Waterproof Wash Bag

I made this bag as a Christmas present for my Dad.  He wanted a 9" x 6" bag to store miniature toiletries when travelling.  I chose this cotton backed PVC fabric as it seemed quite masculine and fitted in with the travel theme.  I lined it with a waterproof fabric which I already had in my stash (PUL - polyurethane laminate).  It has a flat base, so it stands up by itself and has a zip closure.  I wanted it to have a rectangular shape once completed which meant making the bottom edge wider than the top edge to allow for the extra depth at the base.

I made the zip tabs differently this time.  Usually I make them so that they join up with the side seam, but I've noticed that commercially made bags have a shorter zip and a slight gap between the side seam and where the zip starts to avoid the bulk you can get in the corners.  I didn't know how much shorter to make the zip so I guessed at ½" shorter than the width of the bag and covered each end of it with very narrow zip tabs, as shown in the photo.

Then I sewed up the side seams, ensuring that I didn't sew into the tabs.   I really like the result. Not only is it easier to make, but it also looks better.  If I was doing it again, I would probably make the zip even shorter to keep the top corners more square.

I wasn't sure how deep to make the bag, so I waited until I had sewn all the edge seams before sewing across the corners to create the flat base.  It was harder to do, but enabled me to put off the decision until I had a better idea of what the bag looked like.

I was very happy with the end result.  More importantly, so was my Dad.

Kraft-tex Wallet

I have wanted to try out this revolutionary 'fabric' for ages.  Kraft-tex is a paper product that behaves like a fabric.  It sounds intriguing, doesn't it?  Well, when I opened the packet it felt just like cardboard.  I had heard that it softens with soaking in hot water, so I soaked it for about 10 minutes and then let it air dry.  It had a bit more texture and was a bit more 'leathery' but probably would have benefitted from a few more washes to make it softer.  When dry, I stamped it using a rubber stamp and versacraft ink and then heat sealed it to make the ink permanent.

I used the wallet pattern that came with the fabric.  It was quite easy to follow.  To be honest, it felt like sewing a piece of cardboard.  You can't use pins because they will leave permanent marks, so I used Clover wonder clips.  For the same reason, if you make any mistakes in your sewing, the needle holes will be there for all eternity.

So, what do I think of Kraft-tex? Well, I've not yet been won over.  The wallet feels as though it's made of cardboard which will tear at any moment, but only time will tell.  I think the real advantage is that it can be printed on, painted and embellished, so it's ideal for making something really original. Definitely something to play with to test its possibilities.  I have seen it used to good effect making bag corners and handles.

If you have tried it, let me know how you got on and any tips for using it.

Lynette Anderson Friends Hand Bag

I saw this bag pattern in Lynette Anderson's book 'Quilting Cats and Dogs' and decided to make it to take to the fabulous Festival of Quilts in Birmingham, UK (Europe's biggest quilt show).  The front flap is made using needle turn appliqué (including suffolk puffs/yoyos) and embroidery, while the front and back are made from crazy patchwork on a lightweight calico foundation.  I used fabrics I already had in my stash/scrap bag and Bosal In-R-Form bag foam to give it structure.  The side panel, handle and lining are all made from a lightweight cotton denim.  I used a magnetic clasp rather than the loop and button suggested as I did't have a suitable button.

Lots of people approached me to admire the bag and I was lucky enough to meet Lynette Anderson there who gave it her seal of approval.  How exciting is that?!

As usual, I saw lots of new products which I scooped up to try in future bags. Lots of stands were selling Decovil and I sought advice on the Vlieseline stand on how to use it.  It is an adhesive stiffener which feels like leather and can be used with fabric or by itself with paint and embellishment in bag making to give that leather feel to a bag.  I bought some and can't wait to try it.

I also bought a jar of Odicoat which is applied to fabric to make it water resistant - a bit like oilcloth but without the plasticky feel.  That's another thing I'm looking forward to trying.

If any of you have any tips on using these products, I'd love to hear them.

Bag #53: Sat Nav Pouch

Well it’s been a while since I last made a bag.  I hadn’t intended to leave it this long but I’ve been having a break from bag making.  Now I’m itching to get back to it.

