DIY Fabric Planters

Supplies

1. Use the plastic drip tray or the top rim of the flowerpot (whichever is larger) as a template by laying it on top of the burlap fabric. Draw around the circle adding an extra 1" and cut out using the 8" Amplify® Mixed Media Shears.

2. Next, determine the required length of the rectangle of fabric that will be the sides of your planter cover. Measure the diameter of the circle cut in step 1. The length of the rectangle will be the diameter of the circle multiplied by 3.14. The width of the rectangle will be determined by measuring the height of the flowerpot and adding 6". To accurately cut burlap, mark the measurement points and pull out an entire thread from the burlap. Once you have removed one thread of burlap from the weave, you'll have a straight and accurate cutting line. Cut the burlap using the 8" Mixed Media Shears.

3. Cut a piece of lining fabric using the Orange Handled Scissors and adhere to the same measurements as the rectangle in the previous step.

4. Pin the burlap rectangle to the lining rectangle with the wrong sides of the fabric facing each other. Join the two short ends of both fabrics together and stitch to create a cylinder. Fold back the raw edges of the seam allowance and stitch down to reinforce the seam.

5. Turn the cylinder so that the lining fabric is on the outside. Pin the circle you cut in step 1 to the bottom of the cylinder and sew around the perimeter and continue to turn the planter cover to the right side.

6. Place the drip tray and flowerpot in the planter cover and check sizing. Turn over the top edge of the planter cover to reveal the contrast lining.

7. When houseplants have outgrown their pots, it's time to transplant them into something new and larger. You will know if plants need to be transferred when potting mix dries out quickly after watering, or if plants have stopped growing. Purchase potting mix, pots, and grab some tools. Terracotta pots (and saucers) are inexpensive, lightweight, and easy to work with. You will not see the pots once they are tucked inside the handsome bags.

8. Open the bag of potting soil and use the Big Grip cultivator to rake lightly over the potting soil, removing any lumps.

9. Now take the overgrown plant from its pot. Loosen the soil around the roots by raking the cultivator lightly over the root ball of the pot-bound plant or by poking gently with the Big Grip trowel.

10. Place a couple of trowels full of potting soil in the new pot. Set the plant you are transplanting on top of the soil in the new pot, pressing firmly. The plant should sit in its new pot with the crown just at the rim of the pot. Add more potting soil at the bottom of the pot, if necessary, and when the plant is sitting at the right height, fill in with potting soil around the edges of the pot.

11. Finally, water the plants with a watering can. Allow the pot to drain before you set it in its saucer in the potting bag.

Houseplants transplanted into larger pots should be fine in their new pots for a couple of years. They may seem a little too small for their pots at first, but a larger pot will give plants room to grow and thrive.