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Things to sew for travel... |
I suppose it all depends on where you're from and where you might be going. In
my personal circumstances, it's going to take a while more before I travel
without reservations... and I'm not talking about hotel reservations.
To me, ever since nine eleven happened, air travel has been the
absolute pits. (I don't buy lottery tickets but my other half does. As a
potential winner by default if he ever strikes it lucky, my one and only
indulgence would be to hire a pilot and private aircraft for travel purposes.)
These early days of post pandemic air travel — when the pandemic is truly only partially "post" — can only be worse.
That said, I want to keep an open mind and be realistically optimistic. (Is
that possible?) To that end, I want to highlight a few travel related sewing
projects over the next three months, for the convenience of those who are
itching to go somewhere. They'll be revisitations of my own past projects,
supplemented by comparable versions that I've found while cruising online.
The first project is a roll up toiletry bag. I made this four years ago, modelling it after a store bought toiletry bag that I had been using for over two decades. It consists of four triangular compartments sewn to a backing that rolls up into a nifty box shape.
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| My Travel Toiletry Tote... |
After ditching initial plans to make it completely out of vinyl/faux
waxcloth, I ended up using cotton twill for the exterior. However, it
was important to me that the interior was clear vinyl. I've seen
versions of this organizer made with fabric compartments, and it's just not
the same. For me, not being able to see what's inside each pocket would make
this a lot less useful.
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| See through pockets are a must for me... |
At one time, I had considered turning this into a pattern or tutorial to
share, but the thought of having to make another one in order to do so made me
abandon those plans.
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| Closes with zippers and velcro... |
However, with the rise of YouTube sewing videos, I've found similar
projects on that platform that you can turn to, to make your own version of
this toiletry bag.
First one is from
mimi'z world. This video was actually released in October 2016, but I didn't know of its
existence until I was doing research for this post. It has a slightly
different overall look (it incorporate various hooks and a wraparound
closure), but is based on the same general concept.
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| image courtesy of Mimi'z World... |
The project is aimed at those who don't have a sewing machine, since the
sewing appears to be done by hand and there's a bunch of gluing involved at
the end. Given that those of you reading this do have a sewing machine,
I'd suggest that you take her helpful templates and construction steps and
machine sew all of it if you choose this design.
This next version is from stitching point, in a video that was uploaded July 2019.
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| image courtesy of stitching point... |
This one is the closest to my version, in terms of the overall look and how
the parts are put together. It's smaller, but you should be able to work out
how to change the dimensions without too much difficulty.
The next version was uploaded in May of this year by
Ae PooiM. It's made entirely from fabric (and requires a lot of it, if I may say so).
Construction-wise, the process is to make each zippered compartment as an
individual pouch first, before attaching them to the main back panel. This
differs from the method used by the previous tutorial to make the top facing
part of the vinyl pouches all in a row.
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| image courtesy of Ae PooiM... |
This design closes with a single magnetic snap. I would highly recommend that
you stick with a couple of well placed pieces of hook and loop tape for the
closure; a magnetic snap may not do the job if the organizer is stuffed full.
And just last month (after I'd already written up this post),
Sewing Times
uploaded a tutorial for this full fabric version with
removeable pouches.
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| image courtesy of Sewing Times... |
Each compartment has a couple of rows of hook and loop tape underneath. The
exterior is pretty much the same as the previous example with a carrying
handle attached to the top.
Finally, there is a version (with over a million views) from a
YouTuber who likes to recreate knock-offs of popular sewn items by
coming up with "little to no sew" versions employing copious amounts of hot
glue. I'm not linking to that one and will only add that such an item won't
last very long if made in that manner.
I've used my bag on various trips over the past four years and it has held up excellently. (The only wear that shows is on my "designer" tag that has gotten a bit raggedy around the edges.) Some may prefer their toiletry bags on a slightly smaller scale, but this holds everything that I need and the vinyl offers both visibility and protection from the occasional spill.
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| Vinyl backing on the pocket interiors protects against accidental spills... |
Of course, there are variants of this bag for sale all over the place. (I have a small one from the dollar store that used to organize my purse hardware.) Interestingly, none of them are as nice looking as this one that I bought in the early 1990s.
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| Guy Laroche toiletry case... |
Is it not a thing to manufacture these in printed fabrics and materials any more?
That being the case, this could be one of those atypical sewing projects that is worth the
expense of making it yourself, since low priced versions may not be durable
enough to last and higher priced versions look decidedly plain.
Do you have any travel plans in the pipe?
'Til next...
I agree that travel is a stressful option these days with volital personalities sharing air and physical space with me in a flying tin can. Still hoping to haul the travel trailer west from TN to see the kids and grands before heading to WA to park the trailer in my sisters driveway for as many weeks as she can stand us. Have hoped the Canadian border would be open this summer for a quick visit the peace portal in BC and explore some communities just north of Blaine. The historic Stewart Farm looks interesting and assuming business survived pandemic closures. (sigh)
ReplyDeleteI have seen a pattern for this in detachable fabric for sale but know it can be found for free with a little search as you found in Sewing Times. But I like your version for the see-through and the one piece item!!! You don’t really have to make another one to write the tutorial... all I’d need is the steps listed in order! Here’s what I’m guessing: make backing rectangle with vinyl on one side and bind edges with bias tape- sew zippers to vinyl as 1 long piece- sew fabric triangles to ends and bind seam with bias tape- attach vinyl compartments to backing - ok I’m stuck as to how to attach fabric of triangles to the backing... haha, I’m waiting for your tutorial 😊
ReplyDeleteActually, the binding of the back panel was probably the last step. The video by stitching point really does come close to how I did mine, and I recommend it if you're looking for something similar.
DeleteThe one big difference — and where you're "stuck" — is that I made the ends of the pouches out of one long continuous piece of fabric down each side. That is, they aren't individual triangles.
However, binding those pieces to the vinyl/zippered piece was a huge headache to execute! (I complained about it in some detail in my original post.)
If you're serious about wanting to try it out, I have some additional photos and a template for that end piece that I can send you if you email me.
No traveling for me, unless in the car and fairly local. I have given up flying even before the pandemic hit. I stress too much being crowded in a jet for X hours. Went back to my quilt group which just started up again last month, but I went this month. only 5 including me wore a mask. I will continue to wear a mask in crowds because even if you are vaccinated, there still have been cases of getting Covid or the variant and why take a chance? Plus the numbers seem to be slowly rising now that we can meet again, which I suspected would happen. I am not desperate to go anywhere and I want this virus to be long gone before I do go anywhere. Because of the virus, it makes me look at things differently now. I think I will wear a mask if I have to be stuck in a small space with lots of people from now on, such as a bus, train, plane, a concert, etc, because I think it's added protection, even if it's not 100%.The more people travel around the more the cases will go up because people will do stupid things, and people have short memories about such things. I am glad I wore a mask at my quilt group. 35 women did not have masks on and several had cough attacks. I felt better about wearing my mask as I heard them cough on and on. It would be a nice idea if everyone kept a mask with them in case they do start to cough, they could put it on so those around them would feel better. If those who were coughing without wearing a mask did have the virus or the flu, etc. how many people would have ended up sick because of them not wearing a mask? I look at mask wearers as being courteous now.
ReplyDeleteI like your roll up travel bag. I too have seen several out there. I have made project bags in several sizes with clear vinyl that would work for travel too and all could be placed into a tote to carry and remove as needed.