This is a small bag for my sat nav.  My car doesn’t have a built-in device so I take my trusty TomTom with me wherever I go.  It has always been stored in its hard case, but it was a really tight fit and I struggled to get the zip done up.  Eventually the zip broke and so it was time for a new bag. 

I made this slightly bigger so that it would be a more comfortable fit and used bag foam to protect it.  It has a simple Velcro closure so it was super easy to make.  The Festival of Quilts is on in a couple of weeks’ time and quilting was on my mind, so I decided to quilt it to make it a bit more interesting.  I’m not good at adding piping so I included it because I like a challenge.

The dimensions can be altered to fit any ‘fat’ device such as a camera, charger, etc. (a bag for a flattish device like a laptop, phone or tablet wouldn’t need the gusset/side). As all devices vary, you should tailor it to your own device.  I probably should have made this a bit shorter as it ended up being a little tall for my sat nav.

I thought about adding a strap or handle but decided against it as the strap on my old hard case always got in the way.  You could easily attach a handle to the flap or to the top of the side panel if you wanted to.

You will need 2 fat quarters – 1 for the outer fabric and one for the lining as well as the same amount of wadding or bag foam. The fabric needs to be non-directional otherwise the print will be upside down when you fold the flap over.

I used bag foam for the front and back, but wadding for the sides as this made the bag a bit more flexible. Truth be told, I ran out of bag foam!  If you want a very firm bag, use bag foam and if you want a soft bag, use wadding/fleece.  If you prefer something in the middle, as I did, use a combination of the 2.   

The finished size is approximately 5½”/14 cm wide, 5½"/14 cm high and 2”/5 cm deep.

Skill level: Intermediate – it is quite tricky to manoeuvre around such a small bag when adding piping, and sewing curves.

I used a longer stitch length as I was using foam which is fairly thick.  I used 3.5 for the quilting and most of the seams and 4.5 for top stitching.  I used ¼”/6 mm seams for the outer bag and slighter wider seams for the lining.

I have included metric and imperial measurements but they are not exactly interchangeable, so you should stick to either one or the other.

Skills used in this project:

•         Quilting

•         Piping

Step 1: Cutting out

Cut out the following (but note the changes I suggest at the end):

6”/15 cm x 9½”/24 cm Bag back and flap (cut 1 outer fabric, one lining and one wadding/bag foam). Cut a gentle curve into two corners of one of the 6”/15 cm sides – see images below. The curved end will be the bottom of the bag.

6”/15 cm x 5½”/14 cm Bag front (cut 1 outer fabric, one lining and one wadding/bag foam). Cut a gentle curve into two corners of one of the 6”/15 cm sides – see images below.

2½”/ 6.5 cm x 17”/ 43 cm Bag side

46”/ 117 cm narrow piping cord

47”/120 cm Bias binding

5”/12.5 cm strip of Velcro

Step 2: Quilting the outer bag

Temporarily attach the outer fabric pieces to the corresponding foam/wadding using pins/fabric glue.

  

Decide on your quilting pattern.  I usually choose freeform free motion embroidery squiggles, but for this bag I chose diagonal lines.  I drew the first line onto the fabric with my Clover air dry pen and sewed over it, using the spacing bar on my machine to keep all the lines the same width apart. This pen is great because it gradually fades but if you want to remove immediately e.g. because you’ve made a mistake, it also has an eraser.  I didn't realise until half way through that I could have just followed the pattern on the fabric!!

Quilt all parts of the outer bag.

Step 3: Making the piping

I cut the piping into two lengths – 16”/41 cm for the front and the rest for the back/flap.  I cut the bias binding the same length for the front but there was an extra inch to overlap it for the back. The binding can be bought or cut on the bias from a piece of fabric.  It needs to be bias-cut as it needs some flexibility/stretch when going round the curves; straight cut binding just goes lumpy and looks ugly around curves.

Fold the binding around the piping and sew close to the piping using a zip foot.

Step 4: Attaching the piping to the bag

Trim the binding so that the flat part of the binding measures the same as your seam allowance.  I used ¼”/6 mm seams and trimmed the binding so that it measured ¼”/6 mm from the line I stitched in step 3 to the edge.

