A sunglasses case makes an excellent gift idea, being easy to make, and very practical. This task could be a great sewing project for children, or an excellent stocking stuffer item. Because very little fabric is needed, making the case is also highly cost effective.
Supplies You Will Need
You will need to have a 25cm by 25cm square of soft fabric. Polar or micro fleece is ideal because it will not scratch your sunglasses. This will be used for the inside lining of the bag.
For the outside, you will need scraps of material. Complimentary shades work well, or a mix of solids and prints. Each scrap should be at least 25cm long for this pattern.
Piecing the Stripped Exterior of the Case
The exterior is made out of strip piecing. To do this you will need to line up your scraps of fabric into lines. Try to be careful, lining up each piece as straight as possible at one end. Cutting the strips into irregular widths is a good idea, because you do not have to be perfect in your construction, and the finished product looks more difficult that it really was.
Sew your strips together by placing the right sides together, and unfolding. Iron each piece open before attaching the next piece.
When all the strips are sewn together, iron the stripped fabric again, so that it is flat. Place it on a cutting mat or measuring board. Trim to 25cm by 27cm. Fold and iron 1cm of fabric down flat from the long side. Fold this over again and iron to create a neat edge. You should now have a 25cm by 25cm square with a folded over hem.
Constructing the Sunglasses Case
Unfold your hem, and carefully place the ironed line along the top of your fleece square. Make sure you have the right sides together at this point. Sew along the ironed line closest to the edge.
Unfold the 2 pieces. You should have a fleece square attached to the striped fabric. Placing the long sides together, fold to create a long rectangle, right sides together. Sew across the short side of the stripped piece, turn at the corner, and sew up the long side of the stripped fabric and the fleece. This should now be similar to a sock, with an open end on the fleece side, and the rest sewn into a closed tube.
Assembling the Case
Turn the sock so that the right side is on the outside. Sew along the bottom of the fleece end. Turn the fleece section inside the stripped section. You may need to use a ruler to push the corners out. Iron the case flat.
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