Make a quick bag to hold some cash, credit cards, your phone, or other small items. Add a vinyl pocket for your name badge securely for a convention, trade show, or travel.
This project is fully lined and with no exposed seams on the inside. Once stitching is complete, you’ll simply trim off the excess fabric, and turn right side once. Then cut open the stabilizer behind the zipper and turn right side out through the zipper opening to finish. A little pressing is all you’ll need to do to finish it.
Video here: How to Embroider a Basic In-the-Hoop Zippered Bag.
You can easily customize this bag to suit your needs in many simple ways:
- Make it into a convention ID holder by adding on a clear vinyl badge holder pocket on the front, as shown above on the far left.
- Add an additional pocket on the back, front, or both.
There are multiple sizes in this collection. All bags are constructed exactly the same, only the fabric dimensions vary.
Add a plain loop or one with a swivel hook for keys either on the inside or out.
Small patch pockets and loops can be sewn to the back panel before layering in the hoop during the embroidery process.
- Add an elastic loop to hold a pen (not shown).
- Configure the strap to attach wide (as shown) or centered.
- Use cording, purchased strapping, grosgrain ribbon, or make your own strap as I did for this sample
- Add a slider to the cord to make it adjustable.
- Replace the strap with a short loop with a swivel hook to attach to a belt or belt loop.
Finish the bag in the hoop and allow your machine to do all the work or finish it more traditionally by stacking the pieces and then binding the edges as you would a quilt. (The vinyl pocket made turning difficult!)
Want to add a design or personalize the front of your bag? Insert that design between colors 5 & 6.
Avoid getting too carried away and accumulating too much bulk in the hoop. The machine may have difficulties with additional lumps and bulk and makes turning right side out more difficult, especially on smaller bags.
Another construction option is how to place the front fabric and lining pieces. I cut separate linings and attached them on the back side of the hoop; this will encase the zipper and give a more professional finish.
However, you could just cut longer pieces of the same fabric (cut the front panels on the fold) and align the folded edge along the zipper tape on the front—a good time-saving tip if you’re making these in quantity.
As with most ITH projects, you’ll notice many color changes but each of these bags was stitched in just one color. Choose your colors as desired but don’t recolor as a single color in software because those color stops are necessary to stop the machine to perform various steps.
This bag has no decorative stitching or quilting and I didn’t use any batting, only fusible interfacing. If you’re after an in-the-hoop only project, then skip the pockets and use purchase strapping materials—or skip it altogether—and you’ll still have a handy zippered pouch with no other sewing required.
About These Designs
It’s relatively easy to insert other designs into this bag design. In a design with multiple color stops like these, you’ll simply add it between the appropriate color changes. In this case, that’s between colors 5 and 6. Also note the slight change in the following step-by-step embroidery instructions to avoid stitching the design through the lining.
Check out this YouTube video that shows how to edit a redwork design into a new border and insert it into a plain version of this bag. How to Extract & Edit a Design in Embrilliance Enthusiast.
In that video, which goes along with the Echidna P.I.E. series of lessons, a basic plain ITH zippered bag was customized.
Skill Level
- Basic embroidery skills with the ability to follow directions!
- Basic sewing skills if you choose to make a strap or pocket
What You’ll Learn
- How to create a lined zippered bag with no exposed seams in the lining in just one hooping
- Some simple customizing options
Requirements
This project requires a minimum 130x180mm (5x7”) sewing field. It is not intended for split hoops.
Note About Links
In some cases, links to external web sites are included for more information on a technique or product. All the links were active at the time of writing but web sites can vanish and pages can change. If a link is no longer working, please let me know and then just use a search tool to see if the information can be found elsewhere. You may also find more info on this page: LindeeGEmbroidery.com/resource-list/
Please read through all instructions before starting your project! This project, while complex, is not really difficult because the embroidery takes care of all the construction. Cut and place carefully and you’ll have a successful result!
Resizing is not recommended!
Supplies
- I worked from my stash and mostly used remnants and fat quarters of various fabrics. Actual amounts depend how many different fabrics you’re using and what options you’re adding. Use the list of fabric dimensions to determine your requirements.
- Fusible interfacing (I used Pellon 950F ShirTailor)
- 1 polyester or nylon zipper that coordinates with your fabric and is at least 7” long (2” longer than the bag’s width). DO NOT USE A METAL ZIPPER!
- Stabilizer. Sulky Soft n Sheer, washaway tearaway; Hemingworth Wash-Away water soluble or Sulky Fabri Solvy, regular tearaway. See “A Note About Stabilizers” for more details.
