I have been going through my pattern archives again and I found this laptop bag that I wrote quite a while ago for a British magazine which is now, sadly not with us anymore.

However, that is a good thing in this case because I can release the pattern again and that makes you the winner! This one is a quick and fun make and it is perfect for the upcoming season- yes peeps, even your laptop deserves a bit of decorating!

Do bear with me on the step-by-step shots though, as I said, this one is quite old and my photography equipment (not to mention style and ability has changed a bit!) and the backgrounds look a bit dodgy to me now. But you can still see what is going on and that is the main thing. I have added in some more modern shots to help you too. That is the trouble with magazine articles. There is only so much room- here I am my own boss!

So what do we need to make this cutie?

Fabric:

• 1/2 yd. outer fabric.
• 3/4 yd. lining fabric.

Interfacing:

• 1/2 yd. strip H630 fusible wadding (Vlieseline)
• 3/4 yd. style-vil foam interfacing (Vlieseline)

Everything Else:

• 24″ heavy duty grey zipper
• 7″ grey zipper
• Coordinating threads for topstitching
• Grey cotton yarn for tassel
• Pretty ribbon scraps for the tassel and the zipper pull
• A few pretty beads to coordinate
• Your usual sewing needs

Cutting:

From the outer fabric:

• 2 pieces 10 1/4″ wide x 14 1/4″ long for the main outer front and back

From the lining:

• 2 pieces 10 1/4″ wide x 14 1/4″ long for the main lining front and back
• 1 piece 9 1/2″ wide x 16″ long for the zipper box pocket lining

From the H630:

• 2 pieces 10 1/4″ wide x 14 1/4″ long for the main interfacing front and back

TIP: there are no cutting notes for the Style-vil foam interfacing. Simply cut a slightly larger piece than needed and lay the interfaced outer onto it. Attach with a machine basting stitch and a very narrow seam keeping a gentle tension on the fabric. Trim the excess foam back.

Here’s How:

NB: seam allowances are all 1/4”unless otherwise stated. Please read all instructions through and assemble the equipment before beginning.

TIP: this pattern makes a case 9 3/4″ wide x 14″ deep. You can make it larger or smaller but do be aware that if you make it much larger your equipment needs may change. You will have enough fabric but you will need a longer zipper.

The Front and Back:

Fuse H630 to the wrong side of both the outer pieces. The curve goes at the top right hand corner so check which is which and earmark the correct one for both the outer and the lining.

TIP: to make the curves, draw around something round like a coffee cup with your water soluble marker and cut the curve out.

Lay the front outer onto a slightly larger piece of style-vil and attach with a half normal seam all around keeping a gentle tension on the fabric. Trim the foam interfacing back. The front is now finished and ready to use.

The back has a zipper box pocket running along the right hand flat side.

On the wrong side of the pocket lining itself on one short end, mark a box 3/8″ deep x 7″ long. Make this box 1″ down from the edge of the lining. This is the sewing line.

TIP: if you need some help with zipper box pockets, I have a more in-depth tutorial here.

Mark a line horizontally through the box with two angles at each end . This is the cutting line.

Measure down 5/8″ from the flat edge of the back panel and make a series of marks. Line the pocket lining up (the end with the box) on these marks right sides together and pin.

Sew around the sewing line and cut along the cutting line including the angles. ‘Post’ the lining through the hole and smooth it out on the back.

Topstitch the smaller of the zips into the hole.

Bring the long end of the lining up and sew the sides and top to complete the pocket. Thread a scrap of ribbon through the zipper pull .

TIP: treat the ends of the ribbon scrap with fray stopper to stop them from unravelling.

Attach the back to a piece of slightly larger style-vil as you did for the front and trim it.

With the right sides together, sew the front (left hand side and base) of the case to the back leaving the top and the right hand side open. Sew the left hand side and the bottom only. The outer is now finished and ready for the zipper and the lining.

The Lining and the Main Zip:

Take the two pieces of lining fabric and sew them on the left hand side and bottom. Leave a gap somewhere on the long side for turning out.

Prepare the zip by shortening it slightly to fit along the top, around the curve and down the side.

TIP: heavy duty zippers are almost always open ended but this doesn’t matter for our purposes. We need the slightly stronger structure and the bulky end is easily trimmed off after sewing back and forth a couple of times on the end.

Baste the zip to the outer . Begin the zipper on the top left hand side about 3/8″ from the edge.

TIP: where the zip goes around the curve, it is helpful to make some small snips in the zipper tape to help it fit the curve.

Sew the zip in, open it and then baste and sew to the other side.

TIP: tuck the end tapes to the side on the top left hand side where it will open.

With the zipper open and the case the right side out, pull the lining (inside out) over the top so that the right sides of the fabric are together. Pin around the zip and sew.

Turn the case out through the lining gap and gently push everything into place making sure that the curve is perfect (some more clipping can be helpful but do ensure that you do not snip the threads or go beyond the seam allowance).

Topstitch right around to keep the lining in place.

TIP: It can be difficult to get into the bottom of the zip with your sewing machine so make like the high end handbag professionals and finish it by hand.

The Embellishments:

Make the tassel by winding the grey cotton yarn around a piece of cardboard (about 4″  long) roughly 30 times. Tie the top off and then cut the tassel from the card. Tie the centre about  3/4″ down and hot glue a piece of nice ribbon around the middle tie.

Secure the tassel to the main zipper pull with an interesting bead or two .

And there you have it! It is a nice and pretty quick make for a gift. I use mine to store things in sometimes and it is super handy.

Okay then, time to go and do something with my new patterns (and continue to marvel how my style has changed!).

See you soon!

Debbie xx