Storage Slings
Inspiration from this project came from Swedish design superstar Lotta Jansdotter (if you're not familiar with her patterns and products, take a look through her site, which offers an epic bounty of lovely, lovely stuff...). Handmade Living is one of her books from Chronicle, and it is chock-full of really fantastic, super Scando design ideas: recipies, decoration, organization and more. If somehow my life was even a fraction as fresh and bright as the images in this book, I'd be doing mighty fine.
Here are the materials you need to make it happen:
-iron
-sewing machine
-straight pins
-scissors
-approximately 1/4 yard faux suede cord (it's the blue one there)
-embroidery thread
-measuring tape
-approximately 1/4 yard twill tape (or any kind of tie for the top, really: hemp or cotton cord, a few strands of ric-rac, whatever you like)
-two buttons
-1/3 yard fabric. Lots of types will work, but I chose a mid-weight cotton twill (a previous sling in linen was a little light)
-needle
-safety pin (the bigger/sturdier the better)
The sling apparently originated as a means to hold trays in the kitchen, but I figured it would be a perfect place to slip my nighttime reading. It's easy to make—even for the most novice seamstress, like myself—and quick, and can pretty much go anywhere in the house. Click through the slideshow for a how-to!
First, measure out and cut two strips of fabric. Mine were five inches wide by 32 inches long but those numbers aren't set in stone! Just remember, you're going to fold these strips in half length-and-width-wise, so pick your dimensions accordingly (not too thin or too short, unless you want a teensy sling in which case you would be on the right track).
Pin the strips in half lengthwise, making sure that the right-side faces in (you'll be turning them inside out after sewing). You'll be sewing along the rough edge.
Sew along the rough edge about a quarter of an inch in, from end to end.
Once you've sewed the length of the strap, stick a safety pin through one end and begin to (slowly) guide it through to the other, turning the whole piece inside-out. Which will actually be rightside out.
Once your strap has been turned out, iron it flat so that the seam runs down the center. This will be the inside of your sling. In this pic, you can see the pre-and-post-ironed strips.
Fold one end of the strap under about 1/3 of an inch, then slip the other end in about the same amount. Pin the two together and sew along the seam.
And you're all sewed up. I'm not all that worried about contrasting stitches because these seams will be in the back of the sling, hidden by whatever you've got hanging in there. Plus, a little inconsistency adds character.
Ta-da! I sewed a couple buttons on and loosely crisscrossed the faux-suede between the two, but this is purely decorative. You can embellish these babies however you'd like—more buttons, embroidery, badges—and using a patterned fabric will also give a bit of a different feel.
The sling in action. Lotta used hers for trays in Handmade Modern, but I've found that it's perfect for an easy-to-reach bedside book holder.
Up close of those buttons.
Anything goes! Sling away! Here's the purple guy with an orange one I made over the holidays. I tossed my knitting in there (it worked because those skeins are pretty hefty), but you could just as easily stash a notepad, incoming/outgoing mail, magazines.... you name it. Have fun!
And here's the sling that started it all, from Lotta Jansdotter's Handmade Living.
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