Pin the piping to the right side of the bag front starting at one top side and going round the bottom and up to the other top side.  There is no piping along the front top.  Match the edge of the binding with the edge of the fabric.  Sew it in place using a zip foot.

Do the same for the back/flap but this time the piping will go all round so you will need to make a neat join somewhere.  I chose to have my join at the bottom.  Leave the first half inch/12mm unsewn.  Sew all round and stop about an inch/2.5 cm before you get back to where you started.  Trim the cord so that the start and end meet seamlessly.  Fold one end of the binding over to hide the raw edge, overlap it over the bias binding where you started and wrap it round.  This will make a neat join.  Sew the end/beginning of the binding in place.

Step 5: Assembling the outer bag

Pin then sew the side to the front, right sides together, close to the piping, using a zip foot.  I made the side a bit longer than needed and trimmed it afterwards so that it matched the top of the front.

Now pin the side to the back, right sides together close to the piping. To find the centre, fold the side in half and mark the centre point at the bottom of the bag.  Do the same for the back.  Match up these points and pin, then sew the side to the front.

Make a few snips in the seam allowance at the corners so that the seams lay nice and flat or trim with pinking shears close to the seam.

Cut the edge of the bag foam back as close to the seam as you can.  I forgot to do this but it makes a much neater finish if you do it, especially around the flap.  

Step 6: Assembling the lining

Using your general purpose foot, sew the side lining to the front lining, right sides together and trim it to size.  Then sew the side to the back lining, as above, leaving a gap at the bottom for turning through.  Snip the corners as above.

Step 7: Attaching the lining

With right sides together, place the lining over the outer bag and sew around the opening and flap.  Turn through. Sew up the gap in the lining.

Top stitch around the top of the sides and front to create a neat finish and keep the lining/outer fabrics firmly in place.  You will be sewing through several layers here, so a longer stitch length will be needed.  I used 4.5.

Step 8: Attaching the velcro

Usually I would attach the closure before joining the lining, but I decided with this bag that it would be better to add it afterwards and make a feature of it.

Place your device in the bag and pull the flap over to work out where the Velcro needs to go.  Trim it to size. Pin it and sew in place through all the layers.  This would be the time to add any embellishments to the front if you wanted to.

I made a feature of it by using red thread on white Velcro which would have looked good if I had sewn in a straight line!

***

Now put your device in its new home and give yourself a treat for all that hard work!  I shall take my sat nav for a little outing to the coast when it finally stops raining.

In this project I learnt:

• I hadn’t used the quilting space bar for a long time and I had forgotten how easy it makes straight line quilting. It was done in no time and all the stitches were the same length, unlike free motion embroidery where I struggle to keep them even.

• I still hate piping.  I’ve never been any good at it and that hasn’t changed.  However, I was pleased with the look of the bag.  It wouldn’t have looked as good without the piping.

• I made the pouch bigger than my previous sat nav bag which broke because it was too small.  However, I over-compensated and could have made it about an inch/2.5 cm shorter in height and it would still have been a comfortable fit.  I might end up using it for a different device, but it serves it purpose for now and will stand out in my glove compartment. 

2016 New Year’s Resolution Completed

I did it!

At the start of 2016 I resolved to design and make a new bag every week and blog about it.  The aim was to acquire new skills along the way from textile and bag-making techniques to setting up and running a blog.

Now, a year later, I’ve achieved all I set out to do and more.  I’ve learnt how to do French seams, sew with PVC and faux leather, attach rivets, eyelets and clasps, and so much more.  I’ve spent hours patiently taking photos and writing instructions when really I was just impatient to get on with the making.

Was it worth it?  Hell, yes! I’ve learnt so much over the year and it was the blog that drove me forwards to keep trying new things.  Some I liked (PVC especially), some I didn’t (what is the point of lamifix??) but I’m much wiser, not to mention a year older.  I think the most important thing I learnt was that there is always a solution, even if something seems impossible.  I didn’t give up on any of my bags if I hit a snag, but I learnt how to make them better.  That’s probably I good life lesson.

What next?  Well I shall still make bags and add tutorials to this blog from time to time, but certainly not every week.  I’m looking forward to lots of new crafty projects, not just bags, but I don’t think I could stop making them totally even if I tried.

