PICTORIAL FOR PROJECT BAG

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and 2018 is starting out well.  This is a family photo taken on the 23rd of December.  The family owned coffee shop we frequent had Santa in for pictures with everyone as a charity fund raiser.  Yes, I know Santa is not in this photo (we did get one) but we took advantage of the setting before he arrived for a family photo.  He left the sleigh and reindeer at home and zoomed in on his motorcycle.  

I let my blog go by the wayside last year.  Lots of things happening and then I think how am I going to fit months and months of what has been happening into a first post.  Well, I finally decided I didn't have to play catch up.  I decided it was okay to take up like old friends and just go on from today.  Here and there I will add highlights from the past year.

As promised in my video tutorial on the project bag, I am going to do a pictorial with more detail.  Either I don't know enough about video to get it to load or I need to find a different online format that will allow uploading a 20 minute video tutorial.  I suppose Youtube might be an option but I have not used Youtube to do anything but watch Flosstube.

Lor's Project Bag

SUPPLY LIST FOR LOR'S PROJECT BAG

1 18" zipper

Cut 1 16" x 16" piece of fabric (inside back visible through vinyl)

Cut 2 4 1/2" x 16" strips (used at the top with zipper)

Cut 2 5 1/2" x 16" (used at the bottom and will be gusseted)

Cut 1 8 1/2" x 16" fabric complimentary to strips (outside back)

Cut 1 8 1/2" x 16" vinyl (front)  I went to the fabric store and took the time to read what each type of vinyl's recommended use.  I used a medium weight vinyl.  

Cut 2 2 1/2" x 3" fabric (will become zipper tabs)

Cut 1 15 1/2" x 15 1/2" fusible fleece

Cut 2 4 1/2" x 16" iron on craft pellon

Cut 2 5 1/2" x 16" iron on craft pellon

Cut 1 8 1/2" x 16" iron on craft pellon

Again on the craft pellon I chose a medium weight.  Enough to give the bag some form but not too stiff.

1.  Cut out all of the fabric, vinyl, iron on fleece and pellon.

2.   Iron the fleece to the 16"x16" fabric.

3.  Iron the pellon to the 4 1/2" x16", the 5 1/2" x 16" and 8 1/2" x 16" pieces of fabric.

Next take the 2 1/2" x 3" pieces and iron them.  Iron the piece in half.  Iron each side to the middle.    Fold in half and iron.  These are the tabs for the zipper.

Next I lay the 8 1/2" x 16" piece wrong sides together in the middle of the 16" x 16" piece of fabric.  Next you place the 4 1/2" piece (top) rights sides together on the

 8 1/2" x 16" piece of fabric.  Sew from edge to edge.  This will quilt the piece all the way through.  You will then press this piece and top stitch along the seam you just sewed.  I place the left edge of my presser foot along that seam so you are sewing about an 1/8 of an inch from it.   Next you will do the same with the 5 1/2" piece (bottom).

After sewing these pieces together I do take to my cutting board and square up the sides.  I use my sewn seams as my straight line to even out the edges.

Your next step is to sew the 4 1/2" x 16" strips to the 8 1/2" by 16" vinyl piece just as you did before including pressing (being careful not to touch the iron to the vinyl) and top stitching.

Now it is time to sew the tabs the zipper.  Cut the end of the zipper off that has the staple.  Place the end in your tab piece and sew back and forth across 3 times to secure.  Cut the excess fabric off to the zipper's edge. 

Next lay the zipper down on your top edge of fabric and measure in 1/2".  Making sure the zipper pull is on the correct side of where you are going to cut - cut the excess off.  You will then place into the other tab you have ready and sew it 3 times as well.

Now it is time to attach the zipper.  Lay the zipper face down on the right side of your fabric making sure it is on the 4 1/2" strip.  I used the clips to hold everything in place as you do not want to put pins through the vinyl.  You will sew close to the edge of the zipper and fabric making sure you catch all layers.  Once you sew press the seam and top stitch this piece as well.   Now it is time to attach zipper to the vinyl piece again making sure you place face down on the right side on the 4 1/2" strip.  You will again press and top stitch.

Now making sure the zipper is open sew the remaining 3 sides closed.

 To make the gusseted bottom you fold the corner seams together (5 1/2" strip end) until you feel them match up.  Once you have them matched - measure up 1 1/2" and sew all the way across making sure to backstitch at the beginning and end.  Once sewn you clip the excess fabric to the right of the seam (toward the corner).  Do the same to the second corner.

At this point all you have left to do is turn the back right side out.  I use my point turner on the corners by my zipper to get them out to a nice point.

I look forward to seeing some of the project bags you all making using my design.

Have a great day!