Bag #4: Yarn Bag

This week’s bag is a yarn bag.  I’ve never owned one but have often looked at them in the shops. They all look pretty much like this one (they’re all round, but then when did you last see a square ‘ball’ of yarn?), so I haven’t been very original in my design, but it was fun working out how to put it together. Next week I’m going to make a matching knitting bag, so come back and see how I get on with that.  I’ve already got a design in mind...

I had been thinking about the construction of this bag all week and kept changing my mind about how I would make it. In the end I incorporated all the design features that I like – a tab with D ring in case I want to attach anything to the bag.  I’m not sure what I’ll want to attach but I like to have it just in case.  There’s a small internal pocket for sewing needles, row counters, etc., eyelets for pulling the yarn through so that I don’t have tangled balls rolling around the floor and I just love the double sliders on the zip so that I only need to open half the bag.

This would look great in any fabric – a quilting cotton would be much easier to sew but being a lighter weight fabric, would need interfacing and/or wadding to give it some body.

As the fabric was quite bulky, I increased my stitch length from its normal 2.5 to 3 for seams and 3.5 for topstitch and I was really pleased with the effect.

This is not a project for a beginner because PVC isn’t the easiest fabric to manipulate.  If using PVC for the first time, I would suggest a project with more straight lines which are much easier to sew.

Skills used in this project:

Sewing with PVC fabric

Making and inserting piping

Inserting eyelets

Inserting a zip with double sliders

Step 1: Cutting out

Cut out the following pieces from the PVC fabric:

6” diameter circle (cut 2)

18” x 7 ½” for lower bag body (cut 1)

18” x 3 ½” for upper bag body (cut 1)

3 ½” x 1 ½” for zip tabs (cut 2)

10 ½” x 3” for handle (cut 1)

3” x 3” for D ring tab (cut 1)

18” x 1 ½” for piping (cut 2) – no need to cut on the bias as it doesn’t appear to make any difference for PVC

From the lining fabric, cut 2 circles, 1 lower body and 1 upper body using the same measurements as above.

Also cut a 3 ¾” x 4 ½” rectangle from the lining fabric for the internal pocket.  Alternatively you could use a co-ordinating fabric (but PVC will be too heavy).  If you want a larger pocket e.g. for knitting needles, change the size according to your needs.

You will also need:

A rectangle of medium weight sew-in interfacing 3 ¼” x 4 ¼”

2 lengths of piping cord 18” long (I used 6mm piping cord)

An 18” zip with 2 sliders (I used an N5 continuous zip which I cut to size)

2 eyelets (I used 5.5mm) and an eyelet fixing tool

Bias binding to neaten the internal seams ¾” – 1” width depending on thickness of fabric used

A 1” D ring

You will also need clips instead of pins as pins will leave permanent holes in the PVC.

Step 2: Make zip end tabs

If using a continuous zip, make sure that both sliders are in place and facing each other.  Fold zip tabs in half lengthways and place them over each end of the zip.  They will enclose approximately 1 ½” of the zip at each end. This makes the zip very secure when sewn in place.  Fold under the raw edges where they cross the zip by ¼” and top stitch across the fold, making sure that both sides of the tab are sewn.  Trim the sides of the tab so that they are the same width as the zip. 

Step 3: Sew zip to main fabric and lining

Clip the lower bag body PVC and lining to the zip making a zip sandwich, right sides of fabric together.  I used a polyester lining which doesn’t have a right or wrong side. The right side of the PVC needs to be attached to the right side of the zip. Sew.

Do the same on the other side of the zip, then top stitch along the fabric on both sides of the zip, close to the edge – this gives a professional appearance.

Step 4: Make internal pocket

The top of the internal pocket needs a double hem to prevent fraying.  To do this, fold the pocket fabric over towards the wrong side (if there is one) by ¼” and then do the same again.  Sew.  Fold under the remaining 3 edges by ¼” and pin to hold the hems in place.  There is no need to sew them yet – you can do this as part of the process of attaching the pocket to the bag lining.

Choose where you want to position your internal pocket.  I wanted mine near the back of the bag not too far down from the zip so I put it quite near to the edge but not so near that it interfered with the bag’s side seam.

Place the interfacing on the wrong side of the lining (between lining and PVC) and pin where you want your pocket to be. Pin the pocket fabric to the right side of the lining so that the seams will be inside the pocket.  Sew around the sides and bottom, sewing the pocket fabric on one side and the interfacing on the other to the lining at the same time.  The interfacing gives the pocket extra strength. 