- Coordinating embroidery thread. Polyester embroidery thread is recommended over rayon for any seam stitching during the bag construction.
Optional: You may wish to wind a matching bobbin for the designs but the only place you’ll see bobbin thread inside the finished bag is the zipper top stitching. I used black thread in the needle and bobbin on the two black bags and orange thread in the needle and white thread in the bobbin on the bag with the orange trim. Both bobbins were prewounds.
Adhesive options:
- Cellophane tape or other tape that won’t gum up the needle when sewn through (I used painter’s tape for the photos for visibility)
- Wonder Tape (sew through, double stick washaway tape, optional)
- Elmer’s School Glue sticks are also good (works better on tearaway than wash-away)
- Small strip of fusible web to close the lining or hand stitch to close
Other/Optional
- Narrow ribbon or constructed self-fabric strip for loop
- Strap (cording, grosgrain ribbon, purchased webbing, prepared strap, or self-fabric) of desired length
- Small piece of clear, sewable vinyl for name badge pocket
- Small piece of fabric to bind top edge of vinyl
- TESA (temporary embroidery spray adhesive)
- Decorative pull or tie for the zipper tab
- Wide elastic for a pen loop
- Hardware for the optional loop: D-ring, swivel hook or other. Choose hardware size based on your strap width or adjust your strap to fit the hardware. Thinner less bulky hardware is best.
Equipment
- Embroidery machine with a minimum sewing field large enough for the design you’ve selected
- Steam iron
- Rotary cutter, ruler, mat
- Mini-iron
A Note About Stabilizers
The stabilizer may or may not be hidden between the layers in this project, depending on how you place your front lining fabrics. If you use the two-piece lining method and place the lining on the back side of the hoop, the only exposed stabilizer is behind the zipper, which will be cut away.
If you choose the quicker one piece method from the front only, then the stabilizer will be exposed on the inside. Choose your stabilizer accordingly.
Wash-away tear-away: The advantages are that it’s less expensive than wash-away water soluble fiber products, it’s easier to tear out, it doesn’t shrink when you apply heat (you will need to do some pressing), and it takes better to glue stick. The disadvantages are that you can’t easily remove tape without tearing off layers of stabilizer, it’s less resistant to pins, and the product doesn’t tear cleanly.
Wash-away fiber. The advantages are that you can easily tape and remove it without damage. Also, since it’s not a tear-away, it stands up to pinning much better. You can get a tighter hold with pins than tape and pins won’t ravel out your fabric edges like tape can. The disadvantages of this stabilizer are higher cost, it must be removed by cutting or soaking, and it shrinks with pressing, which means you’ll need to remove it before pressing.
Soft n Sheer (No show mesh): This cutaway product is soft and won’t affect the feel or hand of your project. If you use the encased zipper method (linings are attached to the back of the hoop), then the only exposed stabilizer is right behind the zipper and can be easily cutaway. If you opt for the easier method, then the stabilizer will be exposed on the inside. If that will bother you, choose a different option
Tearaways: If you aren’t adding any extra designs to embellish the front, then removing the remaining stabilizer is relatively easy.
Sticky Stabilizers: There’s no good reason to use an adhesive product for this project. Sticky tearaways can make your project feel thick and stiff. Some adhesives gum the needle, which causes thread breaks. Adhesive stabilizers are more expensive.
Whatever you choose, make sure it will support the stitching, can be hooped securely without slipping, and can be removed without damaging the fabric. For example, if you’re using a dry clean only fabric, don’t use a water-soluble stabilizer.
Instruction
Find cutting chart for all sizes at the end of this PDF. The sizes listed here are for the original bag only. Assembly is identical for all bags in this set.
Cut Fabrics
It’s smart to prewash and preshrink your fabrics beforehand. Also, to get rid of any washaway stabilizer, you’ll likely have to soak or launder and dry your bag so consider that when choosing fabrics.
Cut 1 each of outer fabric, lining fabric, & interfacing:
- Front top: 6” x 2”
- Front bottom: 6” x 6.75”
Any of the above can be cut from one fabric on the fold (place the fold on the 6” crosswise dimension).
Cut 1 each of outer fabric and interfacing:
- Back: 6” x 8”
Cut 1 each of lining for the back:
- Upper lining: 6” x 10” - fold wrong sides together to 6” x 5”
- Lower lining: 6” x 8” - fold wrong sides together to 6” x 4”
If you’re using thicker fabrics or are short on fabric, cut the back pieces long enough to allow one hemmed edge with total 9” tall between the two.
