Patchwork Coasters in a Chicken Can

This is a good project to use some of those fabric scraps that you have left over. Supplies you will need: Can from chicken, 12.5 ounce. wash it well and remove the label. cereal box, fabric scraps, denim scraps, scissors, pinking shears, sewing machine, iron,measuring tape, hot glue gun and glue sticks. needle and thread. straight pins and 3 buttons with shanks. 

Begin by cutting out a pattern 3" square. Cut out 6 pieces each of 4 different patterns of light-medium weight cotton fabric. I like using a small print because these pieces are so small. Separate into 6 piles,4 squares in each pile. sew 2 squares right sides together, 3/8" seam allowance. press open. Sew the other 2 squares together, press open seams. Take these 2 sections and pin them right sides together. I did not want the 4 corners to come together because that would put all the bulk of the seam allowance in one place so I off set it about 1/3". sew the 2 sections together and press the seam open. Make a pattern for the coasters by turning the can upside down on a piece of paper and tracing around. cut this out and use it to cut out 6 pieces of denim and 6 pieces of fabric for the bottoms of the coasters. Lay the patchwork piece face down on table. place a denim circle on this and then place a fabric circle over the denim. Pin all 3 layers together. Repeat with the other 5 coasters.

With the sewing machine, sew through all 3 layers on top of the seams. Remove pins and trim the patchwork layer to match the other 2 layers. Sew around the coaster about 1/2" from the edge. Trim about 1/4" off with pinking shears to give it a zig-zag edge. If you don't have pinking shears, you can bind the edges with bias tape. 

The can I used was 4" across and 2" tall. From the cereal box, cut 3 circles that are 3-1/2" diameter and one circle that is 4". The 4" circle will be the lid. The other circles will be glued under the lid, on the bottom of the can and inside the bottom of can. cut 3 pieces of fabric 5" in diameter. using hot glue, cover the 3-1/2" circles. Cut a piece of denim 2" x 14" hot glue this onto the outside of the can. 

Cut a piece of fabric for the outside of can 6" x 14". Fold fabric in half lengthwise and press, open. Fold over one of the short ends 1/2" and glue down. Begin gluing the fabric to the outside of can over the denim. with the short end that is not folded and glued, glue this to the denim over can leaving 1" extending over the bottom of the can. continue wrapping fabric around can securing the other end with glue. glue the 1" down on the bottom of the can. 

glue one of the 3-1/2" covered circles onto the bottom of can. Place some hot glue inside the can where the bottom and side meet, all the way around. tuck the rest of the fabric down into the can stretching it tightly. Glue one of the 3-1/2" fabric covered circles inside the can. 

place a small amount of glue onto the 4" cardboard circle. place the 4" denim circle on this. Cut a fabric circle 5-1/2". place this on the table upside down, place the cardboard circle on this denim side down. fold fabric up and over and glue down. cut a 15" length of 1/2" wide ribbon to the underside of lid, 2" extending on one side and 9" extending on the other. Glue the 3rd and last fabric covered cardboard circle on top of this, sandwiching the ribbon in the middle.

locate the seam where the fabric is wrapped around the can, this will be the back. glue the 2" of ribbon extending from the lid to the inside of the can at this point. At the opposite side of the can, glue a 11" length of ribbon to the inside of the can. 

Cut 3 circles out of fabric, either matching with the covered can or contrasting. 4" diameter. With needle and thread turn edge under about 1/4" and gather all around the entire circle.  Gather tightly and secure by sewing in the same place 3 or 4 stitches.  Repeat with the other 2 circles and flatten the yo-yo's out. Hot glue these onto the lid and glue a button in the center of each one.  Place coasters in the can and tie the ribbon in a bow to fasten.