Car Trash Bag From One Yard Wonders

This is my car:


It is my dream car, one I coveted for nearly ten years before I finally saved up enough money to buy one for myself. As you can see, it is the spiffiest car in the world and needs no improvement.

Well, except for that pesky issue of the interior. You know, the place where you'll find empty Tic Tac boxes, gas receipts, and three-week-old JoAnn Fabrics sale papers strewn about the place. Oh, and these guys:

(That was thrown in there to make you think I'm super cool.)

Evidence of my enduring love for Doctor Who aside, the interior of my car clearly needs some help. Enter One Yard Wonders' Not Ugly Car Trash Bag. Just what I need to help keep my mess in check while not sullying my beautiful car with some sort of unattractive trash receptacle. I've had this project in the works for months with the fabric all picked out and ready to go, but it wasn't until Finny Knits chose it as July/August's sew along project that I finally got my butt in gear. Even then you may notice that I waited until the very last week of the two months allotted. My trash bag and I are just arriving fashionably late.

The pattern's one of those simple ones that makes you say, "why didn't I think of that myself?" To be honest, you probably don't even need the book for this one but if you like following instructions as much as I do you'll be happy to not have to wing it. I really don't have any special tips on this one as the pattern and instructions say it all. If you want to recreate the magic yourself, the cupcake fabric can be found at Jo-Ann Fabrics.

I only made three small and utterly unnecessary changes:

• Mine is a tad bit longer than the pattern called for because I didn't want to waste the 2" strip of fabric that would have been left after cutting and figured I could use the extra space for trash instead.


• I made the straps out of the same fabric as the binding both because I think it looks nice and because I didn't want to use up more of my pricey cupcake fabric.


• I substituted a cheaper type of clasp for the parachute buckle. The price difference wasn't astronomical but I'm a cheap German who will pinch pennies whenever possible. I'd made one of these in the past for my husband with the cheaper option and have had no problems. It's not as if we're weighing the darn thing down with dead bodies or some such. I think the cheaper clasp can handle a few magazines and receipts.

So it's another success story brought to you by One Yard Wonders. Now I have yet another reason to smile when I see my car in the mornings. Yes, I actually do that. My car makes me happy in ways you can't even imagine if you've never owned a Mini.