Featuring: Studio E Fabrics Bones by Melissa Wang

Pattern Design by: Sally Gauntlett

Sewn by: Sally Gauntlett

Skills Learned: Home sewing

Skill Level: Confident Beginner

Finished Sizes:

• Project bag: 12” wide x 9 ½” high x 4 ½” deep (30.3cm x 24cm x 11.5 cm)
• Notions pouch: 4 ½” x 4 ½” (11cm x 11cm)

Alongside my sewing, I love to have a knitting or a crochet project on the go, and I’ve found it useful to keep each of my different projects in its own project bag complete with a notions pouch to keep all of the necessities in hand, such as my little scissors, stitch markers, tape measure, etc.

These project bags make it really easy to just grab my project and go. So, if I’m ever away or even caught in the car waiting for a school pick-up, I have everything I need on hand to sneak in a bit of knitting or crochet time.

Today, I’m going to be teaching you how to sew up this zipper project bag complete with its very own cute, coordinating little notions pouch. I really hope you’ll enjoy sewing up today’s project with me!

Fabric Requirements:

For the zipper project bag

Two 44 x 20” (112cm x 51 cm) cuts of fabric. You will be left with some remnants that you can use at a later date. I used:

• Black Bones Collection Cobwebs and Moths – SKU E-BONESCOLLE E-7115-99
• Dusty Rose Bones Collection Tossed Flower – SKU E-BONESCOLLE E-7119-21

(Optional) Fusible fleece or heavy-weight interfacing measuring at least 26” x 26”

One coordinating 12” zipper

TIP: Using fusible fleece will give your project bag extra loft making it feel squishier and more stable. Using heavy-weight interfacing will give your bag more structure and help it to stand upright on its own. You can make the project bag without these extras, but it will be floppier and less stable.

For the notions pouch:

Two 44”x 20” (112cm x 51cm) cuts of fabric. I used:

• Light Dusty Blue Bones Collection Cobwebs and Moths – SKU E-BONESCOLLE E-7115-11
• Black Bones Collection Tossed Flower – SKU E-BONESCOLLE E-7119-99

One popper or press stud to fasten.

**(Optional) Lightweight fusible interfacing measuring at least 12” x 11” (30.48cm x 27.94cm).

Equipment needed:

• Pattern pieces (included as separate downloads)
• Cutting mat (optional)
• Rotary cutter (pins and scissors can be used here instead)
• Acrylic Ruler
• Pins
• Scissors
• Thread
• Sewing machine
• Sewing machine zipper foot
• (Optional) popper inserting tool.

How to use your PDF patterns

Both pattern templates for this project are available to download as PDF files. These should be printed on A4 or US letter size paper at 100% scale. A test square is provided within the template for you to check that the pattern has been printed at the correct scale.

Download  Project Bag Template (A)

Download Notions Pouch Template (B)

Note: Please ensure your printer is not set to ‘scale to fit’ or your pattern will not print out at the correct size.

Zipper Project Bag Instructions:

Cutting:

Using pattern template A, we need to cut the following pieces: (Each piece is cut on the fold of the fabric)

2 x main fabric (the fabric that will show from the outside of the bag)

2 x lining fabric (the fabric that will be inside the bag)

2 x either fusible fleece or heavy-weight interfacing (optional)

Let’s get sewing!

Step One: (Optional) If using fusible fleece or interfacing, fuse these pieces to the wrong side of your main fabric using a hot iron, making sure to follow manufacturer instructions.

Step Two: Take one of your main bag pieces with the fabric facing right side up, and place the zipper face down to the top edge of the fabric with the raw edge of the fabric and zipper tape edges meeting.

Step Three: Take one of your lining bag pieces and place the right side of the fabric facing down, on top of the zipper tape, and pin through all three layers. Your zipper tape will be sandwiched between both fabric pieces.

Make sure that all three raw edges are aligned and that your zip tape ends meet the ends of your bag pieces.

Step four: Attach the zipper foot to your sewing machine and set the machine to stitch a zipper. (Refer to your sewing machine instruction manual as needed.) Stitch through all layers of fabric and zipper tape, using your sewing machine’s zipper foot. This will allow you to get closer to the zipper teeth than a standard foot, but be sure not to sew so close that you sew over any of your zipper teeth.

TIP: If you don’t feel confident going straight in to sew, you can hand-baste the zipper in place first.

Step Five: Repeat steps 3 – 4, this time sewing your main and lining pieces to the zipper tape for the other side of the bag.

Once sewn, you should have something that looks like this. I think it looks a bit like a butterfly at this stage!

Step six: Carefully press both sides of the fabric flat and away from the zipper teeth.

