How to make silk scrap wheat bags

"I’m a hoarder of antique silk fabric. If I’ve used silk in a quilt or another project I keep all the scraps as they’re usually too beautiful to throw away; but also because it feels inherently wrong to throw out something that somebody else has spent so much time and skill making. I wanted to use these scraps to make something precious. A quilt would take far too long with so many small pieces, so I thought a wheat bag would be perfect." Cassandra Ellis.

Materials & Tools You Will Need

• Scraps of silk – vintage or new (these can be velvets, brocades or silk linings). 
• You need to cut pieces into one of three sizes:
• 7cm × 7cm, 
• 17cm × 4.5cm 
• 12cm × 7cm.
• 100% cotton thread in a neutral colour 
• Cotton fabric 40cm × 40cm for the lining 
• A piece of fabric 37cm × 17cm for the backing (this can be silk, cotton or velvet).
• Buckwheat hulls 
• Dried lavender (optional) 
• Iron and ironing board 
• Ruler 
• Tailor’s chalk or dressmaker’s pencil 
• Rotary cutter and cutting mat (optional) 
• Fabric scissors 
• Sewing machine with a fine sewing needle and a walking foot attachment Pins for delicate fabric 
• Kitchen funnel

For more projects from Cassandra Ellis please see Cloth: over 30 beautiful projects from linen, cotton and silk to wool and hide (2013).