A while ago, I decided I would like to make some reusable crackers. I have made my own for several years, but these still come with a whole host of waste that I would really like to reduce. I think I saw on a podcast, someone say they were going to make some with fabric and I thought that was a fabulous idea.
With that in mind I earmarked half term as a time to create these for the family.
I decided early on that there had to be a snap (otherwise what is the point) and it needed to come apart. So I had to make two parts to the fabric tube that could come apart, but I didn't want to break the fabric. So velcro was my solution.
I made a quick prototype where I had the velcro all around the join.
But although the snap worked it was too strong to pull apart comfortably, so I made an adjustment on the addition of velcro in just four points.
Assembling the resources:
Four squares of Christmas fabric (I actually used a rectangle approx 44 x 24cm)
Needle and thread (I wanted to do it by hand but most you could have run up on a machine)
Sew on velcro
Cracker snaps
Ribbon or string
Double sided sticky tape
Cardboard tube
So first I cut my tube into 12cm sections. I then rolled the fabric around to create the outer tube and found that a rectangle approximately 44 x 24cm was what I needed. Then I pinned it in place and sewed the fabric into said tube. I then folded over each end (5mm) double to neatly hem it.
At this point I gave it a press and cut the tube in half. I hemmed the edge in term and the added four pads of velcro around the circle (personally I wanted the harder hooks facing inwards and the softer pads facing out - I donthink it would make much difference but that how I did it!)
Nearly done, I attached a snap with double sided sticky tape to the inner cardboard tube, and inserted the cardboard tube into the velcro attached outer fabric tube.
Lastly, I used some Christmas string to tie each end of the cardboard tube to prevent the present falling out.
Ta da!! My Christmas crackers.