Optional pockets:
- Back Pocket (optional): 6” x 6.75” (or desired height + .5”) outer fabric; add another .5” in height for lining if using the lining to create a contrasting edge
- Back Pocket (option 2), folded edge pocket: Cut 1 piece 6” wide by twice the height of the desired pocket plus 1/2”
- Front Pocket: Determine the height and of your desired pocket+ .5” for outer fabric; add another .5” in height for lining if using the lining to create a contrasting edge. Width is 6”. Or, use the folded over method:Cut 1 piece 6” wide by twice the height of the desired pocket plus 1/2”.
Optional: name badge pocket:
- Vinyl pocket: 6” x 4”
- Double fold binding 6” long
It’s better to cut your pockets longer and then fine tune the placement when adding them in the hoop. Any excess can hang over the bottom edge and be trimmed off when finishing.
Strap, as seen (if constructing):
- 2” x desired length + 1/2”. If you’d like a wider strap, determine the desired finished width and multiply by 4.<?li>
Preliminaries
1. Press all fabrics and starch if desired.
Starching isn’t necessary but if you aren’t interfacing your fabrics, it can give them a little more structure for stitching. Adding body to the your fabrics will help them lay smoother in the hoop. ITH projects involve floating and layering multiple fabrics in the hoop and extra steps are needed to prevent shifting or slipping.
2. Apply interfacing to the bag front and back panels (outer fabrics).
Interfacing can give your bag more structure and more durability. It also adds some nice body to your bag and can give it a more polished look; it can also help control raveling. Don’t go too heavy nor stiff with your interfacing or your bag will be more difficult to turn.
Be sure to fuse the interfacing securely so that it won’t separate when turning the bag right side out.
3. Make the strap.
My sample bag has a simple, narrow strap attached directly to the bag with no additional hardware. A nice option here is to have something to make the strap adjustable for wearing around the neck (ID holder) or across the body. The badge holder would also work well with a cord but if you plan to also carry your phone in it, something wider is more comfortable.
Press the strip in half lengthwise. Then open the strip and press each long edge matching the raw edge to the center fold. Refold the piece and press well. Once again, starch is your friend!
Depending on your fabric and your use, you may want to add a strip of interfacing. For the orange trimmed bag, I cut a strip of stabilizer a scant quarter width of the cut fabric and butted it up to the first fold and pressed in place.
When inserting the strap directly into the bag seam, there’s no need to finish the ends.
Top stitch 1/8” from the edges starting on the side with the two folded edges.
On smaller bags, avoid stitching a bulky strap directly to the bag. Instead, add smaller attachment loops to which your longer strap can be secured.
On these bags, I kept my project simpler (and less expensive) by attaching the strap directly to the bag instead of attaching it to hardware attached to loops. However, on a longer, thicker, or bulkier strap, this may be too much to accommodate in the hoop. In this case you’ll be better off with short loops with D-rings or something similar.
4. OPTIONAL: Prepare fabric pockets.
Basic pockets are easy additions. You can make a simple folded over version or make a slightly fancier one like mine. After stitching the lining to the back pocket, I folded the lining up and over the seam allowance to have a short band of color along the top. Optionally, you could stitch in the ditch for more stability.
If you want the length of the lining to match that of the pocket front, you’ll need to cut your lining 1/2” longer for a quarter inch seam.
I didn’t apply interfacing to this back pocket.
I made my pocket taller than I really needed so I could fine tune the placement at the hoop. Any excess will just hang off the bottom and be cut off.
5. OPTIONAL: Prepare the vinyl pocket.
Stitch a piece of double fold seam binding across the top edgy of the vinyl pocket. You can make your own or use purchased premade binding. For this short straight edge, you can use either bias or straight of grain binding.
Embroidery
This bag is constructed in just one hooping! Don’t underestimate the time it takes to complete it and don’t rely on what your machine says for sewing time. You’ll need to remove the hoop and place pieces multiple times. Take your time and place pieces carefully for a successful result.
A separate color sequence PDF is included and lists the steps in these designs. Do not try to recolor ITH designs to match what you might actually be stitching. All those color stops are vital to having the machine stop when it’s time to do something. You really only need to change thread colors if you want to match a different area of your bag.
Normally the best hoop size is one just larger than the design. If you have a larger hoop, you’ll have more free space around the design to tape various elements to the stabilizer where the tape is outside the stitching area.
You may want to raise your presser foot height slightly to avoid “tripping” over various pieces and causing them to shift.
1. Hoop stabilizer securely between the rings of your hoop.
Smaller hoops are generally more secure than larger ones with long straight sides. If your stabilizer slips during stitching, you’ll experience problems. Take any necessary measures to prevent slippage.
