This post is sponsored by Dove® ClearTone™ Deodorant – designed to visibly reduce underarm dark marks and even skin tone.

Here is a little project that takes about 45 minutes to do and about $6 in supplies. These little bags filled with gifts for the bridesmaids are made from old menswear jackets from the thrift store. You can find such quality fabrics in old vintage pieces to rework into something new. This project was put together by Alexis Birkmeyer and I think it is so clever. You’ll need basic sewing skills but it is really really simple and takes less than an hour to make. You can find the template and complete instructions below. When it’s done fill it with gifts for your bridesmaids.

Click through for complete instructions and photos.

Materials Needed: Menswear Jackets from the thrift store. (Look for garments with large areas of fabric without any seams. Depending on the garment, you can probably get about 2 pouches out of each.) An iron, a sewing machine, a 7″ zipper for each pouch, the printable template (download here), scissors, pins, and ribbon.

A. Cut the large areas of fabric out of the garment. Trace the template onto your fabric. You’ll need two ovals, two of the small rectangle, and one of the large rectangle.
B. Iron back a 1/2″ hem along the long side of both small rectangles. These will go along side the zipper. Stitch the zipper into place 1/4″ from the edge of your new hem, keeping the fabric right along side the edge of the zipper.
C. Cut two 1.5″ pieces of ribbon, fold in half, and iron.  Pin the first one right over the end of the zipper (save the second for later). Pin the large rectangle to the zipper rectangle, sandwiching the bit of ribbon between them. Stitch these two pieces together right along the edge of where the zipper ends. After sewing them together, if your large rectangle and zipper rectangle aren’t the exact same width, trim the wider of the two to make an even strip.
D. Match the first oval up with the zipper part of your long strip. You want the zipper to be centered on the top of the oval. Starting with the zipper end, pin the strip all the way around the circle. Use plenty of pins!
E. Stitch right from where the zipper pull starts around and back to where you started stitching. Try to end the seam exactly where you started. There will be extra fabric at the end, which is good! You can turn it inside out and start to see your pouch taking shape.
F. Match the other oval up and pin in place just like the first.
G. Stitch it in place and turn inside out.
H. Pin the second bit of ribbon right over the start of the zipper.
I. Pin the two ends of the rectangles together. If you lined things up well, you should be able to stitch straight across and it will be right at the edge of the zipper. If it doesn’t line up exactly, don’t worry! Just curve your last seam to connect the two edges and hit the very edge of the zipper. Trim away any excess fabric.
J. Grasp the zipper pull through the fabric and unzip. Turn inside out. Tie on 6-8″ length of ribbon for a pull.

Concept and photos by Alexis Birkmeyer for Oh Happy Day