Bag #9: Hands Free Bag

   

I wanted to make a small pouch for essentials which I could hang across my body and forget about.  I made it in this glamorous faux leather to make it more like an evening bag.  This is what I would take out for the evening if dancing or alcohol were involved - no more dancing round my handbag!  I wouldn’t have to worry about my valuables as I would be wearing them. The finished size is 6" across by 7".

This was very simple to make because the bag was made in one piece.  The only tricky part was topstitching along the second side of the zip.  It took a lot of concentration to make sure that I didn’t catch any other part of the lining as I sewed.  I love this bag so much that as soon as I have time, I'm going to make another in an everyday colour for daytime use.

I used ¼” seams throughout and my normal stitch length of 2.5 for seams and 3 for topstitching.

Skills used in this project:

• Working with faux leather
• Keeping it simple
• Using eyelets
• Using rivets

Step 1: Cutting out

From the faux leather, cut out:

6 ½” x 14 ½” Bag body (cut 1)

1 ½” x 2 ½” Zip tabs (cut 2)

2” x 48” strap (cut 1)

From the lining, cut out:

6 ½” x 14 ½” Bag body (cut 1)

From medium weight sew-in interfacing:

6 ½” x 14 ½” Bag body (cut 1)

Trimmings

2 rivets (I used 6 x 5 mm - about ¼" nickel rivets)

2 eyelets (I used a 14mm kit - about ⅝")

5” zip (I used an N5 zip cut to size but it was really a bit bulky for this small bag – N3 would be better)

½” x 15" binding or ribbon (this does not need to be cut on the bias)

Step 2: Inserting the zip

 Make the zip tabs by folding the tab fabric in half (narrow end to narrow end) and turning under the raw edges at the ends by ¼”.  Place a tab at each end of the zip, overlapping it by ½” and top stitch across making sure that both top and bottom of the tab are sewn.  The will make the zip really secure.  Do not pin the faux leather as this will leave visible marks – it is better to use clips to hold the fabric in place while sewing.  I use Clover Wonder Clips but any clip would do, even a hair clip.

  

Clip the interfacing to the wrong side of the faux leather bag body.  Clip one short end of the bag body/interfacing to the zip, right side of zip to right side of faux leather.  Place the lining on the other side of the zip and sew the zip in place along one edge. Top stitch along the right side of the fabric, through all layers to create a crisp edge along the side of the zip.

Sew the other end of the bag body to the zip in the same way, making sure that the fabric is not twisted. Top stitch along the edge of the zip making sure not to sew over any other part of the bag while doing so.

Step 3: Creating the bag

 

With right sides facing inwards, fold the bag so that the top edge of the zip is approximately 1½” from the top.  Make sure that the zip is partly open so that the bag can be turned through.  Sew along both side seams.  Sew binding or ribbon over the side seams to neaten. As these are straight seams rather than curved, it does not need to be bias binding – any strip of co-ordinating fabric or ribbon will do.  I used ribbon-type bias binding as I already had some in my stash that co-ordinated with the lining. Turn bag so that right side is facing out.

Step 4: Making the eyelets

Large eyelets need to be created in both corners at the top of the bag for attaching the strap.  Follow the instructions on the eyelet packaging.  I used a kit which contained a cutting tool to cut holes the right size for the eyelets.  This easily cut through all the layers of the bag, but as there were several layers, I had to do a fair bit of hammering. I then put the eyelet in the tool which came with the kit and hammered it until it was secure.

Step 5: Making the strap

 

Fold the faux leather strap fabric in half lengthways and then fold each side inwards so that it looks like bias binding. Sew along the long open edge so that the raw edges are hidden inside the strap. 

Pass one end of the strap through one of the eyelets, fold the raw edge at the end over and secure it with a rivet about 2” above the eyelet.  If you do not want to use rivets, sew the end of the strap securely in place.

I bought a rivet kit which contained a round anvil, cylindrical setter tool and rivets. Rivets come in various shapes and sizes. . I used double sided rivets but that isn't essential. 

You need to choose a rivet with a shank which is about the same length as the thickness of all the layers of the fabric it will have to go through.  I choose the smallest I could get as this fabric was quite thin despite the number of layers it had to go through.   First of all, you need to decide where you want the rivet to be and make a hole using a fabric punch or awl.  Rivets are in 2 parts.  Poke the part with the long shank through the hole you have just made from the right side of the strap. The end of the shank needs to be long enough to pass all the way through but only just otherwise it won't fit tight. Fit the other part over the shank.  Place the 'good' end on the anvil and, using the setting tool over the other end, hammer the two parts of the rivet together.  It is recommended that you use a special hammer but I used a normal hammer and was happy with the results.

At the other end of the strap, insert a slider so that the strap length can be adjusted.  A slider isn’t essential, but without it, the strap will not be adjustable so you will have to try it on and decide how long you want it to be. 

To attach the slider, make sure the strap isn't twisted and then attach the slider so that the bar across the middle is on the rear of the strap.  Pass the end of the strap through the eyelet, over the top of the bar and down so that the raw edge will be hidden between the two parts of the strap.  

Secure the end with a rivet which will only go through the back and turned under end of the strap (not through the front part) or by sewing. 

In this project I learnt:

• Faux leather is a description that can be applied to a wide variety of fabrics which vary enormously.  When buying online, it can be very hard to know what you will actually be getting. I originally planned to use wadding because the faux leather seemed quite thin, but it was too bulky and I swapped it for interfacing.  The faux leather had a woven backing and was quite thin and flexible, making it easy to sew.  The eyelet cutter easily cut through all the layers at the same time, but faux leathers vary enormously.  A thicker one would have to be cut in stages and wouldn’t really need an interfacing. The faux leather was easy to work with, the only problem being that I couldn’t use pins as these would have left permanent holes.  Instead I used my Clover wonder clips which always do a magnificent job.

• Using large eyelets through several layers of fabric requires practise. The trick with the eyelets was making sure that the eyelet hole was cut cleanly.  I practised on some scraps of fabric and didn’t use enough pressure. I tried again and the second cut wasn’t in exactly the same position.  I ended up with an oval shape and when I inserted the eyelet, part of the hole was visible at the edge.  I made sure that, when I made the bag, I didn’t make this mistake again.

• Rivets come in lots of different shapes and sizes. I tried to use a fabric hole punch to make holes for the rivets but I hadn’t realised that they don’t work on woven fabrics and this had a woven backing.  Instead, I used a fabric awl to pierce a hole through all the layers of the strap and then fitted the rivet and hammered it in place. I didn’t realise that rivets come in many sizes.  The most important thing is to choose rivets with a shank depth that matches the thickness of the fabric.  If they are too small, then they won’t lock into place and if they are too big, they will be loose and wobble around. 

• Keeping it simple and uncomplicated is worth the effort and I think I'm improving at this (and improving is the whole point of this year's challenge).  This was another attempt at making a simple bag.  I thought about putting in several zips and creating pockets on both sides, but it was more of a challenge to keep the clean lines and instructions to minimum.  I'm very happy with the way it turned out.  Now I'd like to make one is a less dramatic colour for everyday use.  

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.