One way is with duct tape. Tear strips in half lengthwise, apply to the back of the stabilizer along the hoop edges and wrap up and around the sides of the hoop. (I do this a lot! It’s better to be safe than sorry.)
2. Stitch color 1 for placement lines.
Color 1 sews directly onto the stabilizer only. Small indents mark the horizontal and vertical centers for assisting with precise placement of patterned fabrics. The two registration marks at the top and bottom indicate the overall bag center and the center of the main body area. These can help you if you choose to edit in another design or align fabrics.
Once you place your fabrics, these guides will no longer be visible so if you plan to use them, simply extend them onto the stabilizer with a pen. This stabilizer will be removed later so any marker will work.
3. Place the zipper.
Align the closed zipper, right side up, with the zipper tab at the right of the design making sure the metal ends are well outside the stitch line. The zipper will perfectly fit within the blank area of the stitching guides.
I prefer to keep the long extension off the top end of the zipper instead of centering the zipper over the space. That way I can use the leftover bits for other decorative purposes.
On very long zippers, I like to unzip it so that I can see the zipper tab as a visual reminder to move it into the bag area when it’s time!
I often like to apply strips of water soluble fusible Wonder Tape within the zipper placement guides to secure the zipper for stitching. Wonder Tape will hold the zipper more securely and reduce shifting.
A glue stick is another option and is more economical if a little messier. It works best when applied to the zipper tape. I also found it sticks better on the wash-away tear-away than the water soluble wash-away fiber.
If you use a glue stick, take care not to use heat, which can cause the stabilizer to fuse too securely to the zipper. While it will wash out, you’ll need to be able to open the zipper before you finish stitching and fusing too well can prevent that.
Alternatively, you can use painter’s tape or invisible tape to hold the zipper in place. Neither one will gum up the needle; the invisible tape is easier to remove without tearing stitches. Tape is hard to peel off wash-away tear-away without damaging the stabilizer but works fine on wash-away fiber or cutaway.
Notice here the tape is outside the placement lines so I can leave it there throughout the embroidery process to keep the zipper ends from interfering with the needle.
If your zipper isn’t smooth, press it before taping.
4. Stitch the zipper to the stabilizer.
Return the hoop to the machine and sew color 2, which will stitch the zipper to the stabilizer. Remove the hoop from the machine and remove the tape that could get sewn in. Trim any jump stitches if your machine didn’t trim them for you.
If you can remove the tape without disrupting the stabilizer, I recommend removing any tape that’s no longer needed as you go to keep it from becoming embedded in the project.
IMPORTANT! If your machine doesn’t have auto-trimmers, be sure to clip jump threads not only on the top, but on the bottom. You’ll need to remove the hoop to trim the bottom threads.
5. Place the front top fabric panel.
There are two ways to attach the fabric to the zippers. The method illustrated here will encase the zipper.
If you’d like a faster method, apply both the outer fabric and the lining to the front. Place the outer fabric face down and the lining face up on top of the outer fabric. If you’ve simply cut longer pieces of the same fabric, fold the fabric wrong sides together and align the folded edge along the zipper tape.
Place the top front fabric panel right side down with the raw edges aligned along the zipper tape edge on the top edge of the zipper.
You can hold the fabric in place with more Wonder Tape, regular tape, glue stick, or pins. If you use pins, either remove them as you stitch to avoid sewing over them or make sure they are out of the range of the presser foot and needle.
The next color will zigzag the raw edges of the fabric to the edge of the zipper tape and then sew the straight seam to attach the panel. This seam will be used as a fold line and the later top stitching will provide additional security.
Once this stitching is complete, remove the hoop from the machine, flip the fabric up and finger press along the seam line. I also used a mini-iron to press the seam flat. Secure the piece for stitching and stitch color 3 to top stitch the top panel next to the zipper and then tack the piece to the stabilizer.
The tack-down stitches will also provide a placement guide. The final stitching will sew just inside this stitching.
The tack-down stitches have squared corners in case you choose to complete the assembly with bound edges instead of finishing in the hoop
6. OPTIONAL: Add extra embellishments to front.
Before applying the lower front panel, you can add optional loops, decorative trims or bands.
For a hidden seam, lined finish, pay close attention to fabric placement and orientation. All outer fabrics are place on the top or front side of the hoop (needle side). All lining pieces are placed on the bottom or back of the hoop (bobbin side).
7. Repeat the process to attach the bottom panels.
Similarly to the top stop panels, place the lower panels, aligning their top edges face down, matching the fabric’s top raw edge with the bottom edge of the zipper tape. The outer piece is placed on the front of the hoop and lining is placed on bottom of the hoop.
