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Sewing Machine Bag

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This bespoke sewing-machine bag provides handy storage for your machine, tools and patterns, keeping everything dust-free and tidy.

It is also handy if you’re taking your machine to workshops. It has plenty of pockets to keep smaller items where you can find them: a front zip pocket, back patch pocket, large elasticated pocket on the inside front and a final divided pocket on the inside back. There’s also an optional padded base panel that sits inside to add structure and strength.

There is no pattern for this one – we’ll be making it to measure! At the end of it you will not only have a handy sewing-machine bag, but you may develop some new skills along the way.

I’ve used continuous zips for both the bag and pocket, with the sliders meeting in the middle, but you could just use long zips, or two zips with the tops meeting. A strong fabric, such as canvas or denim, is ideal for the outer bag, and as you’ll be sewing through thick layers of fabric, a denim needle may be helpful. The bag will be quite heavy as you construct it, so make sure you have plenty of room on the table to support it.

Note: Use a ½in (1.25cm) seam allowance throughout unless otherwise stated

Finished size of my bag is: 18 x 13 x 9in (46 x 33 x 23cm)

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You will need:

Equipment

• Sewing machine
• Walking (even-/dual-feed) foot, for your sewing machine
• Fabric shears
• Rotary cutter, quilting ruler and cutting mat
• 8in (20cm) circle template: I used a plate
• Basting spray
• Fabric clips and pins: since we are dealing with several layers of fabric, you will find these work better than pins
• Optional: stapler, wet glue

Materials

• Strong outer fabric: I used 59 x 39in (150 x 100cm) of canvas fabric
• Lining fabric: I used 59 x 14in (150 x 35.5cm) of dark grey (front, back and base lining) and 59 x 39in (150cm x 100cm) of plain blue, which includes enough for the optional padded base 
• Single-sided fusible foam stabilizer: I used 35 x 37in (89 x 94cm) 
• Zips for the bag and pocket: the length will depend on the size of your bag (see steps 4 and 19) but I used 22in (56cm) and 42in (107cm) continuous zips, each with two sliders
• 83in (2.1m) of 1in (2.5cm) wide webbing for handles
• ¼in (5mm) wide elastic for the inside pocket: I used 20in (51cm)
• 1in (2.5cm) wide bias binding: I used 134in (3.4m)
• Optional: cardboard, lining fabric and extra wadding/batting, for the padded base

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