Keep those important travel items organized and secure in this cork and fabric pouch and imagine yourself traveling to all of the destinations you have embroidered on it.
Supplies
- OESD’s Traveling Stitches #12773
- OESD’s In The Hoop Zippered Pouches #12519
- 5 1/2″ X 6″ piece of cork for the lower front
- 5 1/2″ X 4″ piece of cotton fabric for upper front
- 5 1/2″ X 15″ piece of cotton fabric for bag back
- 2″ X 12″ piece of cotton fabric for wrist strap (NOTE: If you think you might want a longer wrist strap, cut the fabric longer than 12″ and adjust to size when constructing)
- 2″ X 4″ piece of cotton fabric for ring tab
- 7″ (or longer) nylon zipper (NOT metal or plastic!)
- Small swivel hook and D-ring (I used 1/2″ size by Dritz)
- Narrow ribbon for zipper pull (optional)
- Isacord thread in assorted colors, including one color to match fabric for sewing bag together and for making the strap
- 2 bobbins (one with bobbin weight thread for embroidery and one with color to match the fabric for sewing together and strap)
- 80/12 sharp embroidery needle
Instructions
Step 1
To make the ring tab and wrist strap, construct as follows before starting the embroidery:
Press the 2″ x 4″ ring tab fabric in half lengthwise. Fold raw edges in to meet fold line and press.
Step 2
Press in half again along first pressing line enclosing the long raw edges. Topstitch. Set aside.
Step 3
Press and topstitch the 2″ x 12″ wrist strap fabric in the same way that you constructed the ring tab. Press each end about 1/2″, with one fold going one way and one going the other.
Step 4
You will then nest them together and topstitch, enclosing all raw edges.
Step 5
Don’t forget to put the swivel on before you sew the ends together! Set aside.
Step 6
Press the upper front fabric in half, wrong sides together, to measure 5 1/2″ x 2″. Following the package directions, fuse the 5 1/2″ x 2″ fleece to the wrong side of one half of the fabric, aligning one long edge with the crease line.
Press the bag back fabric in half, wrong sides together, to measure 5 1/2″ x 7 1/2″. Fuse the 5 1/2″ x 7 1/2″ fleece to the wrong side of one half as in step 1.
Load design 12519-03, Tall Pouch, from the In the Hoop Zippered Pouch collection. Increase the size proportionally to 4.7″ x 7″ (an increase of about 110%). This allows your passport to slide in and out easier.
From the Traveling Stitches collection, add the stamps of choice. I chose an odd number and rotated and overlapped them with some of the stamps falling off the bag to make this look more like a page in an actual passport. NOTE: There are four color stops in the bag design. The added stamp designs MUST be stitched before color stop four, which is the bag seam stitch. Either skip ahead to the stamp designs and then back to the last step of the bag or use your software or machine functions to move the stamp designs into position before the bag seam stitch.
Step 7
Hoop one layer of the Polymesh stabilizer in the hoop.
Stitch color #1 of the bag, the Zipper Placement Stitch.
Step 8
Center the zipper between the lines. Use the TearAway tape on the outer edges to hold in place. The zipper will be too long and will be trimmed at the end.
Stitch color #2, Zipper Tack Down. Remove tape. This is easier to do now.
Step 9
Center the 5 1/2″ edge of the cork along the bottom of the zipper teeth, but not covering them. Secure in place with TearAway tape along the outer edges. Tip: Use some glue stick to tack down the upper part of the cork to the zipper.
Center the fold of the 5 1/2″ x 2″ fabric along the top of the zipper teeth and secure in place with tape.
Stitch color #3, Front Panel Tack Down.
Step 10
Next stitch the passport stamps. Use assorted colors or stitch all in one color.
Step 11
Thread the ring tab fabric through the D-ring and fold in half to measure 2″ x 2″. Start by placing the folded fabric and D-ring on the lower section just below the zipper and stitching lines with the raw edges even. Adjust how much of the ring tab you would like showing (I was happy with about 1″). Hold in place with tape.
Step 12
Finally, open the zipper half way and place the bag back fabric in the hoop, centering over the stitched design.
Step 13
Stitch color #4, the Seam Stitch.
Step 14
When complete, remove the hoop from the machine and remove the project from the hoop. Using a rotary cutter and ruler trim all around the bag close to the stitching. Trim the stabilizer behind the zipper.
Turn right side out and press from the back. Do NOT press on the cork. Use a point turn to gently poke out the corners. They will be slightly rounded. Attach wristlet strap.
Optional:
Try stitching the stamps in one color! Rick Rack makes a fun alternative for the wrist strap and D-ring tab.
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