Page 93 - Merry Barbara "Marlinspike Sailor's Knots and Crafts"

86 < Marlinspike Sailor’s Knots and Crafts

1> Cut a rectangle from the can-
vas that’s 11 inches tall and
21 inches long. Cut a circle
from the canvas that’s 7 inches
in diameter.
2> Fold the canvas rectangle in
half lengthwise and sew up the
side with a hem of ½ inch (see
cutting diagram).
3> On the canvas circle, draw a
sewing line ½ inch in from
the edge all the way around.
4> With your fingers, crease the
material in the circle along
the line.
5> On the inside of the tube of
canvas, draw another sewing
line ½ inch up from the bottom
(see photo).
6> Insert the creased circle of ma-
terial into the tube, matching
Your local craft or hardware store contains all the
materials you need to create a ditty bag, letter carrier, or
hammock for between the masts or in your backyard.

Round Canvas Bag/Ditty Bag

Here’s a different kind of bag—it’s round. Sailors often
use bags like this, called ditty bags, to store odds and
ends such as needles and small tools.
I kept the pattern for this bag on the small side
(10 inches by 6 inches) so it can be completely sewn
by hand. You can finish the bag fairly quickly. Make it
bigger if you would like it to hold bigger objects; make
it still bigger to serve as a clothing or laundry bag.
2-foot-square piece of canvas
3 to 4 feet of cotton cord for drawstring
sewing needle and heavy cotton thread
white glue
sharp knife or scissors
ruler
pencil
six ¼-inch (inside diameter) grommets
grommet-inserting tool (optional)
decorative fringe and colored threads

Follow these steps to create a ditty bag: A ditty bag has many uses, both onshore and at sea.