Step 5: Make D ring tab

Fold the PVC  D ring tab in half and then fold in the raw edges so that the finished tab will be just under 1” wide.  Top stitch along the both sides of the length for a professional look.  Slip the D ring onto the tab and fold the tab over, securing the ends by clipping or sewing them so that the D ring can’t fall off. Choose where you want the tab to be and clip it to the bag so that the raw edges of the tab face towards the seam.  At this point, you can choose how long you want your tab to be and make it shorter if required.

Step 6: Sew side seams (attaching D ring tab and bias binding)

Join the side seam (which will also sew the D ring tab in place) by matching the right sides of the PVC. Sew through the lining as well as the PVC so that all pieces are joined at the side seam.

Trim the edges so that they are neat and even.  Sew bias binding over raw edges for a professional finish.  As the PVC is so thick, you will need at least ¾” binding but this will depend on the weight of the fabric.  You can make your own bias binding or buy it ready made from a haberdashery store.

To attach the binding, sew the right side of the binding to the seam just inside the stitching.  Fold it over the raw edges and sew along the seam length so that the binding encloses the edges of the PVC and lining.

Step 7: Make the Piping

Fold under one narrow end of each of the piping strips by ¼” and clip.  Fold them in half lengthways right sides facing out, inserting the piping cord as you fold.  Sew along the strips close to the piping. It is easier to get close to the piping cord if you use the zip foot on your machine. Trim along the length about ¼” from the line of stitching (allow a little more if you are not used to sewing circles – they can be tricky).

Step 8: Sew base to bag (including bias binding)

Attach the piping to the right side around the base of the bag with the raw edges of the piping matching the raw edges of the bag.  Start sewing about 1” from the ‘folded under’ end.  When you have gone nearly all the way round, trim the other (non-folded) end of the piping so that it slots neatly inside the folded end to form a join.  The piping cord should meet, but the PVC should overlap by about ¼”. Finish sewing all the way round.

Attach the lining and PVC base at the same time. Turn the bag so that the wrong side is facing out. The PVC base’s right side needs to face inwards towards the right side of the bag, so the lining will be facing towards you as you sew.  Clip circles to edge of bag and piping and then sew.  It looks at first as though it will never fit together but it will!  Imagine the circles are clock faces and start by clipping the base to the sides at 3, 6, 9 and 12.  Then use clips in between. When sewing circles, they have to be gently eased into place gradually.  Sew all the way round, close to the binding, attaching the base to the body.

  

Sew bias binding all the way round to cover the seam.  Start by folding of the edges at one end and start attaching the binding about 1” from the end.  When you have sewn nearly all the way round, trim the binding so that it overlaps by about ¼” and insert the cut end under the folded end.  Finish sewing the binding in place.

Step 9: Make eyelets

Decide where you want to put the eyelets and how many you want.  There’s nothing to stop you adding more later.  A lot of commercially available yarn bags have the eyelets in the top of the bag, but I was concerned that if I go out with the bag in the rain, having the eyelets on top will let in the water, so I put them about half way down the top section of the bag.  I decided to have two of them as I rarely need more than two colours.  Both eyelets are at the front of the bag, about 5” apart, but you can position them anywhere which suits you.

You will need an eyelet tool which is the right size for the eyelets you have chosen. Starter kits are available which contain a tool and about 40 eyelets. Follow the instructions.  They usually tell you to make a hole with part of the tool and then place the 2 parts of the eyelets either side of the fabric and either hammer or use special pliers to apply pressure so that the two parts fit together. 

Step 10: Attach handle

Both short ends of the handle fabric need to be folded in by about ¼”.  The PVC is then folded in half lengthways and the raw edges on each side folded under by about ½” (making a 1” wide handle).  Topstitch close to the edge all the way round.

If the bag was going to be used for heavy items, I would reinforce with interfacing between the PVC and lining, attaching the handle to both the PVC and interfacing.  However, as yarn is comparatively light, it wasn’t necessary in this case. 

Position the ends of the handle splayed out on the right side of the PVC circle which will form the top of the bag.  Sew it to the PVC circle by sewing a cross about ¾” -1” in size at each end.

