Dark wintertimes are coming, and I think I need a safe bag on my bicycle. So I thought I’d sew a safety tote bag with light.
I made it on the BERNINA 710 and overlock BERNINA L 460
What do you need to make a safe tote bag with light?
- Fabric 30 x 76 cm for the bag, 2 shoulder straps of 13 x 72 cm, an extra patch of 9 x 30 cm.
- see-through plastic (package or tablecloth?) 21 x 30 cm
- Light plastic zipper of 30 cm
- Mettler Seracycle sewing thread (yes! recycled thread!) and Mettler Transfil (nylon thread).
- Trixie Flash Light Ring size L-XL (yes, USB chargeable!).
- Biastape to finish the shoulder straps
- A rotary cutter, mat and ruler are useful.
Preparation of the parts for the safetybag:
Overlock the short sides of the biggest patch.
Fold the shoulder straps and zigzag over the open sides.
Sew the biastape over both long sides of the shoulderstraps with Binder attachment # 87 in combination with Open embroidery foot # 20.
Overlock both long sides of the smallest rectangle.
Sew the zipper to the smallest rectangle on the longest side (right sides together). Fold open and topstitch with Edgestitch foot # 10.
Pin the plastic to the other side.
Sew the plastic sheet, use Zigzag foot with non-stick sole # 52 if necessary. Fold over and topstitch on the fabric.
Sew decorative circles on the tote bag:
Iron stabilizer to the back (or embroidery stabilizer or even a newspaper sheet with temporary adhesive spray).
Draw circleparts with a plate and a heat erasable pen.
Sew fringes with Tailor tack foot # 7. If you have never used it before, be sure to try on a scrap first.
I chose for these settings: Stitch 10, stitchlength 0,5, stitchwidth 2.0
The machine makes loops over the vertical part in the middle:
After finishing a line, move the fabric to the back to remove the loops from the presser foot. Cut the loops when finished.
I really enjoy this decorative effect.
Finishing the safety totebag with light:
Fold the fabric over and iron the fold. Sew the zipper 2 cm above the fold, right sides together. Topstitch to finish.
Sew the upper part of the plastic with Mettler Transfil sewing thread to the bag. I took these settings (including mirroring the application stitch).
Finishing the tote bag:
Close the side seams of the bag (right sides together), take a 1 cm seam allowance. Overlock (the BERNINA L460 can handle a light plastic zipper).
Sew the shoulder straps to the bag, with a 5 cm distance from the sideseam (right sides together).
Fold over and finish with a topstitch on the folded top part.
Insert the lightring in the bag.
‘Sew a safety tote bag with light’, I hope this blogposts inspires you to make one yourself.
Set the light ring to a quick or slow flash light or continuous light. And recharge the battery with the included USB cable when necessary.
Does this project make you happy too? I like it.
Keep safe!
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