Zippy Project Bags (Sleeves)
I recently watched a Lori Holt tutorial that peaked my interest. She has come out with a panel of pre-cut bag designs that you can sew together to make these cute padded project sleeves. I really liked the look of them and that the zipper wasn’t across the top so you have a nice accent fabric panel in the front. I really liked the look of them but didn’t necessarily want to buy the fabric panel. And then I thought, I have lots of Lori Holt fabric left from the bags I just made! So I watched the video and reverse engineered the sizes and cuts needed so that I could make them using my own fabric.
I wrote out all the directions and sizing and then cut the pieces out of paper to make sure they would work. I knew that I would want to use my #5 zippers so I had to take that extra zipper tape into account for the make-up of the front panel. I decided to make the back panel a little longer just in case, knowing that I will cut it down to size later. The pattern pieces that I mocked up worked perfectly! I also added in a wristlet strap so that the bag can be easily carried around. The bag came together faster than anything else I’ve made so far! I decided to try bias binding the interior raw edges because I still had the binding left over from my last bag in the same fabric. Unfortunately, the binding just adds more bulk to the seams and makes it harder to get a crisp edge. Since the raw edges are in the lining, they aren’t really visible but it would bother me to sell something with edges that were unraveling inside the bag. So I tried using my edge zig-zag stitch on my new Juki and that worked perfectly. It encased the raw edges so that the thread won’t fray off and get caught on items inside the bag.
There are two sizes. The small sleeve is just the right size for a cross-stitch, embroidery, or EPP project. I think it would even be good for a Kindle or Ipad but I could also change the size of the bag to fit those items if needed. The large size is good for a larger cross-stitch project, quilt blocks, or even scrapbooking pages! I really like the scrappy look of the bags and the fact that you could quilt the panels to add that extra country feel. This project is definitely going in my product line! I think this bag would work well with a bunch of different fabric designs and I like that I get to use that third fabric accent and the zipper as an accent. Sometimes I get bored with just having the two fabrics (exterior and lining). I always appreciate the beautiful feel of everything that Lori Holt does. All her stuff just makes me smile.
The Details:
Pattern: There isn’t a published pattern for this but you can watch the YouTube video to get specifics: https://youtu.be/NXoNWR2Yl6I
Interfacing: SF101 and Fusible Fleece (or you could use quilt batting)
Finished bag size: small - 9”w x 9.25”h, large - 13.5”w x 12”h
Fabrics:
All the fabrics I used are by Lori Holt
Small bag: Granny Chick Teal Curtains, Bee Basics Teal Gingham, and Granny Chic Pink Needlepoint
Large bag: My Happy Place Cream Quilt Blocks, Bee Basics Red Heart, and Farm Girl Vintage Green Houndstooth
If you would like to purchase the pre-cut fabric panel, it is available at Riley Blake or Fat Quarter Shop (looks like both are out of stock right now)