Step 11: Sew top to bag (including bias binding)

Decide where you want to position your handle.  I chose to have it going across the top of the bag with the bag seam to the rear, but it doesn’t really matter.  When you attach the top to the bag, make sure the handle will be in a position that you will be happy with.

Attach the top in the same way that you attached the bottom and add the bias binding to neaten the edges.

Now fill your bag with yarn and start knitting!

In this project I learnt:

I have used PVC before and really enjoyed it.  However it can be tricky.  I use a leather needle now whenever I sew PVC and haven’t had any problems. It’s not necessary to use a special foot but if you are sewing with the shiny side towards the feed dogs (only done when absolutely necessary), the fabric might need to be coaxed along at first.  Use a slightly larger stitch length than usual for best results as PVC is bulky to sew.

This was the first time of using 2 sliders on a zip.  I really like the effect and it was no more difficult than attaching one slider and sewing on a normal zip.

I had been avoiding eyelets for years, thinking they were really tricky but they were dead easy.  I practised a couple of time on some spare fabric.  It’s a good thing I did because I applied far too much force in my first attempt and the eyelet became stuck in the tool – I had to dig it out with a knife, damaging the fabric in the process.  After that I was gentler and had no problems.  It shows that sometimes it’s worth taking a bit longer and practising so that the finished article is perfect

I had never sewn a zip onto PVC before.  There weren’t any problems as such but I couldn’t feel exactly where the teeth of the zip were and could have sewn closer to them.  Another time I would mark a sewing line on the fabric.

I don’t usually bother with piping because I’m not that keen on the look of it.  However, in this bag, it really finishes off the top and bottom. Like the zip, it was really difficult to sew close enough to the piping to get the right effect.  I used a zip foot but still struggled and had several attempts. I got there in the end by trial and error. Perhaps a contrasting cotton bias binding might have been easier to use with the same effect.

I used ½” ready made bias binding which I had in my stash, but because the seams were so thick, it wasn’t really wide enough.  I couldn’t be bothered to make any and it was Sunday afternoon so the shops were shut.  I wish now that I had made the effort because the bias binding is the only thing that lets the bag down (it still looks great unless you really peer inside at the top and bottom which, of course, no one else will because it is full of yarn).

You don’t need expensive fabrics to make a great bag.  This looks similar to yarn bags in the shops but the fabric only cost a few pence (the PVC was £2.99 a metre).  I had to shop around for a nice quality PVC that wasn’t too thick or rigid, but I was very happy with this one – a real bargain.

Bag #3: Baguette Bag

I chose to make this bag because I never know how to get a long baguette home from the supermarket hygienically and in one piece while carrying all my other shopping bags.  The answer is obviously a baguette bag.  This one fits one baguette, but it would be easy to make it wider for two or more.

Going with the French theme, I wanted a suitable fabric and found this gorgeous 100% cotton quilting fabric on ebay with its Eiffel Towers and other French symbols.  It was available in a range of colours and I chose this blue. I like a fabric which can go either way up because there’s less waste. I bought a metre which was 112cm wide because I wanted the pattern to run from top to bottom, but if you cut it out across the width rather than the length you would only need about half a metre. Because this was a quality cotton with a close weave, I didn't feel that it needed a lining, which also saved me time in the long run.

You will also need approx 40” of ribbon ¾”  wide. 

I used ½" seams throughout this project. 

Skills used in this project:

Inserting a drawstring channel

Step 1: Cutting out

Cut out the following pieces:

37” x 11” rectangle of fabric for the bag

4” x 22” fabric for the handle

2” x 22” lightweight interfacing for the handle (I used iron-on but sew-in would work just as well)

Step 2: Making the handle

 

Fold the handle fabric in half lengthways and iron to find the centre line.  Finger press the interfacing in half lengthways to find the centre line (if you are using sew-in interfacing your could iron this but don't iron the iron-on interfacing yet because it will stick to itself or the iron!).

Place the interfacing along the centre of the wrong side of the fabric, matching the fold lines.  The shiny side of the sew-in interfacing should be placed against the wrong side of the fabric because that is the sticky side which will adhere to the fabric when ironed.

The interfacing is narrower than the fabric.  Fold the edges of the fabric over the interfacing lengthways so that the edge of the fabric on each side meets the fold line. Press.

Fold the handle in half lengthways along the existing fold line and press.

Topstitch along each long edge of the handle close to the end.  There is no need to sew along the fold edge if you don't want to but I think it gives a more symmetrical and professional finish if you do.  