Many thanks to all of you who looked at the blog during the year and gave valuable feedback.

Enjoy your bag-making.

Bag #52: Wipe Clean Shopping Bag

This is my 52^nd and last bag of 2016.  I started the year with a shopping bag and developed a liking for PVC right at the start, so I decided to end with a bag which combines both.  This PVC bag is quite straightforward in design – just a couple of rectangles joined together with handles.  For a really quick version, it could be made unlined.  I added a lining, an internal zip pocket and a magnetic clasp. As it’s made of PVC, it can just be wiped clean, so there’s no excuse for a mucky bag.

The PVC was a remnant from my local home furnishing store.  I can often get bargain remnants there because they find it hard it to sell small quantities of PVC (this was half a metre). I think PVC is sturdy enough not to need any wadding or interfacing, but I added a medium weight interfacing around the zip and on the pocket to give the lining extra stability.  I used a polyester lining.

You would need half a metre of PVC and lining and a 7”/18 cm strip of interfacing to make this bag.

The finished size is approximately 17”/43 cm high (plus handles) and 14”/35.5 cm wide.

Skill level: Intermediate as PVC isn’t the easiest fabric to work with.

I used my normal stitch length (2.5) for the seams and 5 for top stitching.  I used ½”/12 mm seams for the outer bag and slighter wider seams for the lining.

I have included metric and imperial measurements but they are not exactly interchangeable, so you should stick to either one or the other.

Skills used in this project:

• Using PVC

Step 1: Cutting out

Cut out the following:

15” x 18”/38 cm x 46 cm Outer bag sides (cut 2 PVC)

16” x 4”/40.5 cm x 10 cm Handles (cut 2 PVC)

15” x 3”/38 cm x 7.5 cm Upper internal bag (cut 2 PVC)

15” x 15¾”/38 cm x 40 cm Lower internal bag (cut 2 lining)

10” x 7”/25.5 cm x 18 cm Internal pocket (cut 2 lining, 2 interfacing)

10” x 3“/25.5 cm x 7.5 cm Lining stabiliser (cut 1 interfacing)

9”/23 cm  zip (I used an N3 zip from a continuous roll)

Magnetic clasp & small off cut of bag foam/wadding for reinforcement

Step 2: Making the outer bag

Place the 2 PVC outer bag pieces right sides together and sew round the sides and bottom.  Don’t forget to check that the pattern is the right way up.

There is no need to turn it right side out until later.

Step 3: Making the handles

 

Fold the handles in half lengthways to find the centre.  Fold each side in so that the edge is against the fold line.  It will now look like bias binding.  Fold in half and top stitch close to the edge along each long side of the handle.  This will hold it together and make it look professional.

Sew each end of the handles to the top of the outer bag about 4”/10 cm from the nearest side seam, making sure the handle isn't twisted. It should curve downwards as shown in the photo. 

Step 4: Sewing the internal pocket

Interfacing attached to bag lining along
one of the shorter sides

Attach the interfacing to the wrong side (if there is one) of the pocket pieces and bag lining.

Pin one pocket piece to one of the bag linings, right sides together, with the long side of the pocket along the top edge of the lining, to match the position of the interfacing on the bag lining.   

Draw a ½” x 8”/12 mm x 20 cm rectangle along the centre of the pocket interfacing about 1½"/4 cm from the top edge.

Sew around this rectangle through all the layers that you have just pinned together.  

Cut a slit in this rectangle (as shown in the photo) making sure not to cut the stitches. 

Push the pocket through this ‘letterbox’, shape in the lining so that it sits flat and press. You will now have a neat opening to attach the zip.

Pin the zip to the pocket so that the right side shows through the aperture in the bag lining. Sew all round the zip.

Pin the remaining pocket piece to this one, right sides together and sew around the sides and bottom, keeping the bag lining out of the way as you do not want to sew through this. 

Sew along the top of the pocket and the bag lining to hold the pocket firmly in place.

Step 5: Attaching the magnetic clasps

One side of the magnetic fastener needs to be attached to one of the upper internal bag PVC strips.  

