diy: oilcloth lunch bag for back-to-school

Hey guys, Linda Facci here. I’ve always loved blackboard paint, so I was thrilled to discover blackboard oilcloth. Have you heard of it? It’s an easy-to-clean, versatile fabric, and you can use chalk to write on it! So, obviously, I thought it’d be great for a lunch bag for back-to-school (it just makes sense: blackboard, lunch bags, right?) This easy-to-sew bag is a great spot to chalk an important note to your kid, remind them of an upcoming test, let them know what’s for lunch or just tell them how special they are. It easily wipes clean with a damp paper towel.

Here’s how to make it:

WHAT YOU NEED:

• Scissors
• Black-board oilcloth (I got mine at Bell’occhio)
• Straight pins
• Pinking shears
• Sewing machine
• Velcro sticker
• Chalk

WHAT YOU DO:

Step 1: Cut two 9 1/2 x 13 pieces of black-board oilcloth:

Step 2: Pin right sides together and sew 3 sides, leaving a short side open. I cut the “open side” with pinking shears (not shown). Make sure to reinforce the corners by backstitching at the beginning and end of the seam:

Step 3: Pull the bag at its sides so a diamond shape is formed on top. Mark 2 inches from point of diamond to middle of diamond and sew across. Reinforce seams:
Step 4: Cut off the corners about 1/4-inch from seam:

Step 5: Turn the bag right side out. For closure, attach one half of a Velcro sticker to the top portion of one side, roll down and attach the other half to the other side:

Step 6: Write a sweet note to your kids!

Step 7: And just wipe away at the end of the day with a damp cloth:

Check out more of my DIY projects and designs on my blog, plus all the other projects I’ve done here on Fresh Home Blog.

Do you have a favorite back-to-school project?