Christine Sews

A bit of grossgrain ribbon can add a designer touch to a simple pattern.  Try attaching one to a plain pocket.

How to Sew Grossgrain Ribbon Trim:

1. Cut ribbon one to two inches longer than the pattern piece to which it will attach.
2. Draw a straight line with a watersoluble marker, or use a stitch line as a guide.
3. Run a line of glue pins or double sided tape along the guide line.
4. Place the grossgrain ribbon on top of the glue.  Allow glue to dry.
5. Thread the sewing machine with the same color thread as the ribbon.  Or use invisible thread.
6. Zig zag on and off of the ribbon at both edges, in the same manner as attaching velcro .
7. Tuck under the overhanging ends of the ribbon when you attach the pocket.

Sewing Tips and Notes:

• If left too long the glue will become stringy.  Have an old rag or tissue handy.
• Some brands of liquid glue have a strong odor.

Certain accessories need a lot of structure.  A laptop bag will need to be sewn with a more stable lining than a grocery sack.  Buckram can be used as a lining or interlining to reinforce decorator or plain woven fabrics.

How to Sew Buckram Interfacing:

1.  Set your sewing machine to a long stitch length.



2. Cut the buckram interfacing slightly smaller than lining fabric.
3. Center buckram on fabric pattern piece. Stitch in place.  (This can being either a basting stitch or a permanent stitch.  It is my preference to use a permanent stitch.)



4. Assemble your lining as you typically would, taking care to clip the corners .  (Do not overclip.  This fabric will help to stabilize the bag.)



5. Attach any pockets , closures or loops.
6. Press open seams.



7. Grade the seams.

Sewing Tips and Notes:

• Buckram fabric can be purchased by the piece, or by the yard.
• Buckram is extremely stiff and can be irritating to dry or sensitive skin.
• It is often preferable to use buckram in only select pattern pieces, such as the bottom or sides of a bag.
• Seams in example shown have not yet been graded.
• Use a sewing machine.  Just because you can use a serger, doesn’t make it a good idea.

For another example of a bag interlined with buckram, see Toile Clutch Purse .

The Italian leather laptop bag is a bit small.  It holds laptop, keys, wallet and not much else.  Perfect for a quick jaunt alone to the library.  Not so much with child in tow.

The tote bag is great and the laptop, in sleeve, fits inside.  But it is definitely a tote and not a purse.

Sounds like the three bears, right?

So, here is my work in progress, a shorter, deeper tote, with more pockets and a thicker strap.  You’ll see I haven’t drawn the strap yet.

For related posts see:

• How to Sew a Laptop Sleeve
• Laptop Bag Refashion
• Toile Tote Bag Wild Ginger Sewing Pattern

Laptops often arrive with a plain black sleeve. Sewing a laptop sleeve with a fabric that is more personal can protect your laptop with style.

Materials:

• Paper
• Pen or pencil
• Fleece or other thick padding fabric
• Scissors or Rotary Cutter
• Cutting board or mat
• Fashion or Home decor Fabric
• Button or Velcro Closure
• Gimp Trim , bead or other trimmings (optional)

How to Sew a Laptop Sleeve:

1. Measure around your laptop horizontally. Write this measurement down.
2. Measure around your laptop vertically, pulling tape measure out to create room for a flap. Write this measurement down.



3. Add two inches to your measurements.
4. Cut rectangle of fleece according to your measurements.
5. Cut rectangle of fashion or home decor fabric according to your measurements.
6. Serge or baste layers of fleece and home decor fabric together, right sides out.
7. Treat layers of fabric as one and fold to form a pocket.
8. Sew up the open sides leaving space for a flap.
9. Turn new laptop sleeve right side out.



10. Turn in flap edges to form an envelope.
11. Attach closure.



12. Embellish as desired.

Sewing Tips and Notes:

• The laptop sleeve above uses a two inch margin to allow for lining thickness and seam allowances.  For future projects, I would probably add three or four inches.
• I lined and padded the sleeve with an old towel.  I could have hidden it behind another layer of fabric.  But to me, having it show when the flap opens, says that inside, this bag is eco-friendly.
• The decorator fabric shown has a very obvious nap.  I chose to run it sideways.  You could do the same or split the pattern pieces to keep the pattern upright.  See Toile Fabric How to Cut .