Bags, Wallets, and Zips

Boy’s Drawstring Backpack from Khaki Pants Tutorial

If you’re stopping over from MADE, thanks for visiting and be sure to take a look around at my other stuff.  Let’s hear it for the boys!

Have a few old pairs of khaki pants laying around?  Maybe even some with a few stains on them?  Here’s your chance to turn your husband’s old khaki pants into a super cool drawstring backpack for your little guy.

You’ll need:
one pair khaki pants (actually enough fabric for the exterior of 2 backpacks)
1/2 yard for lining fabric
scraps for front zipper pocket
1/8″ cotton cording (approx. 3 yards), I found mine at Home Depot – 45′ for under $3, but you can also get cording at your local fabric store.
one 8″ zipper
thread!

Cut your pieces:
First, cut your pieces from the khaki pants.  Cut across the crotch section (like you’re making short shorts).  Then cut up the inseam of each leg of your pants.  Open up the fabric.  Cut two pieces 13″ wide by 16″ tall.
I chose to include the side seam towards the lower half of the fabric, but you can place it wherever works for your particular pair of pants.

From your lining fabric, cut 2 pieces 13″ wide by 16″ tall.  For the zipper portion of the bag cut two pieces 3″ tall by 13″ wide, two pieces 4.5″ tall by 13″ wide, and four pieces 2″ tall by 4″ wide.

Then cut two tabs that will attach the cording to the backpack 2″ tall by 4″ wide.  Fold them in half lengthwise right sides together and sew {1/4″ seam allowance}. Turn right side out and press.  Set aside.

Sew the zipper pocket: (you can omit the zipper and just make this portion a simple patchwork if don’t want a zippered pocket or if you really don’t like sewing with zippers, but come on, give it a try, it’s fun!)

Sandwich your zipper between two of the four small pieces, fabric right sides together.  Sew a 1/2″ seam being sure not to hit the little metal parts on your zipper.  Flip the pieces wrong sides together and iron.

Topstitch with about an 1/8″ seam and then again with another line of topstitching about a 1/4″ from the first line.  Add the same pieces sewn the same way to the other side of the zipper.

Now take the 3″ tall pieces and sandwich them around the top long edge of the zipper right sides facing together.  Sew using a zipper foot using a 1/4″ seam allowance.  Flip wrong sides together and press.  Next take the two 4.5″ tall pieces and sew them to the bottom long edge of the zipper.

Flip wrong sides together and press.  Switch back to your regular sewing foot and topstich on both the top and bottom long edges of the zipper using about an 1/8″ seam allowance.

Take the top of your assembled pocket piece and press it down about a 1/2 inch.  Open up the flap you just pressed (and making sure the bottom of the assembled pocket piece aligns with the bottom of the exterior piece) and sew the pieces together, sewing along that ironed crease.

Fold the pocket piece down and topstitch along the top edge.  Baste your pocket piece to the exterior of the bag about a 1/4″ from the edge on the two sides and bottom.  {Now is a great time to add some detail to the top of your bag such as a freezer paper stencil, applique or even a patch.}

Take the two tabs you made earlier and place them about 1.5″ from the bottoms of the bag on either side with the raw edges lining up with the raw edges of the exterior of the bag.  Baste.

Then, make two marks on either side of the top of the wrong side of the exterior of the bag.  The first mark is 1/2″ from the top and the second mark 3/4″ from the first mark.  You will be leaving a gap in between these two marks — this will be part of the casing for the drawstrings.

Place your two exterior pieces right sides together.  Sew together using a 1/2″ seam allowance, leaving the space between your two markings open.

Next, place the lining pieces right sides together and sew using a 1/2″ seam allowance leaving a 4-5″ opening in the bottom for turning.

Flip the lining piece right side out and place inside the exterior of the bag (right sides facing together).  Sew around the top edge of the bag using a 1/2″ seam allowance.

Turn bag right side out through the opening in the lining.  Sew the opening shut using a small seam allowance.  Press the top edge of the bag.

Sew around the top of the bag using about a 5/8″ seam allowance (this is making the casing for the drawstrings).

Cut your cording in half, each piece being approximately a yard and a half long (this length can be adjusted depending on how big your child is and if they’ll be wearing winter coats under the backpacks).  Using a safety pin, thread each cord through the openings left in the seams of the exteior.  Thread through one side and pull cording out through the same opening.  Do the same for the other side.  Tie the cords together through the tabs you made at the bottom of the bag.  You’re done!

There a lots of options for this bag.  Add a freezer paper stencil, an applique, or a patch to the bag to make it even more personalized.  You can also use ribbon or cotton webbing in place of the fabric tabs at the bottom of the bag.  Take this and make it your own!

