I can’t stand it when I go into the garden and end up having to run back and forth to the garage to get the right tools. Although it’s good for me to run back and forth, it isn’t always efficient.
I have always thought that there should be a good organizational way to collect the tools for the garden in one place. I have created this bucket for the use in the garden, but it could double as a cleaning supply bucket or a picnic bucket. You could even use it for your sewing tools. How about giving it as a wedding gift or a graduation or first apartment gift? Inside the pockets could live cleaning supplies, and inside the bucket there could be cleaning rags. Fill the bucket with soapy water, and have all the gloves and supplies on the outside of the bucket. When you use it as a gardening bucket, the weeds that you pull will go inside the bucket and get dumped out in the mulch pile.
I think there could be many uses for this. I need to mention that I got the bucket in the deli at the grocers. It cost me a whole 50 cents. The bucket is a specific size for this pattern, but you could certainly alter it to fit the pattern.
Here are the instructions for the bucket.
Bucket of Fun Instructions:
Materials:
1 bucket 12” tall x 12” diameter lid
1 yard main fabric
½ yard each of 3 different pocket fabrics
2 yards of woven fusible interfacing
Scrap of quilt batting
Ties, buttons or grommets
2 ½” of Velcro
7” x 8” scrap of fabric
1 yard 1 inch elastic
Cutting:
Main Fabric
2 rectangles 13” x 36”
1 strip 4” x WOF
Pocket Fabric:
6 rectangles 14” x 18”
Interfacing:
6 rectangles 14” x 18”
Sewing the Main Skirt
***all seam allowances are ¼”****
- Using the Main Print fabric, sew or serge the rectangles right sides together along the short 13 inch edges, creating a tube. Finish the seam allowances with a zig zag if they were not serged.
2. Zig zag or serge one of the long edges of the main fabric tube.
3. On the opposite edge that was not finished with the zig zag, make a small hem by turning under 1/4” and pressing. Turn that edge under again 14” and stitch close to the edge.
4. Turn the zig-zagged edge of the tube under 1 1/4″ to the wrong side and stitch along the zig zagged edge to form a casing for
elastic, leaving a 1 1/2” opening to thread the elastic. Do not thread the elastic yet.
Make the Pockets:
1. Iron the interfacing to the wrong side of the pocket rectangles.
2. With right sides together, fold the pocket rectangle so that the 14” edges are together. The pocket will now measure 14”x
9”. Stitch around the 3 open edges, leaving a 2 inch opening for turning right sides out.
3. Turn right sides out. Hand stitch the opening closed. Press.
4. Arrange the pocket so that the 9 inch dimension is vertical and the 14 inch dimension is horizontal. Measure 2 inches in
from the bottom edge of the right and left side of the pocket along the 14 inch side.
5. Make a mark at the 2 inch measurement. Fold the pocket at that mark toward the outside edges on both the right and left
side, 1 inch out and back as shown. Pin securely.
6. Mark the center of the pocket at the top of the pocket. Here is where you can sew a buttonhole or put a grommet. You
may also use Velcro in this spot. Make the buttonhole or sew the velcro at this time. Or, place the grommet.
Apply Pockets to the Tube:
1. Lay the tube flat. Mark the folded ends at the hem with a pin.
2. Fold the tube in half again. Mark the fold again with pins. Repeat, marking again, so that there are 6 pins in the hem. This
is where the pockets will be centered.
3. Center the pockets over the pins, and pin each one securely to the tube. You may want to hand baste the pleats at this
point to keep them secure.
4. Stitch the pockets to the tube along the edges of the pockets, going through all the thicknesses where the pleats were made.
5. Add the ribbon that runs through the buttonholes or the grommets by sewing it to the main skirt, right below the button hole or grommet. Or, add a button to go through the buttonhole. Or, add the velcro to the main skirt.
Thread the Elastic:
1. Measure the circumference of the bucket. Cut the elastic to the same size as the circumference. Thread the elastic through
the casing. Stitch the ends of the elastic together overlapping it about 1/2”. Sew the opening in the casing closed.
2. Fold the 4 inch strip of main fabric right sides together along the long edge. Stitch along the long edge, leaving both ends
open to turn right sides out. Thread this over the handle of the bucket. (the handle of the bucket should be detachable).
3. Make a rectangular, covered piece of batting for the top of the handle. Sew the velcro on so that it can be wrapped around
the top of the bucket handle.
Finishing
You may choose to spray paint your bucket to match the fabric. I used a spray paint that works on plastic. After the bucket
is dry, you can dress it with the bucket covering.
