picnic bowl cover strap: how to

Picnic and potluck invitations are springing up like the daisies out back. As I slipped our family's contribution into a special bowl Saturday night, I knew that I didn't want to cover it with aluminum foil... but how could I protect it for transport? Pretty presentation always makes me happy. A draped dishcloth works in a pinch, but it often slips into the salad or off the bowl. I used an extra large rubber band to secure it and felt super clever. Doesn't it look pretty?

I was so inspired that the next day I made a stretchy band that could serve as the permanent strap for all of our picnic bowls. I was about to use something from my scrap basket, when I spotted this red checkered shirt I recently acquired from the Salvation Army. It had picnic written all over it!

The fun part was realizing that the strip that held the buttons is a perfect channel for housing elastic. I just sliced it off, stripped it of buttons, and inserted a little length of elastic.

I connected the two ends of elastic with a few stitches, but didn't bother to sew the fabric tube together.

This gives plenty of room for stretching over large sized bowls. Love it! Obviously, you can sew a little tube out of any fabric scrap, but if you happen to have a large button down shirt: super fast! What a great way to show off our favorite linens... Ready for picnic season!