Cut Out + Keep

Insulated Bag

Insulated Bag Tutorial

https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/insulated-bag • Posted by Jill S.

After making Michelle's Insulated Bag, I decided to make some more smaller versions for my two daughters: I'm also trying to become more organised, and have decided to record the patterns and instructions of things I make. So here is the tutorial for these insulated bags, which use, of course, my current material of choice....old silver car windscreen shades!!!!

You will need

Project Budget
Cheap

Time

3 h 00

Difficulty

So-so
Medium bags finished hanging Medium 1 materials used

Description

After making Michelle's Insulated Bag, I decided to make some more smaller versions for my two daughters: I'm also trying to become more organised, and have decided to record the patterns and instructions of things I make. So here is the tutorial for these insulated bags, which use, of course, my current material of choice....old silver car windscreen shades!!!!

Instructions

  1. Small 2 letters printed

    I wanted to personalise the bags, so if you want to do this, print out initials (or whatever you like) on paper

  2. Small 3 trace the letters

    Then trace upside-down onto Vlisoflex (also known as Bondaweb in the UK - iron on sticky stuff for applique, if it's not called either of those where you are!)

  3. Small 4 iron on to wrong side of fabric

    Iron this onto the wrong side of the pretty fabric

  4. Small 5 letters cut out

    And cut out the letters / your design. This now has a peel off backing with the sticky stuff you can iron onto the fabric.

  5. Small 6 materials cut out

    So here are the cut out fabrics ready to start. You need: 1 piece silver car shade material 45cm x 26cm 1 piece fleece batting material, also 45cm x 26cm 2 pieces pretty fabric 15cm x 26cm 1 piece plain fabric (for base) 18cm x 26cm 2 pieces plain fabric (for flap) 18cm x 20cm 1 piece black fabric for top of bag 52cm x 14cm 1 piece cord 62cm long 1 piece stitch-in hook and loop velcro 6cm long 1 plastic toggle to secure cording Strap 75cm long Applique design ready to iron on OK, now we're ready to start sewing

  6. Small 7 applique and velcro on strap

    Place the applique and one side of the velcro on the right sides of your plain flap material. Then iron and stitch on securely.

  7. Small 7.5 stitching applique on

    Zig-zag around the edges of your applique to secure. Although the instructions of the iron on paper often say you don't need to stitch, I find that after time it does peel off if you don't stitch it!

  8. Small 8 pin flap right sides together and stitch

    Pin and stitch the 2 flap pieces right sides together, around 3 sides.

  9. Small 8.5 trim edges and corners of seams flap

    Trim the seams and corners

  10. Small 9 turn out and topstitch flap

    Turn out and top stitch close to edge. (I topstitch 1/8" from edge, and my seams are all 3/8" here) Next comes the black fabric used for the drawstring cover under the flap of the bag.

  11. Small 10 double turn black for drawstring

    Double turn the long edge over to make the casing for the cord. Pin securely.

  12. Small 11 turn end under to neaten

    Make sure you turn the final edges under when you pin, as these edges will be exposed when the bag is finished.

  13. Small 12 stitch drawstring casing

    Stitch casing closed - making sure it's wide enough for your cord to be threaded through it. Then fold the fabric lengthways, right sides together and pin up to cord casing.

  14. Small 13 fold black right sides together and pin

    Then stitch along the pin line - but only as far as the cord casing - that needs to be left open to get the cord in at the end! I also recommend stitching across the top of the seam juut under the casing for a little extra strength on that seam.

  15. Small 14 stitch across end to strengthen black part

    Now it's time for the main part of the bag:

  16. Small 15 join outer 3 segments together

    Lay your pretty fabric and plain base fabric out like so. (try not to notice how wonky my cutting is!!) Then pin right sides together and join

  17. Small 16 outer fabric pin right sides together

    Once you've joined all 3 pieces together, then baste along long edges to fleece batting.

  18. Small 16.5 pin and baste to fleece batting

    Lay your second piece of velcro centrally on the pretty fabric like this (7.5 cm from base fabric): and stitch.

  19. Small 16.75 stitch on velcro to main bag part

    Now you have your inner and outer fabric ready.

  20. Small 17 outer and inner pieces ready

    Fold both pieces over, right sides together

  21. Small 18 fold right sides together and pin

    And stitch along edges to form two separate pockets

  22. Small 19 stitch making sure it 27s outside batting tacking

    Next you need to box out the corners to make the base of the bag flat. Put your hand inside the pocket up to the corner and flatten it like so:

  23. Small 20 box out corners

    Try to get the seam as central as possible in your little triangle. You may like to draw a line with a ruler on the fabric where you're going to stitch. Here are the measurements I used:

  24. Small 21 measurements for boxing corners

    Stitch along this 7cm ruler line. I go over my line of stitching 3 times for extra strength in the bag.

  25. Small 22 cut off corners

    Then cut the corner off.

  26. Small 23 repeat with silver part

    Repeat with the silver pocket

  27. Small 24 now have inside and outside of bag ready

    Your inner and outer bag are almost ready to be joined together!!

  28. Small 25 push black inside silver like this

    First though, the black drawstring part needs to be joined to the silver part. Push it inside this way:

  29. Small 26 pin black to silver

    And pin the raw edges together all around, then stitch together. Once you're done, pull the black part to the outside of the silver and fold the top at the seam. This will make it easier when you join the inner and outer bag together later.

  30. Small 28 pin flap to back of bag

    Now you need to pin the flap to the back of the outer bag, right sides together.

  31. Small 29 pin straps to outer bag

    And then pin the straps to the sides. Stitch the flap and straps securely in place. Now you're ready for the final join!

  32. Small 30 put inner inside outer

    Push the silver inner part inside the pretty outer part.

  33. Small 31 fold and pin top lifting flap up

    Now comes what I found to be the trickiest part of all! Folding the raw edges down inside the bag to get a neat top edge. Then pin securely.

  34. Small 32 fold and pin top lifting black part up

    Don't forget to lift the flap, and the black part out of the way when you pin!

  35. Small 33 topstitch around top of bag

    Then carefully topstitch around the top of the bag. I'd recommend a large needle in your sewing machine for this, as it has to go through quite a few layers. (I broke my little skinny needle sewing this part!!)

  36. Small 34 use safety pin to push cord through

    Now all you need to do is push the cord through the drawstring casing in the black fabric, using a safety pin.

  37. Small 36 single bag hanging

    Then push the two ends through your toggle and tie securely. One finished insulated lunch bag! Made from recycled materials!!

  38. Small bag with contents on table

    This is about what I could fit into one of mine:

  39. Small inside bag contents

    Like this:

  40. Small bags finished in secret garden

    So now I can pack off two little packed lunches and send my girls off to the secret garden!! I hope they like them!! Hope you found that tutorial easy enough to follow. Do let me know if you try making one, and send a picture! I'd love to see different versions! Jill