The next color will zigzag the raw edges of the fabric to the edge of the zipper tape and then sew the straight seam to attach the panel.
8. OPTIONAL: If you’ve added your own design, do this next.
Fold down and press the front panel only and secure it in place. Stitch any custom design you’ve added.
9. Top stitch and tack bottom panels.
Flip the fabric panels down on both sides and finger press along the seam line. A miniiron is helpful here to press the seam flat. Secure the front and back pieces for stitching and stitch the next color to top stitch the lower panel next to the zipper and then tack the piece to the stabilizer.
10. Optional: Attach the top strap and loops above the zipper and staystitch.
Note: If you’re not adding any straps or loops, you can advance to the next color. If you forget, no worries—these stitches will be hidden in the final project.
The top strap can be placed anywhere along the top edge between the two outer placement marks. A double pass staystitch will run across the outline of the top panel to provide extra security for any strap or hanging loop.
Place the strap face down with the raw edges extending at least 1/4 “ beyond the tack down stitching. Secure with tape and stitch the next color.
Run the tape over the stitching line to form a “ramp” to allow the presser foot to glide more easily over the strap without “tripping” on any raised areas.
11. IMPORTANT! Open the zipper.
Unzip the zipper and move the tab to about 1” from the left tack down stitching. If you fail to do this, you won’t be able turn your bag!
12. Position and tape the front pocket, if you have one.
Place the prepared pocket, right side up making sure the bottom extends at least 1/4” below the tack down stitching. Make sure it’s straight.
13. Secure the strap.
If you’ve attached a long strap, secure it with tape to make it flat and keep it out the final seam. Avoid any extra bulk in the center of the hoop; the foot will return to the center when the design completes and can catch on high points.
Keeping any added elements as flat as possible will allow the bag back to lie as smoothly as possible.
Standard Finish
14. Layer on the outer pieces on the top (front) of the hoop.
Any back pieces (outer fabric) are placed on the front and the lining is placed on the back.
If you’re adding a back pocket, place it right down making sure the sides and bottom extend over the tack down stitch at least 1/4”.
Place the back panel right side down. If you have a directional print, make sure the intended top is placed toward the zipper.
15. Layer on the lining pieces on the bottom (back) of the hoop.
Place the upper lining panel, folded edge toward the bottom, making sure the raw edges extend at least 1/4” beyond the tack down stitching. Then layer on the bottom lining panel making sure the folded edge overlaps the upper lining’s folded edge by about 1/2”.
Secure with tape.
16. Sew the final seam.
Stitch the last color. This finish has rounded corners, which are easier to turn than square corners.
Here’s a good place to switch to construction thread in the needle and bobbin, especially if your fabrics are thick or heavy. Even though the seam is double stitched, it can tend to pull apart and “ladder,” which is likely due to the thread tensions in embroidery mode.
17. Finishing.
Remove your project from the hoop and trim off the excess seam allowances. You’ll need to do two turnings. For the first one, turn inside out through the lapped lining.
Apply a small strip of fusible web to the inside edge of the lapped lining and fuse the two pieces together. Alternatively, hand stitch closed.
If you lapped the lining as shown here, you’re unlikely to catch items on the opening if it isn’t sealed but small loose items can fall into the inside space between the lining and bag, especially if the bag is turned upside down.
Trim away stabilizer behind the zipper and turn right side out once more, pushing out the corners smoothly.
Optional Finish
If you’re concerned about turning a project with vinyl, you can finish with a bound edge instead. The tack down and placement stitches are all squared off to make it easier for a bound edge; only final finishing seam has curved corners.
Remove your stitched front panel from the hoop and remove any exposed stabilizer. Layer with the other pieces of your project in the order they will be in the finished version. For this method, cut the back lining to the same size as the back panel instead of two overlapping folded versions.
Trim to size using the tack down stitches as a guide, cutting a scant 1/4” to the outside of the stitching. Apply your binding.
Make Another One!
Once you’ve made your first bag, you’ll have the process down and you can start experimenting. Try swapping in other designs. Use different fabrics. Try adding pockets or trim. Have fun!!!
Give It a Go!
In-the-hoop projects are popular and can range from very simple to highly complex. Even this basic bag can be customized in many ways.
Now that you’ve learned the basics, check out other, more advanced projects. Would you believe that this owl mini-reader bag can be made in the same size hoop we used for this project? Yes, it requires more hoopings, more steps, and more hand finishing, but your embroidery machine does most of the work!