Bags, Wallets, and Zips

Tutorial: Messenger Bag from Cargo Pants

Want to make one of these?
From a pair of these?
Here’s the tutorial!
Materials:
1 pair cargo pants (from the going to Goodwill pile of course)
1/2 yard lining material
bias tape (store bought or make your own)
thread
{1/4″ seam allowances throughout}
Getting started…
Take your pair of cargo pants and cut the inseam of each leg of the pants up to the crotch area.  Cut straight across the leg of the pants in either direction.  This should give you enough fabric to work with, you’ll have two large pieces to cut your exterior bag pieces from.
Cut the bag exterior pieces:
  • front flap (this is where the cargo pocket comes in handy – cool pockets you don’t have to sew!) 10″ wide x 13″ tall, round the corners by tracing the edge of a small bowl (or roll of tape in my case)

     

  • front and back of bag 10.5″wide by 11.5″ tall

     

  • side gusset (cut 2) 12″ x 2.5″

     

  • bottom gusset 11″ x 2.5″

     

  • strap 44-52″ long by 2.5″ wide (leaving this measurement up to you on the length, whatever you feel comfortable with)  I ended up piecing my strap together because I didn’t end up with a piece long enough.

     

Cut the same size pieces from the lining material.  I used a fat quarter to make the bias tape and part of the lining (gusset) on my tan cargo pant bag.
Make the strap by placing the long pieces right sides together, sew down each side.  Turn tube of fabric right side out with a safety pin.  Press.  Topstitch down both sides about an 1/8″ from each side.  Set strap aside.
Now make the front flap. Put the exterior flap piece and lining flap piece WRONG sides together. Take the bias tape and attach it along the sides and bottom of the flap. Set aside.
Assembling the lining: Take gusset pieces (2 sides and a bottom) and sew the short ends together.  Sew one side piece to the bottom piece and then the remaining side piece to the other side of the bottom piece.  Sorry, I guess a picture is worth 1,000 words here.
Lay your connected gusset pieces right sides together on top of the front of the bag piece, pin, sew.  The tricky part is the corners.  Stitch down the right side until you get about 1/4″ from the bottom of the bag, lift your presser foot and tuck the gusset fabric to the left side, then turn the fabric 90 degrees and continue stitching the bottom part of the bag.
Lay the back of the bag down and set the front/gusset piece on top, pin in place.  Stitch the gusset to the back of the bag just like you did to the front.
Make the exterior just like you did the lining of the bag.
Assembling the bag:  Turn the exterior of the bag right side out.  Place the exterior of the bag into the lining so that they are facing RIGHT sides together.  Place the strap with RIGHT sides facing the exterior {making sure not to get the strap twisted} onto each side of the gusset.  And finally, place the front flap RIGHT sides together with the exterior of the bag.  Pin all in place.
Stitch all around the opening leaving a 5-6″ opening for turning.  Pull bag through the opening.  Push lining into bag exterior, press around the top edge making sure to tuck in the raw edged from the opening.
Topstitch around the entire opening of the bag.  You’re done!  Now stick some books and your wallet in the bag and you’re ready to go!
Bags, Wallets, and Zips, tutorial

TUTORIAL: Zakka Inspired Pencil Pouch

Who loves zippers??!  I know you all do!  Time for another cute project.  There’s just enough time to whip up a couple and add them to your Christmas stockings…

Here’s what you’ll need:

linen scraps, 2 pieces cut to 3.5″ w x 4″ tall
main fabric 2 pieces approximately 7.5″ w x 4″ tall
lining fabric 2 pieces 10.5″ w x 4″ tall
scraps for applique car (or whatever design you want to come up with) and two buttons
an 11″ zipper or larger
scrap of fabric 3″ wide x 2″ tall and split key ring (if you plan on adding the key ring)

{1/4″ seam allowance throughout}

First, grab your scrap of fabric to make your key ring loop.  Fold it in half with right sides together and sew.  Turn right side out and press with seam in middle.  Set aside.

Take one piece of linen and add your applique.  I used fusible webbing and ironed it to my scrap pieces then cut them out with an exacto knife.  Iron the applique to the linen.  Sew around the edges of the applique with a small zig zag stitch.  Sew on buttons for the car’s wheels.

Then, take one main piece of fabric and the piece of linen with the applique on it and place them right sides together and sew.

Take your other main piece of fabric and remaining piece of linen and sew with right sides together.  Make sure if you’re using a print with an obvious direction (like I have here with the cars) to sew the linen on the other side than what you had sewn the piece with the applique on.  {See above picture.}

Press seams to one side for both exterior pieces.

Now onto the fun part!  Take your piece of exterior fabric and place it on your work surface right side up.  Lay down your zipper along the top edge with the zipper facing down and pull tab at the LEFT.  Then place a piece of lining fabric right side down on top of the zipper.  Sew using a zipper foot.  Flip so wrong sides are facing each other.

Next put down the remaining exterior piece right side up, take your zipper and place it along the top edge with the zipper teeth facing down and the pull tab to the RIGHT.  Place the remaining lining piece right side down on top of the zipper.  Sew using a zipper foot.  Flip so wrong sides are together and press.  You should now having something that looks like this:

Now’s a good time to open up your zipper about half way.  Tuck in your key ring tab on the left hand side between the exterior fabrics with the raw edges facing out and pin.

Now you’re going to sew along the entire perimeter except leave a 2-3″ opening in the lining fabric for turning.  Clip corners and trim ends off the zipper so that they’re almost flush with the edges of the pouch.  Pull right side out through the hole in the lining.

Sew the opening in the lining shut by hand or with a very small seam allowance.  Push the lining into the pouch and press!  That’s it!

Let me know if you have any questions, I’d love to see what you make.

 

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