Tip: Be sure not to catch the teeth with the iron as these can melt! Consider using a pressing cloth if needed.

Step seven: Topstitch along the edges of the fabric, close to the zipper tape, on both sides. This will help stop the fabric from rolling over the zip teeth when opening and closing the bag.

Once sewn, open your zipper and check nothing is getting caught.

Step eight: Lay the bag flat and place each piece right sides together, main fabric with main and lining with lining. Make sure your zipper is at least halfway open at this point. This will help us out later!

Step nine: Pin together the side and bottom edges of the bag, leaving a gap of around 3” in the bottom edge of the lining for turning. Only your corner pieces should be left unpinned at this point.

TIP: Make sure that the ends of your zipper tape are meeting neatly when you come to pin them into the side seams.

Step ten: You can switch back to your regular sewing machine foot for this part. Sew each side and bottom edge with a 3/8” (1cm) seam allowance, being sure to remember to leave that gap in the lining. Trim the seams by half.

TIP: Sew carefully over the parts where your zipper ends meet as these can get a bit thick. We don’t want any broken sewing machine needles if possible!

TIP: Be sure to back tack at the beginning and end of your stitches at the gap in the lining, to strengthen for turning through next.

Step eleven: Now we need to create the shape that will allow our bag to stand on its own. To do this, we need to open out the squared corners that haven’t yet been sewn and press them flat, right sides together. Finger press seams in opposite directions to reduce bulk at the joint.

Step twelve: Pin and sew at a 3/8” (1cm) seam allowance from corner to corner in a straight line rather than following the curve.

Trim the seams by half.

Step thirteen: Reach in through the hole in the lining and pull everything out to the right side. (This is where making sure the zipper is open is important or we wouldn’t be able to get our hand through.) Roll the seams outward neatly and poke out the corners with a knitting needle or chopstick until everything looks nice and neat.

Step fourteen: Find the hole in the lining that we left for turning and fold the raw edges under by 3/8” (1cm). Sew the hole closed close to the edge of the fabric.

Tip: You can hand sew the hole closed if you would prefer a neater finish!

Step fifteen: Push the lining back into the main bag, edge to edge and corner to corner. Give everything a little press with the iron if necessary.

And that’s it, your zipper project bag is done!!

Notions Pouch Instructions

Using pattern template B, we need to cut the following pieces:

1 x main (outer) fabric

1 x lining (inner) fabric

2 x lightweight Interfacing (optional)

Step one: (Optional) Fuse a piece of lightweight interfacing to the WRONG side of both your main and lining fabric pieces, following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Step two: Place your main and lining fabric pieces, right sides together, lining up edges and points. Pin all around the edge of the pouch shape, leaving a gap of around 2” in one of the long sides.

Step three: Sew around the edge of the pouch shape at 1/4” (0.75cm) making sure to stop and start at the beginning and end of the gap we left.  Trim the corners and the point close to the stitching.

TIP: Be sure to back tack at the beginning and end of your stitches to strengthen the gap for turning through.

Step four: Carefully pull everything out to the right side through the hole in the side of the pouch. Roll the seams flat and carefully poke out the corners with a knitting needle or chopstick.

Step five: Give everything a nice press flat with a hot iron.

Step six: Fold the bottom edge of your pouch with the wrong sides together, 4” from the bottom. Measure from bottom to top, making sure that your folded edge is straight.

TIP: You can make the ‘pouch’ area larger or smaller based on your own preference. Just make sure that you have enough room for the pointed top to fold over and secure everything inside.

Step seven: Topstitch all around the edge of the pouch securing the folded edges in place and catching in the hole we previously left open for turning.

Step eight: Mark the center of the point with a pin and then a fabric marker. This is where your popper or press stud top will go.

Step nine: Fold your pouch over to close and determine where the bottom of the popper or press stud will need to sit to close. Mark this point with a pin and then a fabric marker in the same way.

Step ten: Attach your popper following manufacturer instructions or hand sew your press stud in place.

And you’re done!

I really hope you enjoy both sewing, as well as, using this zipper project bag and cute little notions pouch. Once you get the hang of sewing these, you’ll be whipping them up in no time. They are a great beginner project and a fabulous way to use up fabric scraps!

The beauty of these two patterns is that you can quite easily make both the project bag and notions pouch larger or smaller just by resizing the pattern slightly. The options really are endless…!

Thanks so much for reading, if you give this tutorial a go, please do share a photo on Instagram and tag me @secret_life_of_a_seamstress so that I can see it.  Don’t forget to tag @sewityourself too.

Happy sewing!

Sally x

Fabric Details:

To view the complete Studio E Fabrics Bones by Melissa Wang click here.

To find a retailer near you click here.

Learn more about Sally here.

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