Fold the fabric in half horizontally and then vertically to find the centre and mark.  Using the washer, mark where the prongs will go through the fabric, then carefully make a small slit along each of these marks using a stitch unpicker. 

Cut a small piece of foam to roughly the same size as the washer and make a slit for each of the prongs. 

Push the ‘legs’ through from the right side of the PVC, through the foam and the washer and open them outwards to secure.

Do the same with the other part of the magnetic clasp and PVC strip.  

Step 6: Making the inner bag

Sew one PVC upper internal bag to one lining piece, right sides together.  Make sure that any pattern will be the right way up. 

Do the same for the other PVC strip and lining.

With right sides together, sew the side seams.  Do not sew the bottom seam at this stage.

Step 7: Assembling the bag

With the PVC outer bag wrong side out, place the lining inside, right side out – the inner and outer bags will now be right sides together with only the handles between them.

Keeping the handles between the fabric sew around the top of both parts of the bag to join them.

Turn through so that the lining is inside and the PVC outer bag has its right side facing out.  

Top stitch around the top edge.

Sew the bottom edges of the lining together.

Well done, you’ve finished the bag.  Time to go sale shopping to test it out!

In this project I learnt:

• This PVC was harder to work with than others I have used.  PVC seems to vary enormously in thickness and workability.  My sewing machine hated this one.  I tried the general purpose foot, zip foot and roller foot and none of them worked.  As a last resort, I tried the walking foot which worked brilliantly.  One of the things I’ve learnt this year is that there is usually a solution – it’s trial and error until you find it.  Over the year, I’ve learnt that a really long stitch works best when top stitching PVC.

• When sewing up the lining, I usually partially sew the bottom seam and then sew up the gap when the bag is almost finished.  However, I have found that polyester lining often frays when I try to push the PVC through a too-small gap.  I decided this time to leave the whole bottom seam open and sew it up afterwards.  This was much better – no fraying and the finish was much neater than usual.  

Bag #51: Metal Frame Bag

 

I wanted to use a metal frame this week and chose this metal arch frame which I bought in the summer at the Festival of Quilts. I have seen lots of simple bags made using these frames where a square piece of fabric is used and gathered over the frame.  However, I wanted a more fitted appearance so I made sure that the fabric was just the right size to fit the frame.  The great thing about this frame is that it can be unscrewed and used on another bag which makes it good value for money.

I made this using techniques from earlier projects.  For example, the channel which goes over the frame is the same as I would use for a flex frame.  Also, because the frame is hinged, it is similar to making a purse-style bag where you draw round the frame and then add some width at the hinge points so that the bottom of the frame is partially hidden in the finished bag. 

I didn’t add any pockets inside but it would be easy to add a phone or zip pocket. The handle has side rings for a chain or strap.  A narrow shoulder strap made of the patterned fabric/interfacing with swivel clasps at the end would work well. I just wanted this as a handbag so I didn’t bother.

You would need an 11”/28 cm strip of 2 different fabrics or 2 fat quarters, as well as interfacing and wadding.  I used a firm interfacing as I didn’t want the bag to be too floppy and a quilt batting as wadding.

The finished size (excluding the handles) is 9½”/24 cm wide, 8½”/21.5 cm high and 3”/7.5 cm deep at the base  

Skill level: Intermediate.  Although the sewing is straightforward, the pattern may need to be adapted to suit the size of your bag frame (they come in lots of different sizes). 

I used my normal stitch length (2.5) and ¼”/6 mm seams for the outer bag and slighter wider seams for the lining.

I have included metric and imperial measurements but they are not exactly interchangeable, so you should stick to either one or the other.

Skills used in this project:

• Making darts

• Using a metal frame

Step 1: Cutting out

Cut out the following:

11” x 6½”/28 x 16 cm Upper Bag Sides (cut 2 patterned fabric)

11” x 3½”/28 cm x 9 cm Lower Bag Sides (cut 2 plain fabric)

11” x 9¾”/28 cm x 25 cm Bag Sides (cut 2 wadding, 2 interfacing, 2 lining)

12” x 1½”/30.5 cm x 4 cm Frame Channel (cut 2 plain fabric, 

2 interfacing)

(This fits a 6”/15 cm wide metal arch frame)

Step 2: Creating the bag’s shape

Here is the 6”/15 cm metal arch frame bag pattern I made for the bag sides. It is too large to scan so I have taken a photo of it.

