Lets make a
Materials:
1 1/4 yard fabric for outside (heavier fabrics like twill work best)
I used 1/2 yard of the printed and 1/2 yard of the bright pink
your own
Thread
Heat N Bond, heavy weight, just enough for the pocket
KEEP GOING, THERES MORE.....
Heavy duty needle (these usually say jeans on the package) and
regular needles
Zipper foot for your machine
Pattern Pieces
Print out your pattern pieces. Make sure your printer is set
for no automatic page scaling (or something similar).
When you print measure the mark on the left side of the
page to make sure it is 1.
one piece 28 x 2 1/2 for the straps (I make both my straps at one time
then I cut them in half-if you dont have enough continuous fabric you could use two pieces
of 14x 2 1/2)
Well put piping along the shortest edge (it will be the top of
the pocket). Put the piping in between the two layers of
fabric -the rough edges should all be together. Pin the three
layers together. Cut the piping so there is a little overhang
out each end-about 1.
Then well baste the piping into place. When youre doing
piping its easiest to use your zipper foot on your machine.
{Note-your three edges should line up-the front of the pocket,
the back of the pocket and the lining. I used leftover binding
for my piping which was too wide-I had to have some hanging
off the edge. See Pic Below}
Then set your machine back to its regular stitch length. Sew
over the line you just made but this time crowd the piping,
meaning sew as close to the lump in the piping as possible
without sewing over it.
I find it easier to press down on the fabric so I can see where
the edge of the piping is while Im sewing.
Then open it up and lay it wrong sides together. Iron it flat
making sure to activate the heat n bond.
Hooray!
When you get to a corner, clip the rough edge of the piping
into triangles like this:
When you get back to the beginning, cross the end over each
other.
Baste using that really long stitch and your zipper foot.
Now well attach the zipper top to the piece you just made.
Lay the short edge of the zipper piece (with the start of the
zipper, not the end) on one of the short ends of the sides.
Pin. Open the zipper a little so the tab doesnt get in the way
of sewing. Sew.
Open flat, press your seam away from the zipper. Topstitch
below the zipper.
Pin. See the blue dots above? You want to sew between
these two points. Its about an inch from each end-where the
curve starts. Keep in mind:
1. You dont need to get too close to the piping, youre just
going to stick it in its place right now. Well go back later
to make it pretty, I promise (: I sewed it about 1/4 inch
from the edge.
2. I didnt use a zipper foot because there is so much stuff
being sewn together it didnt really make a difference.
And I found that my regular foot helped keep it flat.
3. Be sure not to sew over your piping edge- its kind of hard
to feel under all that stuff.
Now we pin.
(I had to toss all the pins I used in this projects-they all bent)
If you take the time to pin it well, it will come out fine.
Start pinning from the bottom and then around up to the
side. I found it easiest to fold the fabric as I went.
Sew around the corner and up the side til you get to the
panel with the zipper in it. Again, you dont need to get too
close to the piping at this point.
Then do the other bottom corner the same way. This time
when you sew up the side stop before you reach the pocket.
(You should have about 1/2 of loose side fabric
After youve basted the bottom into place you need to sew it
in, this time crowding the piping. Go slow so you can feel the
piping with your fingers along the way.
When your done with this check the piping to see if there are
any more spots that need to be crowded.
Dont worry. No one will see the ugly inside of the backpackeven when were done. (Unless you decide to post it online
where anyone can find it) Just make sure that when you
look at the right side of the bag you like how its looking.
So now sew the top (the zipper portion) around the top of the
bag the same way. This should be much easier than the
bottom since theres no interfacing.
Make sure you leave the last inch (or so) free.
So were going to sew up that loose end and the bottom of the
zipper. First check out on the other side of the bag (at the
start of the zipper) how the pocket and the side lined up. See
how the side is a little above the pocket?
Push the safety pin inward and gently pull the ribbon to turn
the piece inside out.
Press flat.
Lay two pieces of batting over the fattest part of the strap
pad. Sew on around the edges, trim.
then holding on to the fabric (not the pin) pull the whole
thing right side out.
Clear as mud.
With a cool iron press. Dont press too much or youll melt
your batting.
Lay the strap pads out. Decide which end should be the top
and which should be the bottom. On the bottom mark 1 1/2
from edge:
At quarter inch intervals sew the long way from the top to
the bottom of the strap pad stopping at the mark you made.
Take one of the straps you made and push it into this bottom
end.
Now get the front half of your backpack and open your
zipper.
Well be sewing the back onto the sides of the backpack the
same way we sewed the front on.
Lay these two pieces along the zipper of the backpack. You
are measuring how far apart these need to be to allow the
zipper to work properly.
Pin to the liner side/bottom along one edge. Put the pieces at
the width you measured above. After its sewn you can trim
it down.
Trim zipper liner sides so that this piece is all one width.
Now well sew the side piece on to the larger pieces of the
liner. Starting at the top, pin zipper liner to one of the large
liner piece. Pin and sew.
Move around fabric pinning and sewing until you get to the
ends. Make sure you leave these free.
Well sew these together the same way we did with the
outside of the backpack. Line up the end edges of the liner
side and zipper liner and pin into place.
Sew.
Topstitch along the lower edge folding all the fabric on the
backside of the lining down.
So here we are.
Now were going to pin the other large pice of the liner in
place. I did the whole thing at once.
Line them up inside out with the bottoms facing each other.
You are going to pin and sew the long bottom edges togetherdo not sew into the bag, stay on the edge of your seams.
Now turn the outside of the bag right side out with the liner
inside. (turn it so it almost looks done)
Next you need to sew in the top of the liner.
Flip the zipper open to show the seam pointed out above.
Now youre going to take the end and thread id back through
the top of the buckle and out the middle.
emsays@rocketmail.com
Play Fair!
Make all you want for yourself and for friends.
Want to do a craft fair? Go for it!
Want to mass produce it? Please dont.
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ThatCraftyMrsV.blogspot.com
toodleloo!