real candy cane in the pocket. It will want to fall forward as it is top heavy, so...
3) Cut a piece of ribbon approx. 10 inches long and tie it in a bow, leaving a loop at one end.
4) Place loop under the 'hook' of both the real and fabric candy canes.
You and done and now that you have the candy cane fever, go and make another one. And just to live dangerously, flip the template over and make your Candy Cane Holder face the opposite way!