Eco-Friendly Rolling Shopping Bag

Embroidered Pocket

1. Convert machine to Embroidery Mode.
2. Attach Embroidery foot P.
3. Insert Red Tip needle #14.
4. Thread bobbin with prewound bobbin.
5. Import design into machine, download design here.
6. Center and hoop a 14” X 17” piece of fabric with stabilizer underneath, in the appropriately sized embroidery hoop.
7. Attach embroidery hoop to embroidery arm and begin to embroider, using recommended thread colors or thread colors that coordinate with your fabric choice.
8. When complete, remove fabric from hoop. Trim away excess stabilizer and jump threads.

Fabric Prep
From the remaining fabric, cut:

• One 27” length, across the width of fabric. This will be the bag fabric.
• Two 12” square blocks - bottom of bag
• Two 10” X 12” blocks - large bottom straps
• Two 3” X 6” blocks - small top straps

From medium weight interfacing, cut:

• Three 1 ½” strips across width

From heavy weight stabilizer, cut:

• 12” X 12” square

Attaching the Pocket

1. Keeping the design centered, trim embroidered fabric to a 13” X 16” rectangle. This will be your pocket.
2. Using a serger, sew around the four sides of the pocket to finish the fabric edge.
   Note: For finishing the raw edge of the fabric and seams, the directions will refer to a serger. Another option is to use Overcast foot C and select a zigzag or overcast stitch on your sewing machine.
3. Fold top pocket edge under ½” and press.
4. Attach Zipper foot.
5. Pin the left side of zipper tape to the folded top of the pocket, keeping a 1/8” space between fabric and zipper teeth.
6. Align the right side of the foot with the folded edge. Sew down the length of fabric, stopping approximately 5/8” from the end of the fabric.
   
    
7. Serge the top and bottom cut edge of the 27” X WOF bag fabric.
8. Fold the bag fabric in half, selvedges together. Mark the center of the fabric.
9. Lay the pocket, upside down, wrong side up on the center mark of the bag fabric.
10. Keeping it centered, move the pocket fabric up so that the unsewn side of zipper tape is placed 7” from the top edge of the bag fabric. Pin in place.
    
     
11. Sew the edge of the zipper tape to the bag, starting at the top of the zipper. Stop sewing at the same stopping point on the other side of the zipper tape.
12. Fold the remaining three sides of the pocket under ½”. Press.
13. Press the zipper tape under as well.
14. Fold the pocket right side up. Pin the pocket to the bag.
    
     
15. Attach Even Feed or Acufeed foot.
16. Edge stitch the pocket in place on the three remaining sides of pocket, including the zipper tape at each end of the zipper.
17.  When sewing is complete, open the zipper and trim the remaining zipper tape at the end of the zipper.

Attaching Velcro Straps

1. Place the bag fabric on the table, with the selvedge edges facing up. Align the selvedges together in the center of the fabric. Using the pocket as a reference, find the bottom of the bag.
2. At the bottom of the bag, measure over 4” from the selvedge edge. Mark a 10” vertical line from the bottom of the bag. Measure over ¾” and mark another line.
3. Repeat on the other selvedge edge.
4. Along the 10” side of the 10” X 12” block, fold in half, right sides together. The folded block will measure 6” X 10”.
5. With a ½” seam allowance, sew around the three sides, keeping a 1 ½” opening to turn inside out.
   
    
6. Clip corners and turn right side out.
   
    
7. Use a point turner to push the corners out. Press opening closed.
8. Repeat with other 10” X 12” block.
9. Cut a 9 ½” length of Velcro. Pin hook tape to one of the 10” sides of fabric.
10. Flip fabric over and pin loop tape to opposite side of rectangle.
    
     
11. Sew all four sides of the Velcro in place.
    
     
12. Repeat attaching Velcro to other rectangle.
13. Place both rectangle fabrics on the table, with the hook tape facing up.
14. Find the center of the rectangle and draw a line ¼” down each side of the center. The lines will be parallel with the Velcro. Repeat on the other rectangle.
    
     
15. Pin the rectangle fabrics to the back of the bag fabric, one on each side of the selvedge. Align the markings on strap fabric to the markings on the bag fabric.
16. Line up the needle with the line on the rectangle fabric. Sew down the length of the line, stop with the needle down and pivot. Sew over to the next line, stop and pivot again.
    
17. Sew up the other side of the line, once again lining up the needle with the marking on the fabric.
18. When you reach the end, stop and pivot. Sew until your stitch meets up with the beginning stitches. When complete, you will have sewn a rectangle shape. This will be more secure than just a straight stitch down the middle of the rectangle fabric.
19. Repeat steps 16 - 18 on the other strap fabric.
20. Repeat steps 5 - 14 with the 3” X 6” fabric blocks. You will need to cut 2” strips of Velcro for attaching to each strap.
21. When complete, these straps will be need to be sewn to the back of the bag, 3” from the top and 4” from the selvedge edge. 
    

Sewing Bag Together

1. Line up both selvedges together, right sides together.
2. Using your serger, sew the fabric together, trimming off the selvedges.
   
3. Press the seam toward the side.
4. Layer the 12” square fabric, right sides out, with the 12” square heavy weight stabilizer in the center.
5. Sew a ¼” seam allowance around the perimeter of the square.
6. At the bottom of the bag, mark the center front.
7. With the bag turned inside out, pin the center front of the bag to the center of one of the 12” block sides. Only pin to the corners.
8. Now pin the one seam in the back of the bag to the center of the opposite side of the 12” block. Again, only pin to the corners.
9. Starting a ½" in from the corner, sew a ½” seam allowance, attaching the front of the bag to the bottom square. Stop and back stitch ½” from the corner. Clip the bag fabric at the corners.
   
    
10. Repeat on the back of the bag.
11. In order to make the sides of the bag fit the 12” length of the remaining sides of the square bottom, you will need to create tucks in the fabric.
12. Start pinning at the corners and move toward the center of the block. Fold and tuck the fabric, so that there are even sized tucks on each side of the center. Pin in place. Repeat on the opposite side.
    
    
    
    
     
13. Start sewing at the corner, lining up the needle with the stitches previously sewn.
    
    
    
    When you reach the end, back stitch at the corner, meeting up the stitches with those previously sewn.
14. Repeat on the opposite side of the bottom square.
15. Trim the corners. Use the serger to finish the seam allowances.
16. Fold down the top of the bag to the inside, creating a 1 ¼” hem.
17. Sew around the hem, close to the serged edge of the fabric.

Attaching Grommets and Finishing

1. Mark the fabric where you will attach the grommets. Keep the grommets evenly spaced apart. Also make sure to use an even number of grommets in order to correctly weave the cording through the holes.
2. Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions on how to apply grommets to fabric.
3. Starting at the center back of the bag, insert the cording.
4. Weave the cording in and out of the grommets until you have come full circle.
5. Pull the cording through so that there is an even amount of cording pull through each of the back two grommets.
6. Feed the cording through a cord stop.
7. Tie the ends of the cording into a knot.
8. Extend the handle on the rolling luggage cart. Attach the top and bottom Velcro straps to the handle.
9. Now it’s time to go shopping!