One of my favorite thing about keeping chickens and having fresh eggs is being able to give them to friends and neighbors as gifts. Everyone loves fresh chicken butt eggs and I have more than I can eat. Win-win! (Scroll all the way down for some egg-citing nerdy egg facts like "How do I know if my eggs are safe to eat?" and "Do I have to wash my eggs?")
I got tired of hoarding egg cartons and random boxes so I sewed some tiny gift bags using fabric and ribbon from the craft store. They perfectly fit 4-6 eggs inside and they're a fun way to deliver egg gifts and small baked snacks. Yep, I'm THAT extra friend who not only has fresh eggs and baked goods to give you but I also sewed custom gift bags to put them in.
If you're thinking "AGH I don't know how to sew!" and feel inadequate as you're reading this. STOP. Just stop. Dude. I didn't know how to sew three months ago. This project is literally my second time using a sewing machine. If I can do it, so can you.
I borrowed a sewing machine from Joymode for a couple weeks, read the instruction book, watched some YouTube videos and failed several times until I figured it out.
Awesome-Sauce Side Note: If you live in the Los Angeles area, Joymode is this rad service where you pay a monthly membership to "borrow" all sorts of cool shit for FREE! Well not totally free because it's $29 a month, but with membership most everything on their site is available to borrow without any additional fees. It's my secret to looking like I live a baller life but I'm really just getting access or borrowing from Joymode without having to buy and store stuff. This includes travel gear, outdoor movie setup, camping equipment, cleaning supplies, video game consoles, party supplies, cooking gadgets, and... this sewing machine. Sign up and try it out. Use my Joymode referral link for a free month. *This is not a paid post or affiliated with Joymode in any way. I'm just a huge fan!
Step-by-Step Instructions on How to Sew an Egg Gift Bag:
Obtain or borrow a sewing machine. Maybe you can borrow one, buy one, or if you live in the Los Angeles area, borrow/rent one from the aforementioned Joymode.
Buy fabric and ribbon from the fabric store. One-yard of cotton fabric is a good place to start. One-yard of fabric makes approximately fifteen (15) 6-inch-by-6-inch bags. Pick up some rolls of matching ribbon. The 7/8-inch wide ribbon will do.
Cut approximately 7-inch-by-7-inch squares from the fabric. You could cut them individually, or I do it the lazy way which is fold the fabric on top of itself into approximately equal sized squares, cut the folded seams and trim as needed. There's no need to be perfect with measurements here. You're sewing square-ish bags. There's room for fudging. (Remember my whole thing about not being precise or detailed? It's gonna be OK. No perfectionists here.)
Match up two pieces back-to-back, with the pattern on the inside. Fold down a approximately 1/2-inch strip along the top pieces. This will be the seam for the top of your bag. Sew a straight line across to make your top seam. I find that ironing the folds makes it easier to sew and hold its shape. Ironing optional but helpful.
Sew up the sides. With the fabric together back-to-back and inside-out, sew straight lines on three sides of the bag. Leaving the top open. Tip: Run the thread forwards and backwards a couple times at the beginning when you start the thread line and end when you finish the thread line to "knot" your thread so it doesn't come undone.
Flip it inside-out. And you have your cute little bag! Now sew your ribbon onto the sides of the inside of the top open area to make a handle. Approximately 10-inch long strips of ribbon are a good length.
You did it! Give yourself a high-five.
Egg-cetera
At their peak age and during optimum conditions hens lay one egg a day. I have four chickens, so I'm getting four eggs a day!
Fresh chicken butt eggs do not need to be refrigerated. They can stay out on the counter at room temp for approximately 30-60 days. Chicken butts naturally give the egg a protective coating called a "bloom." If you wash your eggs you wash off the bloom, in which case you should refrigerate them. In the US, grocery store eggs are pasteurized so the protective bloom layer has been washed off.
How Do I Know If My Eggs are OK to Eat? If you're unsure about the freshness of your eggs do a Float Test. Put an egg in a glass of water. If it drops to the bottom it's fresh and good to eat. If it floats to the top it's bad, discard it. If it's half floating suspended in between, it's not as fresh but still good to eat. Read more about Egg Float Tests from The Happy Chicken Coop.
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