Step 3: Marking the drawstring channel

Before you sew the bag, mark where the drawstring channel will go, as this part of the seam won't be sewn. 

Choose which end will form the top of the bag.  Measure 7 ½" from the top of the fabric and mark the wrong side of the edge of the fabric.  This will be the top of the channel. Make a second mark 1" further down the edge (8½" from the top of the bag).  This will be the bottom of the channel.  When sewing the side seam together, do not sew this part of the seam.

Step 4: Attaching the handle to the bag and sewing the side seam

Lay out the large rectangle of fabric and decide where you want the handle.  I put one end at the bottom just before the curve and the other end a couple of inches below the drawstring channel markings.  Pin the short ends of the handle to the right side of the fabric so that they match up with the edge of the fabric.  Make sure the handle is not twisted.

You can just see the end of the handle
where it has been sewn into the seam

 

Fold the large rectangle in half lengthways right sides together to make the side seam. The handle will now be inside the rectangle with only the ends visible.

The bag looks better with a curved base.  Use a small plate or other round object to draw a symmetrical curve onto the wrong side of the fabric once it has been folded in half and cut away any excess fabric.

Sew along the whole length of the side of the bag, including the curved bottom, leaving a gap where you previously marked the drawstring channel opening. Press. 

Step 5: Sewing the drawstring channel

Keeping the bag with the right sides together, turn over the top  ½" of the fabric outwards towards the wrong side.  This will form your hem.  Press.

Pull the top of the bag down, wrong sides together, until the hem is just below the bottom drawstring channel mark.  Pin it in place so that it is even all the way round.  When you sew the bottom of the channel, you will also be sewing the hem in place.

Sew all the way round the bag at the bottom and top channel marks.  Press. Turn the bag out the right way. Press.

Step 6: Finishing

Thread the ribbon through the drawstring channel.  I attached a pin to one end of the ribbon which made it easier to thread it.

Once the ribbon has been threaded through, trim the ends to remove any pin marks and fraying. 

I always seal synthetic ribbon to prevent fraying by putting the ends next to a naked flame e.g. a tea light.  This causes them to melt slightly and seals the ends.  If you haven't tried this before, practise on a spare piece of ribbon.  Don't get it too close the flame or it will catch fire.  I always do this next to the kitchen sink as a precaution. Remember to keep the bag well away from the flame or all your hard work will be wasted. Don't do this on natural fibres e.g. cotton - it will just burn.

Voila! Your bag is complete.  

In this project I learnt:

Taking the time to accurately plan exactly where the drawstring channel will go and measuring it before starting is worth it because then everything matches up as it should.

I used a Frixion pen (disappears when ironed) to mark the fabric but forgot that I would want to press the seam before sewing the drawstring channel and my marks disappeared! As the marks were in the seam allowance, I could have used any pale permanent marker.  Next time, I need to think about the order in which I will make up the bag and use the best marker pen for the job.  I made lots of marks on the fabric (hem line, top line, inside drawstring channel, outside drawstring channel) but they weren't all needed.

Choosing the right fabric for the job is crucial.  I think this French themed fabric really sets off the project. I usually use fabric from my stash or see what my local craft store has in stock.  I had been thinking about this bag for a couple of weeks which gave me time to source the fabric online.  If I can be that organised with other projects, I'm sure they'll end up looking better.

Sometimes, keeping it simple is the best option. However, I think this project would be lovely in a plain cream e.g. a rustic calico with appliqué images sewn on.

I planned to make the drawstring of the same fabric as the bag.  At the cutting stage I suddenly remembered this pink ribbon left over from another project.  This saved a lot of time and makes the bag look really pretty and colourful.  Of course, if I hadn't liked the end result, I could still have made a fabric drawstring tie as it is not sewn in and can be changed at any time. Cord would also work well.

Bag #2: Bottle Bag

How to make a bottle bag

  

I chose to make a bottle bag this week because I needed to take all the glass bottles used over Christmas to be recycled and if I put them in a normal shopping bag, all that clinking makes me sound like an alcoholic.  I spotted this ripstop fabric at my local fabric store and thought it would be idea – strong, hard wearing and easy to clean. It is backed with vinyl so that helps it to hold the shape.  I would have preferred something even stronger but other than canvas which would have been too bulky, I couldn’t find anything suitable.