I marked the shape of the frame onto the paper (the dashes) and then pivoted the frame at one top corner so that the hinge swung out by about 1”/2.5 cm and marked where the hinge sat, then continued the line down.  I did the same for the other top corner of the frame.

Cut the lining, interfacing and wadding to shape – they are all the same size as the whole pattern.

To create the two tone outer bag, I drew a horizontal line across the pattern.  When I cut out the fabric for each part of the bag, I drew round the pattern up to the line and then added ¼”/6 mm for the seam allowance. I did this for the upper bag and also for the lower bag.

This technique can be used to create a pattern for any size frame.

Step 3: Making the bag sides

Sew one lower bag to one upper bag.  Do the same for the other lower and upper bag.  You now have the 2 outer bag sides.

Attach the wadding to the wrong side of the bag sides (I used fabric adhesive spray to stick mine).

With right sides together, make the darts.

Attach the interfacing to the wrong side of the lining. 

Make darts in the lining.

Press the darts.

Step 4: Making the frame channels

Attach the interfacing to the wrong side of the frame channels.

With right sides together, sew the short ends together.  

Turn right sides out and press so that the seam is in the middle. Do this for both frame channels.

Step 5: Attaching the frame channel

Fold the frame channels so that the long raw edges meet. The seam needs to be facing away from the bag fabric so that it will not be visible when sewn up.

When the channel is folded up, the seam is inside
and so won't be visible on the finished bag.

Sew the frame channel to the top edge of the outer bag and the lining.  I found it easier to do this in 2 stages by sewing it first to the right side of the outer bag and then with right sides together, sewing it to the lining so that it is sandwiched between the right sides of the outer bag and lining.

Press.

Step 6: Assembling the bag

Here, one dart faces down and the other
faces up to prevent too much bulk.

Pin the right sides of the outer bag together and do the same for the lining, matching the stitch line for the darts. Fold the darts so that one faces one way and one faces the other to reduce bulk and create a 'nesting' effect.

Make sure the hinge marks are clearly visible (mine aren't in the photo).

Sew from the hinge marks on one side of the outer bag, down towards the bottom of the bag and back up the other side of the outer bag, stopping at the other hinge mark.  Do not sew above the hinge mark at this stage.

Do the same for the lining, leaving a gap of about 4”/10 cm for turning at the base.

Now you need to create the purse-type opening.  Pull the channels out so that the lining/outer fabric meet, right sides still together.  Sew from the frame channel to the hinge mark, making sure not to sew over the frame channel (or you won’t be able to insert the bag handle). Do this at both ends of the frame channels on both sides of the bag.

It can be a bit tricky to get the join right between this stitching and the side seams, so turn it through and check that you are happy with it before finishing the bag.

Turn through and sew up the opening in the lining.  Press.

Slide the bag handles through the channels.  

Your bag is now finished just in time for the sales.  It won't carry all your bargains but you'll have something unique.

In this project I learnt:

• I have used darts in a previous bag.  They are easy to do and a simple way of creating that lovely curved shape at the base and sides.  I planned to use them more often but then completely forgot about them.  I’m so glad I finally remembered them!

• I haven’t used this style of metal frame before but it was certainly useful to have used flex and purse frames before because the top of this bag is a combination of the two. The contrasting frame channel worked really and fitted nicely.  I initially forgot about the opening and sewed all round the sides.  When I turned it through, I realised immediately that the only opening was between the channels at the top.  Not much point having a hinged opening if you’re going to sew it closed!  I had to unpick the stitches and instead of sewing outer fabric to outer fabric at the top of the bag, I sewed outer fabric to corresponding lining.  When I turned it through, it fitted the frame perfectly but I had a hole at each of the hinges where I hadn’t sewn right up to the side seam.  I had to turn it back and sew up the hole.  Hopefully I won’t make this mistake again.

• I don’t press my fabric enough and that’s why I forget to include it in the instructions.  This time I remembered! I’m sure the final bag is better for it.