Materials needed:
outer fabric (can be scraps, at least two 8"x6" pieces)
lining fabric (same size as outer)
craft felt
7" zipper
cardboard (I used an empty cereal box)
printable iron-on transfer sheets
iron-on letters
First of all, make a pattern. Find some random cardboard and cut out a 7.5"x5.5" rectangle. You can leave it as is, or you can trim down the two shorter sides by measuring in 1/2" at the top and drawing a line down to the bottom corner on each side. See the picture below. Then cut out 2 of the outer shell fabrics, 2 of the lining and 2 from the felt.
On your computer, find a picture you like. I took a picture of a mini Cooper, played with it for a while in photoshop express, and saved it. Then print it out on your iron-on transfer paper. Don't make it too detailed. Then cut it out and iron it on one of your outer fabric pieces.
Find your iron-on letters. Here's a trick - I have a hard time lining up the letters while the backing is on them, so I usually peel the letters off the sheet and then put them glue side down on the fabric, then put a piece of computer paper on them and iron them on for a few seconds (follow the directions on the package). 
Now your pieces should look like this:
Do NOT, under ANY circumstances, iron the transfer side again as it will RUIN IT. Now put your shell piece on top of the felt, with the right side OUT.
Sew them together, about 1/8" from the edge. Do this to both sides. 
Now, the zipper. But DON'T BE FRIGHTENED!!!!! Zippers are easier than you think! Put your zipper FACE DOWN on one of your outer pieces. See below.
Now, find your zipper foot. It will look something like the foot on the left. Do not try to sew the zipper on with the regular foot, it will make you throw things violently against the wall.
Hold up the zipper to the fabric so you know where to line it up. You will most likely have overhangs on each end so try to sew it on so that the actual teeth of the zipper are centered on the fabric. Line up the outer zipper edge (not the edge with the teeth) with the edge of your fabric and sew the zipper down one side. As you can see, unzip the zipper before sewing it on.
When you get about an inch or so from the end, stop with the needle IN the fabric. Lift the foot up and gently slide the zipper partly closed past the foot. 
Put the foot down and finish sewing down that side of the zipper. 
Now you will be sewing the other side of the zipper. Take the other side of the shell, and line it up with the side with the zipper already sewn on. Mark where you want to stop sewing on each end with a pin.
Then open up the zipper again and sew on the other side just like you did the first side. Unzip the zipper, and put the top together like the picture below. Make sure that the metal piece of the zipper will not be where you sew. You don't want to break the needle and blind yourself with a piece of flying metal. You should have the zipper half open so that the zipper foot is in the middle of the zipper when you sew it. 
Sew the other three sides with a 1/4" seam.
In order to box the bottom corners, flatten the seam together like in the picture below. You should be able to line it up using your fingers to match the seam together.
Then use your ruler and lay it across the corner like in the picture below. If you can see, it is one inch across. In order to make sure it is straight, I used the half inch mark to line up with the seam line. Then draw a line across there and sew across the end. Then do the same thing with the other corner. 
Now trim off the excess (there won't be much). Leave about 1/4".
Your pouch should look pretty good at this point, you just need to line it! Take your two lining pieces, put them right sides together, and sew around the sides and bottom with a 1/4" seam. Leave the top open!
Box the corners exactly the same way you did with the shell. Then fold down the top about 1/4" or a little bit more. Because I am using batik, you can't tell which is the right and wrong sides of the fabric, but I folded the wrong sides together. Then turn it right side out.
Push the bottom of the shell up into itself to give yourself a little more room
Put the lining on the outside of the pouch so that the wrong sides are together. Match up the end seams. I had a hard time pinning it, so I didn't pin it. If you were careful cutting it out and careful with your seam allowances, you should be able to match it up without pinning it. 
Take some thread and a needle and whipstitch the lining to the pouch. Put the edge of the lining at the edge of the stitching and take small stitches, but make sure to catch enough of the pouch that the lining is securely attached. 
It can get a bit tricky around the zipper pull end, but just take your time, you'll get it!! If you have a hard time, just knot the thread, then go back to the other end and start again and go up the other side.
Dude, you're done! Turn it right side out and admire your handiwork! I like to add some ribbon to the zipper pull as I think it makes them easier to open, but that's all!
Please remember - DO NOT iron the transfer side because it WILL ruin it! And if you have ANY questions, please email me - columbialilydesigns@yahoo.com
4 comments:
You are so great to post a tutorial! I love this project and will go down in history as one of your "best of", for sure. :)
I'm going to try this with my daughter. She has some iron transfers and loves to makes things. Plus, I have never sewn a zipper before and ought to try at least once.
This a fabulous tutorial C! You have gotten really good with writing them. May have to try this after I tackle the soap making on today's to-do- list.
I *SO* want to do this with a transfer of our cat for my husband's travel bag, lol. It wold totally crack him up. This is so going on my list! Thanks so much for the tutorial. I always love your directions, so many pictures and such clear instructions. I'll be linking.
Post a Comment