Graduation gowns make great crafts and memorabilia if you are willing to cut them up. Instead of letting your graduation gown hang in the closet for years, take some time the summer after graduation and turn it into a memory box (or two) and keep all your memories inside!
To Make a Memory Box Out of Your Graduation Gown You Will Need:
One Graduation Gown
Ribbon
Interfacing (heavy and non fusible)
Button
To get started on this project you will need some heavy weight interfacing. This can be bought at almost any craft store or fabric store. I find Joann’s Fabric store always has this.
Now, lay your graduation gown that you want to recycle out on your table. Make any cuts or unzip this so you can lay it out flat and get as much surface area as possible.
Now, decide what size box you want to make. I will give instruction for a 10 inch cubed storage box, but you can adjust to any size.
Now, cut out 6 pieces of interfacing to 10X10 inches each. You will need 20 pieces of graduation gown, but these need to each be 10.5 inches wide.
Now, lay 10 of the squares face up on the table. Top off with the other 10 face down on the table. Sew along 3 sides of each square using yoru sewing machine. You want to use a ½ inch seam allowance Leave the 4th side open so you can turn them inside out.
Once the squares are turned inside out you will want to press them flat with your iron. These need to be on low heat so you do not burn the delicate fabric.
Insert one square of interfacing into each fabric pocket. Fold the rough ends on each one end and d then glue shut with fabric glue. You will be stitching this recycled graduation gown box with your sewing machine later, so the glue will have some reinforcement.
Now, on to assembling the storage box you are making for the recycled graduation gowns. Start with tone piece, this will be the bottom. Any of the squares will do. Lay a second square on top. Sew one side. Use a ¼ inch seam allowance here. Now, fold this up. Add in a third piece and sew on another side.
Do this until you have four side.
Stand all four side up and then sew up each side to create the bottom of the box.
Finally, take the finally square and sew it onto the top. You will want to only sew on one side.
Tip: When folding those rough ends to finish off each of the squares you can insert an elastic loop into one of them. This will be the lid. Sew onto the box at the end as described.