Skills used in this project

• Working with ripstop fabric
• Attaching handles
• Working out what order to do all the stages in

Step 1: Cutting out

Cut out the following from your chosen fabric:

Main body (back, base and front all in one piece) 28¼ “ x 10¼” (cut 1)

Sides 7¼” x 11¼” (cut 2)

Central insert 11” x 11¼” (cut 1)

Side inserts 3 ¾” x 10½” (cut 4)

Cut 2½ yards (2.3 m) of webbing for handles. 

As the back and front are all in one piece, the pattern will be upside down on one side of the bag so it is best to choose a fabric that isn’t directional.

Step 2: Hemming

All the pieces needed to be hemmed before assembling. I used a ⅜” hem and seam allowance throughout.

Hem all round the main body and sides.

Hem one of the slightly longer sides of the central insert.

Hem one short side of each of the side inserts.

Step 3: Attaching the handles

Find the approximate middle of the main body by folding it in half, short side to short side and measure 1” in from the long edge.  This is where you will start to attach the webbing which is sewn to the right side of the fabric.  Fold over the end to hide the raw edge and pin the webbing to the fabric, keeping a constant distance of 1” from the edge. Keeping close to the edge of the webbing, sew across the end and then along one side, stopping about 1” from the end. To reinforce this part of the strap, sew a x shape across the webbing before sewing back down the other side of the same piece of webbing.

Measure 16½" for the handle and make sure that the webbing is not twisted, then attach to the same end of the fabric, starting about 1” in from the top and the side and sewing a reinforcing x shape before sewing the webbing along one side the whole length of the fabric.  When you reach the other end, stop about 1” from the end and sew a reinforcing x shape before turning and sewing back along the other side of the webbing.  Then measure the other handle and sew the remaining piece of webbing to the fabric so that you are back where you started, turning over the raw edge as you finish.

  

Step 4: Sewing the inserts together

Measure 3¾" along the hem from the edge of the central insert.  This is where you will attach two of the side inserts, one on either side on the central insert, making sure that the hems match and sewing down from the hem towards the bottom.  The side inserts are slightly shorter than the central insert because they will not be attached at the base. The pattern can face in either direction – it is a matter of personal choice.  I chose to have the pattern facing out and the raw edges of the seam towards the centre.

Central insert sewn
to main body of bag
left to right

Measure the same distance from the other end of the central insert and attach the remaining two side inserts as above.

Step 5: Attaching the central insert to the main body

The base of the central insert needs to be sewn to the wrong side of the main body from one long side to the other (this is where you started attaching the webbing for the handles on the right side). You can find the middle by folding the fabric short side to short side and marking the fold line on the wrong side of the fabric.

Step 6: Attaching the side inserts to the main body

Before attaching the side inserts, the outside bottom corner should be trimmed to form a slight curve starting about 1” from the bottom.  This curve will not be attached to the bag.

Measure 3" from the edge of one short side, match up the hems and sew from the hems downwards.  The inserts are sewn to the wrong side of the fabric. The raw edge can face in either direction – it is a matter of personal choice.

Repeat this step for all 4 side inserts.

Step 7: Attaching the central insert to the sides

The bottom corner of each end of the central insert should be trimmed to form a slight curve starting about 1” from the bottom.  This part will not be attached to the bag.

Fold one of the side panels in half long side to long side.  The fold line is where you will attach the end of the central insert to the wrong side, matching the hems and sewing downwards. The raw edge of the central insert can face in either direction. Attach the other end of the central insert to the wrong side of the other side panel.

Step 8: Attaching the sides to the main body

Sew the side panels to the main body by putting the wrong sides together, matching the edges.  Sew close to the edge, making sure that the hem at the top matches.  I found it easier to sew down one side, then the other, then the bottom edge. It took longer but I made sure that the top edges were perfectly aligned this way.

In this project I learnt:

• To take the time to be accurate.  A couple of times I made mistakes and had to unpick them.  It doesn't show on the outside but the vinyl on the inside has puncture holes which will be there forever.
• Ripstop is a great fabric to work with. When you look up close, there are criss-crossing lines all over the fabric.  This makes it easy to cut and sew in a straight line.  Another bonus is that it doesn't seem to fray much.
• The bag handles were really easy to attach and make the bag very sturdy.  I shall use this technique again when I make other bags e.g. beach bag. However, I kept forgetting they were there and sewing over them when I sewed the seams!!