The Retreat Bag - A FREE Sewing Tutorial
This cute boxy looking pouch is a gem! I am so pleased with how these turn out. It's just perfect for any retreat, or gift, or swap bag, or make-up bag, or wet bag, or shaving bag, or pencil bag, or toy bag…. did I say sewing bag?
The Retreat Bag is a simple zippered pouch with a wide base and a wide structured opening. There is a casing in the top where you insert two wire frames (one on each side), which helps it stay open when open, and helps turn the corners down when closed. It has two optional slip pockets inside and a long zipper that helps it open wide.
by Ellen Wiedman
The key to having a nicely shaped Retreat Bag is interfacing, interfacing and interfacing. One layer of interfacing and then a layer of fusible Thermolam Plus fleece on the exterior, in addition to interfacing on the lining and you are all set. Even with the interfacing, it makes up really quickly. You could try it with other soft stabilizers as well, and if you chose to, you could even leave out the frames and let it stand up proud. (But I think the frames really make it!)
The girls at the 2015 NCW Retreat in NSW (yet to be blogged about) tried it out first and then helped me name it. Here are some of their photos!!
by Jodie from Three Little Chickens
Simone added some of my cute metal zipper ends to her bag. I think they make an awesome addition!
You can find the Zipper Ends HERE.
by Kristina Hambly
In these two pictures below, Simone has used some oilcloth and left the pockets out to make a wet bag! Perfect for traveling.
After I instructed them on how to make it, and promising to write a tutorial for it, I came home to Canada refreshed and retreated (actually very jet lagged) and made a few minor changes. Changing the way the zipper is constructed and the wires are put in helps it keep it shape a bit better and fold down nicer at the top.
You can get the Internal Wire Frames HERE (Scroll down to the bottom of the page)
And download the free pattern HERE
If you make this bag, please send me some photos of it in action, or post them in the Emmaline Flickr photo pool.
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