No Sew Antique Grain Sack Wall Pockets

I love wall pockets or flower pockets made out of antique grain sacks, but as usual, I don’t love how much they cost. I was searching for a way to make my own and I really wanted to find a no sew option that I could share with you. My first instinct would be to sew one, but I know that is not an option for many. Then I thought of using craft store totes! How easy is that?! Today I am going to show you how to make no sew antique grain sack wall pockets.

To make the wall pocket, a craft store tote bag is tea stained and embellished to look like an antique grain sack. A casing is created in the top of the bag for jute twine. The twine can gather the bag or be tied for hanging.

Supplies To Make The Wall Pockets

• Craft store tote bag
• Tea bags
• Instant Tea
• Jute twine
• Black paint
• Scissors
• regular paint brush (I used an inexpensive chip brush)
• artists brush

Steps To Make An Antique Inspired Grain Sack Wall Pocket

1. Bring 8 cups of water to boil in a saucepan. Add 4 tea bags and let steep until cool enough to handle, about 30 minutes.

2. While the tea cools, prepare the tote. Begin by cutting off the tote handles. Cut the handle very close to the first seam, and it will tear away from tote.

3. Lift up and separate the cut end of the handle from the tote. Cut again just above the second seam, leaving the remaining small piece attached.

4. Form a casing for the twine. Pinch up just the inside layer of the hem fabric near the side seam and cut.

5. It will only cut a hole, so stick the scissors in the hole and cut it into a slit.

Do this on both sides of the seam and both sides of the bag.

Tea Stain the Tote

6. Place the tote in the pan of tea. Leave as long as you like to get the desired color. I left mine for about 30 minutes.

Squeeze out excess tea and remove from pan. Lay on a protected surface.

7. Use the loose instant tea to add dark stained areas. Sprinkle the instant tea where you would like the stains.

Work it in with a paint brush dipped into the liquid tea. Sprinkle the tea in small areas at a time. The quicker you work, the less spots you have and it is just dark areas. I like a combination of spots and dark areas.

Don’t forget to open the bottom and stain it, as well as the top inside hem. This is if you want to fold the top over for display.

Throw the tote into the dryer or air dry.

7. After the tote has dried, add some black to the fabric with paint. This is optional, but I really think it brings in an authentic look.

Dip a brush into the black paint and wipe most of it off on a paper towel.

Lightly dry brush the paint horizontally and vertically on the tote.

8. Add embellishments with hand painted or stenciled words or letters to resemble an antique grain sack or add patches. You could add a date or words like seeds, flowers, fleurs, noel, etc.

9. Cut two pieces of jute twine about 2 1/2 times the length of the tote side. Tie the twine to a safety pin in order to put it through the casing.

10. Insert the pin and twine into the cut opening.

12. Gather the fabric on the pin and then pull it through the casing until it reaches the other side opening.

Do both sides.

Ways To Display Antique Grain Sack Wall Pockets

I have made three so far, all painted a little differently.

You can hang them in different ways.

Or fill them and place them on a flat surface.

I have so many ideas on how to make and use these no sew antique grain sack wall pockets! I am going to try it out on a larger tote bag next, maybe cut some holes, and add some patches. Then hang it in the kitchen holding old rolling pins or potato mashers?

PIN IT FOR LATER!

Thanks for stopping by,

Janet