I've become addicted to making zippered bags; make-up, pencil, electronics...whatever.
I recently made a set of three zippered bags to donate to an auction for a horse riding academy. I was actually looking for a heavy-duty yet sheer fabric like that which was used to make a 2-set bag I bought years ago from where I don't recall. JoAnn Fabrics did sell this black fabric. It's actually used for speakers, but when held up to light, you can sort of see what is inside the bag. It makes going through security at airports a little less invasive - if they pull your bag out of the scanner to have a better look; exactly what happened to me recently.
The smallest bag pictured is about the size of a pencil case.
Cut two pieces of fabric: 1 - 12 x 4
1 - 12 x 6
use a matching 9 inch zipper and thread
Cut 2 - 3x2 inch pieces of fabric that are complimentary or matching to the bag fabric
Place one 3x2 inch fabric, right side down, near the end of the zipper. Stitch in place about 1/8 from the zipper stop. Then top stitch in place. The end result will have a piece of fabric a bit longer than the zipper. By adding this piece, you have a safe seam allowance when sewing the side of the bag.
Do the same at the other end of the zipper.
Take the 12x4 piece of fabric to use as the top of the bag. If you plan to decorate it in any way, now would be the time to do it.
Place the zipper, right side down, along the top edge of the front of the bag. Match the end of the fabric to the edge of the bag. Using a zipper foot, stitch the zipper in place. To begin stitching, you can have the zipper open. When you get about mide way down the zipper, keep the needle down, and carefully lift the zipper foot to CLOSE the zipper. Lower the foot, and continue sewing to the end of the zipper.
Turn the zipper to the right side. Fold the fabric down, and top-stitch the zipper.
Take the back (12x6), right side up, and place the zipper, right side down, on the top edge. Match the fabric end to the edge of the fabric tab that you attached to the zipper. Stitch the zipper to the top. Since you are now starting at the opposite end of the zipper, you can stitch across the zipper and fabric till you get almost to the end. When you are near the end, leave the needle down, raise the foot, and carefully open the zipper past where you have just stitched. Continue stitching the zipper to the very end.
Open the zipper and back so that the zipper is right side up. Fold the back down along that seam you just made attaching the zipper, and top stitch the back down as you did for the front.
Since the back is deeper than the front, when you match the bottom edges of the front and back, the zipper will go across the front of the bag and not right across the top. It's easier to stitch the sides this way.
With the zipper open, stitch the sides and bottom, right sides together. (If you don't remember to open the zipper, you'll have quite a time trying to open the zipper so you can turn it right side out.
As you can see from the photo below, the extra piece of fabric, that is stitched to each end of the zipper, allows you to stitch the sides without getting too close to the zipper. Sweet!
The smallest bag pictured is about the size of a pencil case.
Cut two pieces of fabric: 1 - 12 x 4
1 - 12 x 6
use a matching 9 inch zipper and thread
Cut 2 - 3x2 inch pieces of fabric that are complimentary or matching to the bag fabric
Place one 3x2 inch fabric, right side down, near the end of the zipper. Stitch in place about 1/8 from the zipper stop. Then top stitch in place. The end result will have a piece of fabric a bit longer than the zipper. By adding this piece, you have a safe seam allowance when sewing the side of the bag.
Do the same at the other end of the zipper.
Take the 12x4 piece of fabric to use as the top of the bag. If you plan to decorate it in any way, now would be the time to do it.
Place the zipper, right side down, along the top edge of the front of the bag. Match the end of the fabric to the edge of the bag. Using a zipper foot, stitch the zipper in place. To begin stitching, you can have the zipper open. When you get about mide way down the zipper, keep the needle down, and carefully lift the zipper foot to CLOSE the zipper. Lower the foot, and continue sewing to the end of the zipper.
Turn the zipper to the right side. Fold the fabric down, and top-stitch the zipper.
Take the back (12x6), right side up, and place the zipper, right side down, on the top edge. Match the fabric end to the edge of the fabric tab that you attached to the zipper. Stitch the zipper to the top. Since you are now starting at the opposite end of the zipper, you can stitch across the zipper and fabric till you get almost to the end. When you are near the end, leave the needle down, raise the foot, and carefully open the zipper past where you have just stitched. Continue stitching the zipper to the very end.
Open the zipper and back so that the zipper is right side up. Fold the back down along that seam you just made attaching the zipper, and top stitch the back down as you did for the front.
Since the back is deeper than the front, when you match the bottom edges of the front and back, the zipper will go across the front of the bag and not right across the top. It's easier to stitch the sides this way.
With the zipper open, stitch the sides and bottom, right sides together. (If you don't remember to open the zipper, you'll have quite a time trying to open the zipper so you can turn it right side out.
As you can see from the photo below, the extra piece of fabric, that is stitched to each end of the zipper, allows you to stitch the sides without getting too close to the zipper. Sweet!
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