Laptop Bag Tutorial http://laundryontheline.wordpress.com Copyright 2009 Dreams in Seams For home use only. Not to be published, reproduced, used or sold commercially without express permission of Dreams in Seams (dreamsinseams@yahoo.com). Materials Needed: (This bag was designed to fit a laptop 14 x 10.5 x 1.5, if your laptop is bigger, you will have to adjust the sizes and fabric amounts) ½ inch seam allowances are included Button, thread, 2 inch length of Velcro Main Fabric ¾ yard Contrast Fabric for handle, sides and bottom (I used decoratorweight for strength and the wider width) ½ yard Lining (I used fleece) ½ yard (3/4 yard for regular-width fabric) Fusible Fleece ½ yard ¼ inch elastic 3.5 inch piece
Cut the following pieces: Main Fabric: (if using a stripe, plaid or geometric fabric you should read ahead to find out where you are going to want your fabric pieces to line up before cutting). 2 pieces 16.5 x 12.5 1 piece 16.5 x 11 2 pieces 16.5 x 7.5 Contrast Fabric: 1 piece 3 x 39.5 2 pieces 45 x 3 2 pieces 6.5 x 2.5 Lining: 1 piece 16.5 x 10.5 2 pieces 18.5 x 13.5 Fusible Fleece: 2 pieces 16.5 x 12 1 piece 3 x 38.5 1 piece 2 x 45 1 piece 2 x 5 If you make it through all that cutting congratulations! You are now ready to sew! 1. Get your iron out and fuse some fleece! Attach fusible fleece to the following pieces: Main Fabric 16.5 x 12.5 pieces, there will be a ½ inch strip of un-fleeced fabric at the top of each piece these will be the sides of your bag. Contrast Fabric 3 x 39.5 piece, once again there will be a ½ inch strip of un-lined fabric on each end this will be the sides and bottom of your bag
Contrast Fabric 3 x 45 piece place the fusible fleece so there is ½ inch of un-lined fabric on either side (these will be your seam allowances and reduce bulk in the finished product) this will be one side of the handle of your bag, add the 2 x 5 piece on top of the other fleece in the center or fuse it to the center of the other 3 x 45 piece this will provide extra padding at the shoulder when carrying the bag. 2. Make the pocket. Take the 16.5 x 11 piece of main fabric and the 16.5 x 10.5 piece of lining and pin them together. Fold over the top of the main fabric towards the lining, and then again over the lining to create the top of the pocket.
Stitch into place. Place pocket on top of one of the lined bag sides and baste into place. (Make sure the unlined ½ inch of fabric on your main piece is at the top!) 3. Create the bag flap. Sew remaining pieces of contrast fabric to remaining pieces of main fabric to create the contrast detail on the flap. Fold elastic into a loop and pin onto the middle of the contrast fabric, with the ends at the edge of the fabric and the loop facing in.
Place pieces right-sides together and stitch along three sides, leaving the long mainfabric edge unstitched. Backstitch over the elastic for extra strength. Turn and press. It should look like this: Are you still with me? It s going to start looking more like a bag soon, I promise! 4. Create the main bag pocket. With right, sides together, pin the edge of the 3 x 39.5 contrast fabric piece to the sides and bottom of the main fabric with the pocket. To make the corners, snip the contrast fabric ½ inch away from the edg e with a scant ½ inch long snip. (See photo) Sew together, pivot at the corners being careful to stay on the contrast fabric. Repeat with the other side of the bag make sure you pin them right-sides together! Turn right-side out. You now have the main pocket of your bag!
Add Velcro to the pocket by pinning one side to the inside of the pocket, and one side to the main bag fabric and stitch in place. 5. Sew the Lining Place the two remaining lining pieces right-sides together and sew along 3 edges, leaving one long-edge open. To create the same square-shape as the main bag, you will need to square the corners. To do this, grab the corner and squish it so that the bottom and side seams are lying against each other (see photo). Place your measuring tape so that the 1-inch mark is at the seam, and zero and 2 inches are along each side and draw a line. Repeat on the other side. Sew along the line you drew and then trim the corners. Voila! You have squared your corners!
6. Create the strap. (Keep going we re almost at the end!) Place the two strap pieces right-sides together and sew along the two long edges, against the fleece lining. Turn right-side out and press. (I like to keep a section unstitched in one of the long edges of the handle and turn it that way because I think it is easier, however, there are some talented sewers that have no problem turning tubes of fabric inside out I envy them!) Topstitch along both long edges. 7. Putting it all together this is the fun part! Turn your main bag pocket inside-out. Pin your bag flap to the right-side of the bag back, matching raw edges. Pin the handle ends to the right-side of the sides of your bag, letting the ends extend a ½ inch beyond the edge of the bag. (Make sure your handle isn t twisted the loop will lie neatly inside your inside-out bag.) Lay the right-side of your lining into the bag, matching raw edges, side seams with the center of the bag sides, and the centers of your lining with the centers of the bag. Pin, transferring pins at handle and flap through all layers of fabric. Mark a spot on the front of the bag where you will leave a 4 inch space un-stitched for turning.
Stitch the lining to the bag. Now the magic happens turn the bag right-side out through the hole you left un- stitched. Push the lining into the inside of the bag and pull out the strap and flap. You now have a laptop-bag! (Amazing, isn t it?) Now to finish it off! Top-stitch around the outside edge of the bag, close to the edge. Stitch another line of stitching ¼ - 3/8 inch below each side of the handle for strength. (I usually like to create a nice strong box with a cross through it for added durability but my machine had trouble getting through all the layers of fabric. If your machine can do it go for it!)
8. Do the dance of joy! Your bag is finished!