...the Life and Times of Karolyn Lewis.

Friday, May 24, 2013

Slap Bag Crazy! A How To.

 Just a little pre-tutorial show and tell...





I've gone slap-bag crazy- and I'm in love with my newest bag.  It's the Nappy Bag by Amy Butler- with several modifications.  I adjusted the straps and made it reversible.  The picture above is my version of The Nappy.  The picture below is the bag made per instructions (pictured inside out).  



And after making these two bags, I can SOOO see why bags cost what they do.  Vera Bradley and Thirty One should probably raise their prices!!  These boogers take time... and more fabric than you'd think- roughly 3 yards.  

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I got "told" by Siri a few days ago...  What nerve!



So with Siri's rebuke in mind, I'll try to make this tutorial short and sweet!  


I was unimpressed by the tutorials I found online.  The only one I liked was in German and totally useless.  Step by step pictures would have made it easier, but, no, that's not how they do it in Germany.  I guess Germans have stellar reading comprehension skills and require no pictures.  Go Germany.  Use those rad skills and sew something sans pictures.  

I also found tutes using grommets and curtain hooks and even baby lotion bottles.  Aint nobody got time for all that.  I wanted something simple, quick and easy.  

Before Siri busts out with something else, I'll get on with the show...  

 How to Make an iPhone Charger Bag
Any phone will work in these, I'm sure



Materials:
Outer bag fabric:  4 3/4" x 12"
Inner bag fabric:  4 3/4" x 12"
Heavy Fusible Interfacing : SCANT 4 3/4" X 12" (just a smidge smaller than the other pieces) 
Strap: 2" x 9"
Strap interfacing: 1/2"  x 8"  (Heavy, Fusible)


DO NOT SKIP THE INTERFACING- or you'll get a wilted, little, good for nothing sack. 
Use a 1/4" seam allowance, unless noted otherwise.
ALWAYS backstitch at the start and end of the seam.  
Choose cute, quality fabric.  Life is too short...  

Here's what we have so far...



Using your iron, fuse the interfacing onto the wrong side of the outer body fabric.  Be careful to put the "glue" side of the interfacing on the wrong side of the fabric or you'll have a mess.  Trust me on this one... been there, done that.  


Fold the long sides of the strap over 1/4" and press.


Place the strap interfacing piece inside- close to the folded edge- and press.  Again, be careful of where the glue is facing.  



Fold the strap over where long edges touch, press and topstitch down each side.  I topstitched at about 1/8".




With right sides together, sew inner bag seams on each side with a 1/4" allowance.  Now you'll have a bag that is 4 1/4" x 6".  Press seams open.  Do the same with the outer bag fabric.  




With bags inside out, open up the lower seam to make a triangle.  Make a line 3/4" down from the point and sew on this line.  Trim with scissors to 1/4". You will do this to BOTH lower corners on BOTH bags.  


This is what you get... bags are upside down so you can see the corners.  


Nest the bags together as shown.  When nested, the right sides of both fabrics are touching.  



Place pins in the bag as shown.  At one side seam, leave an opening large enough for the strap to slide in.  At the other side seam, leave a larger hole to turn your bag right side out.  My large opening is on the left, the smaller is on the right.  The side seams are centered in these holes.  

I sewed from yellow pin to yellow pin and then from pink pin to pink pin.  For clarity, I marked the portion of the top to be sewn- it's much lower than where the actual seams will be.    

For ease of closing your "turning holes" sew around the top with a 3/8" seam. 

Because this bag is so small, you'll be sewing on top of the inner bag. Scroll down a picture or two and you'll see an example. 

Sew, turn your bag right side out, tuck the OPEN edges in and press.  You'll have this:




Tuck one side of the strap into the smaller side opening about 1/2" and place under the presser foot as shown.  Make sure to center the strap with the side seam of the bag.  See how we're sewing on the inside of the bag?  Make sure your bobbin thread is pretty, because it will be seen!!!  

Topstitch all the way around the the top of the bag with 1/8" seam making sure to tuck the other end of the strap in when you get to the other side seam.   




It may appear messy when it's time to tuck the strap in on the other side.  Just make sure you don't twist your strap.  



When you've tucked and sewn...




Whala!!  Since I'm using my iPhone to take the pictures, it's not in the bag, but you get the idea.  Now grab your scrap basket, make a little family of charger bags and give them away!!  These would be perfect graduation gifts... throw a $10 iTunes gift card in and you've got a great present.  


These little ladies are "end of the year" teacher treats for my kids' teachers. 



I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!  I tried to write it in such a way that even a non-sewer could tackle this project.  Feel free to share by linking back to this blog or Pinning!  Who doesn't like a good Pinterest shout out?!


Hugs,
Karolyn

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