Introduction: Little Bags
Make a cute little bag for holding your camera, mp3 player, sunglasses or any other small item. They're super quick and easy to sew.
Step 1: Get Materials
You will need:
- outer fabric
Quilting squares are super cheap and are plenty big for this project.
- inner lining fabric
I like to use terry cloth, but I think that fleece would work nicely too.
- matching thread
- sewing machine (you could hand-sew this too)
- sewing pins
- thin ribbon
- safety pin
- thin paper such as tracing paper or wrapping paper
- ruler
- pencil
- anit-fray liquid (like Fray Check)
- outer fabric
Quilting squares are super cheap and are plenty big for this project.
- inner lining fabric
I like to use terry cloth, but I think that fleece would work nicely too.
- matching thread
- sewing machine (you could hand-sew this too)
- sewing pins
- thin ribbon
- safety pin
- thin paper such as tracing paper or wrapping paper
- ruler
- pencil
- anit-fray liquid (like Fray Check)
Step 2: Cut the Pieces
Decide on the dimensions of your bag. Then add 1/2 an inch to both the width and height for the 1/4 inch seams. Tip - account for the extra room the item inside the bag (such as a camera) occupies.
Next measure and draw out a rectangle unto the thin paper of the correct dimensions. Then cut out the rectangle. Take the fabric you plan to use for the outer part and fold it in half. Then pin the pattern on the fabric. Tip - pointing the pins outward holds the fabric taut.
Cut around the rectangle so you have 2 outer pieces.
The lining fabric I used, the green terrycloth, had a really nice edge on it. I decided that I wanted to keep that edge and use it on the top inner edge of the bag. I cut the inner lining pieces about 1/4 inch shorter so that I could use the edging instead of folding over the fabric for the top seam.
Repeat the pinning and cutting for the lining fabric. You should now have 2 outer and 2 inner fabric rectangles.
Next measure and draw out a rectangle unto the thin paper of the correct dimensions. Then cut out the rectangle. Take the fabric you plan to use for the outer part and fold it in half. Then pin the pattern on the fabric. Tip - pointing the pins outward holds the fabric taut.
Cut around the rectangle so you have 2 outer pieces.
The lining fabric I used, the green terrycloth, had a really nice edge on it. I decided that I wanted to keep that edge and use it on the top inner edge of the bag. I cut the inner lining pieces about 1/4 inch shorter so that I could use the edging instead of folding over the fabric for the top seam.
Repeat the pinning and cutting for the lining fabric. You should now have 2 outer and 2 inner fabric rectangles.
Step 3: Sew the Pieces
Line up the two outer pieces and pin them together with the patterned sides facing each other. Start sewing in one corner along one of the long edges, 1/4 inch away from both sides. The edge of the presser foot is generally 1/4 from the needle. Sew along one side, turn and sew along the next side. Turn and sew up the final 3rd side, but stop about 1/2 an inch from the end. This is to leave room for threading the ribbon along the top of the bag.
Now you should have sewn around 3 edges: the left and right sides and the bottom.
Next you will need to sew the inner pieces together. Line them up and pin them with the nice sides together (just like the outer pieces). Sew along the sides and bottom. If your lining pieces are shorter, you can sew them all the way to the top. If the lining pieces have room for a seam, sew both sides up to 1/4 inch from the top edge.
Now you should have sewn around 3 edges: the left and right sides and the bottom.
Next you will need to sew the inner pieces together. Line them up and pin them with the nice sides together (just like the outer pieces). Sew along the sides and bottom. If your lining pieces are shorter, you can sew them all the way to the top. If the lining pieces have room for a seam, sew both sides up to 1/4 inch from the top edge.
Step 4: Iron the Seams
You will need to iron back the seams to sew the inner lining to the outer fabric.
First trim off the extra fabric on each of the bottom corners of the bags. This helps reduce the amount of extra fabric, which results in sharper corners. See photo.
For the outer bag, fold the edges of the top piece of fabric inwards and iron. Fold the top side of the bag over and around and iron in place. The side seams should remain ironed flat-felled inside the fold. Sew the hem all the way around the top of the bag.
Repeat the trimming, folding, ironing and hemming for the inner bag.
First trim off the extra fabric on each of the bottom corners of the bags. This helps reduce the amount of extra fabric, which results in sharper corners. See photo.
For the outer bag, fold the edges of the top piece of fabric inwards and iron. Fold the top side of the bag over and around and iron in place. The side seams should remain ironed flat-felled inside the fold. Sew the hem all the way around the top of the bag.
Repeat the trimming, folding, ironing and hemming for the inner bag.
Step 5: Sew the Inner and Outer Parts Together
Place the two parts together with the folded sides facing inwards. Pin in place. Sew along the sides and bottom about 1/8 inch away from the edge.
Now the two parts should be sewn together along the sides and bottom. Turn the outer fabric part over the inner one, so the back is right-side out.
It should look like a bag now, but without the top pieces connected. I wish I had taken better pictures of this step because it is very difficult to explain.
Now the two parts should be sewn together along the sides and bottom. Turn the outer fabric part over the inner one, so the back is right-side out.
It should look like a bag now, but without the top pieces connected. I wish I had taken better pictures of this step because it is very difficult to explain.
Step 6: Sew the Top of the Bag
Sew the outer part to the inner lining around the top side, very close to the edge. Then sew around the top side again, about 1/4 inch away from the edge and below the ribbon hole. Check to make sure that your top edge looks okay and that you can thread a ribbon through the top part nicely.
Step 7: Add the Ribbon
Cut a piece of ribbon that is plenty long to go around the top of the bag with plenty left to use for tying off the drawstring. Attach one end of the ribbon to your safety pin. This makes it MUCH easier to thread it through. Thread the ribbon through the top of the back using the safety pin to guide the ribbon.
Tie the ribbon together about 2-3 inches from the bag. This should leave enough room to tie off the bag when stuff is in it. Trim the ribbon and put a little anti-fray liquid along the ribbon ends to keep them from unraveling.
Tie the ribbon together about 2-3 inches from the bag. This should leave enough room to tie off the bag when stuff is in it. Trim the ribbon and put a little anti-fray liquid along the ribbon ends to keep them from unraveling.
Step 8: Use Your Little Bag
You're all done! Now what will you use that little bag for? The one in this instructable is for my freakin' huge eye protection, but in Berkeley people want me to make these bags for far less noble purposes.
Now make many more of these little bags!
Now make many more of these little bags!