“Connecting the kindness of others with the courage of the children and families we support through Beads of Courage Programs”

Thank you for your interest in and support of the Beads of Courage Bead Bag Program. We are truly honoured to have your support through the giving of your time and talents to further the mission of Beads of Courage-Canada. 

At this time, we have been abundantly blessed with an adequate supply of Bead Bags for our hospital and mail program. We have decided to pause donations to our Bead Bag program for now. We will post here when we are in need of more! 

Please complete this form if you would like to be put on the notification list when we open the program up for donations again. 

Guidelines for Bead Bags (as of October 2021):

Click HERE to download printable instructions

Once you are ready to send in your donation, please complete, print, and mail this Bead Bag Donation Form your bags so that we may appropriately thank you for your generous support of the mission of Beads of Courage-Canada. 

Supplies needed:

  • 100% cotton (no flannel) for boys and girls, ages newborn to teens.
    • .3 meters for the outside of the bag 
    • cut into 2 pieces of fabric 10 ½” x 13” for front and back of bag
  • .3 meters for the inside of the bag (coordinating fabric)
    • cut into 2 pieces of fabric 10 ½” x 13” or 1 piece of fabric 20 ½” x 13”
  • 1.3 meters cording: narrow 100% polyester knit (no ribbon or cotton twist) 
    • cut into 2 equal-length pieces appx. ~24” each
    • Cording can be found at Michaels

Cording Notes 

16’ would make 4 bags  

21’ would make 10 bags 

100’ would make 25-26 bags

  • “Beads of Courage Bead Bag” labels

OUTSIDE BAG:

To assemble:

On the “front” outer bag piece stitch the “Beads of Courage” label using blanket stitch.  Place ~2” in from the right side seam and 3 ½” up from the bottom of the bag.

With the right sides together mark, with a pin at the seam allowance, the opening for the drawstring 1 ¾” and 2 ½’ down from the top of the bag.  Stitch the front and back 2 pieces together using ¼” seam allowance, backstitching at both top and bottom of the bag and at top and bottom of the opening.   Press seams open.

INSIDE BAG:

With right sides together stitch ¼” seam allowance, backstitching at both the top and bottom of the seam allowance.  Press seams open.

Putting the bag together:

Put the right sides of the outside and inside of the bag together.  Do not match the side seams of the outside and inside of the bag as it makes the seams too thick when making the French seam on the bottom of the bag.  Stitch around the TOP of the bag at ¼”.

***Take note of where the label is and make sure to stitch around the top of the bag.

Now turn so wrong sides together and press around the top.

Keeping the bag right side out lay it flat and line up the bottom edges.  Trim the bottom of the bag if there has been any shift in the fabric so cut edges are even.  Stitch across and through all 4 layers at 1/8” seam allowance.  Make sure you are catching all 4 layers.

Now turn the bag wrong side out and stitch again across the bottom of the bag with ¼” seam allowance using a tight stitch length.  The 1/8” seam allowance will be sandwiched between layers.  This is called a French Seam.  All raw edges will be enclosed now.

DRAWSTRING CASING AND CORD:

Please note that ribbon and cotton twist cord are not acceptable as they do not hold up for the constant use of these bags and must be removed before distribution.  We ask that you use the correct cording. 

Turn the bag right side out and press.  Stitch all around the bag through both layers of fabric 1 ½” from the top and then again at 2 ¼” from the top.  This will create the slot/casing for the drawstring cords.

Melt the cord ends with a flame (match) to secure the cord from unraveling.

Using a big-eyed needle thread 1 piece of cord through the RIGHT slot opening on seam allowance all the way around and back out the “same” RIGHT slot.  Tie the two ends in a big knot so the knot is at the very end.  Do the same for the LEFT slot.

Your Bead bag is now complete to gift to a child in the Beads of Courage Program. Thank you for your handmade work of art that becomes the home of a child’s Beads of Courage collection.

Thank you for having the courage to care.