Money box from old dress - clothes upcycling challenge day 10

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Today I decided to so something a bit different with an old favourite dress of my daughters.

I made her a money box - since her current piggy box has the problem that once a 50c coin has been put in, it's very hard to get them out! The exit hole in the piggy's nose is a tad too small!

So here's what she has now!:

And it fits 50c coins in nicely!!

Much better - more personal and prettier than the piggy!

And after she'd discovered her new money box - my daughter decided that she could use it for saving 50c coins in!  I recently managed to get her into savings - by making my own savings chart for our holiday later this year - and then she of course wanted one of her own!  

But back to her new money box!  It was made from this dress, which is now too small, and the Kitty picture on the front is starting to peel:

And this old plastic honey pot...

Here's how to do it, if you want to make one yourself!

First cut a strip of fabric to wrap around the pot, plus seam allowances.  Let it hang over the top and bottom: (I used part of the skirt of the dress for this)

Then fold it right sides together and stitch together leaving about 1" (2.5cm) open at the top.

For the base, cut a circle, about 1cm larger than the base of your pot:

Now you need to join the two together!

First stitch along the base of your 'sleeve' .

If you set your machine to it's longest stitch.....

 and highest tension.....

This will start to ruffle the fabric for you:

This will make it easier to pin the fabric to the base circle evenly:

(right sides together remember!)

And stitch around it!

Now you can turn it right side out, and slip it over your pot.

If it doesn't go over the top lip, you may need to unpick a few stitches and secure the end again (I did!)

Now you know it fits, you need to cut a piece of elastic half the circumference of the top of the pot:

Stitch either end of the elastic to the open top end of the sleeve you just made for the pot:

:

Then fold the top over to cover the elastic, pin and stitch in, using a wide zigzag stitch, and stretching the elastic as you stitch.

Then pop it over your pot - and the base is done!

Now for the top.

Cut two pieces of fabric bigger than the top of the pot.

(I used the front of the dress for this)

Place the pieces right sides together and mark the centre, then measure the widest coin you need to fit in, and pin on either side of this:

Stitch the two pieces together, leaving the coin sized gap:

Now you need to cut this piece into a circle 2-3cm wider than the top of your pot:

And a strip of fabric around 5cm wide and longer than the circumference of your pot

(again I used part of the dress skirt for this)

 (how long you make this strip will depend how ruffly it is when done!)

Stitch along the long end of your ruffle fabric with your widest stitch and highest tension again to ruffle, then pin it right sides together all the way round the top circle, then stitch into place.

Then you need another strip of elastic, around 1" (2.5cm) shorter than the circumference of the pot. Pin then stitch this into place on the seam you just sewed, again using a wide zigzag stitch and stretching the elastic as you go:

Turn it over, and stretch it over your pot!

And voila! A fabric covered money box - made from an old dress (or any other fabric you may choose!!)

For the downloadable PDF version of this tutorial, click here.

A little bit different!  I like that!  What do you think?

Have you ever made a money box?  Do your kids save?

For over 100 more free sewing tutorials for all levels of sewing ability, visit 

My Free Sewing Tutorials Page.