Back again! To recap last week’s post … I wanted to make myself a 100% recycled denim bag, using denim strips like those bags I saw on Pinterest. Last week I cut up my denim jeans, pieced and sewed the strips together and fused on the interfacing for my outer bag walls. I sewed the pockets and the zipper pocket on my bag lining. I sewed the bag strap. I did my topstitching – I love topstitching and Amber, my Singer 421G was a work horse!
This week, I continued on. I prepped the opening zipper, cutting it to the right length and topstitching the zipper tabs on the ends. I switched from the brown zipper to this blue one as it fit around my iPad just right.
I sandwiched my zipper between my outer bag wall and my bag lining and sewed the layers together.
One side done. I have to topstitch (I used regular thread) along the zipper seam to keep the bag layers out of the way of the zipper.
Now for the other side. This time I have to layer and sew everything together: outer bag wall (with no zipper) right side up, outer bag wall/bag lining with zipper right side down, and lastly bag lining (with no zipper) right side down. Sorry I don’t have a photo – it’s quite the sandwich! I find it you ever have difficulty trying to decide how something gets sewn together, pin all the layers together and make the bag up using pins and the proper seam allowances, you will see right away if you have your layers right or does one layer have to be flipped over.
After sewing the other zipper seam, I topstitched with regular thread along the other side of the zipper seam to keep the bag layers out of the way of the zipper.
I sewed the ends of the bag strap on to my outer bag wall, along the top edge by each zipper end. Bag sides were sewn on to the outer bag walls (sandwich the bag strap ends inside). Bag sides were sewn on to the bag lining too. By now everything is getting a bit cumbersome, as the only thing holding the outer bag and the bag lining together is the zipper seams.
Now my outer bag was completely sewn together and my inner bag lining had an opening in the bottom. Remember to leave the zipper unzipped.
Turn the bag through the opening in the bottom of the bag lining.
Sew up the opening at the bottom of the bag lining and you are FINISHED!
And … my iPad fits through the top zipper opening – as hoped!
A peek inside at the zipper pocket.
The pockets on the other side.
Sorry I don’t have a pattern for this bag, but I hope I have inspired you to try making your own. It was a really fun project and I already have thoughts running through my head for another recycled denim bag.
What about you – what’s the next sewing project running through your head right now?
Happy Sewing!
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