DIY Network

Men's Gadget Swing More Christmas Crafts

By Alice Cervantes, Flicka Bags

Materials:

3/8-yard main fabric
3/8-yard lining fabric
3/8-yard fusible interfacing
1-inch bias tape maker tool
1/2" or 5/16"swivel snap
1/2" or 5/16" D-ring
2 snaps and corresponding snap-setting tool
scissors or rotary cutter and mat
pins
tailor's chalk
tape measure
sewing machine
iron
thread

Figure A

Steps:

1. Measure your gadget (PDA, digital camera, cell phone, etc.). This pattern makes a swing that will hold electronic devices measuring 4-1/2 inches high by 2-1/2 inches wide by 3/4-inches deep or smaller. If your gadget is larger, simply adjust the pattern's proportions by adding the difference to both the length and width and depth.

2. Cut main fabric into a rectangle measuring 12-1/2 inches long by four inches wide (figure A).

Figure B

3. Cut lining fabric and interfacing into a rectangle of the same size.

4. Cut a strip of fabric two inches wide by seven inches long for the strap.

5. Put the glue side of the interfacing against the wrong side of the fabric and press firmly with an iron, following the interfacing manufacturer's directions on proper iron temperature and press time (figure B). Medium-weight interfacing works best.

Figure C

6. Make strap by placing the strip of cut fabric into the wide end of a bias-tape maker and pulling it through to the short end, pressing the fabric with a hot iron as it's pulled through. Take this one inch wide strip and fold it in half, creating a strap that is 1/2-inch wide (figure C).

Figure D

7. Sew along both edges of the fabric (figure D).

8. Cut 1-1/2 inches off the strap. This piece will be used to hold the D-ring that the strap attaches to on the side of the bag.

Figure E

9. Attach the swivel hook by inserting strap into the ring of the hook. Fold the edge of the fabric under 1/2-inch, then fold by 1/2-inch again. Sew across fold (figure E).

Figure F

10. Fold lining, right sides together, in half lengthwise and press with an iron and pin together. Sew side seams only using 1/4-inch seam allowance, leaving a two-inch hole on one side (figure F).

Figure G

11. Slip the small piece of strapping through the dee ring and sew this piece onto the right side of the main fabric, one-inch down from the top edge so the ring and tab are facing inward. Sew the strap with swivel hook to the bottom edge of the fabric, one-inch from the edge (figure G).

12. Fold the main fabric in half lengthwise and pin. Sew side seams using 1/4-inch seam allowance. Press open seam and clip corners.

13. Turn bag right side out and press. Tip: Chopsticks make great tools for poking out the corners of the bag.

14. Slip bag, right-side-out, into the wrong-side-out lining. Align side seams and pin into place. Sew the two pieces together across the top, using a 1/2-inch seam allowance.

15. Trim 1/4-inch off the top and flip the bag through the two-inch hole in the lining. Press under seam allowance in the lining and sew this seam close to the edge (figure H). Push lining in bag and press (figure I).

Figure H

Figure I

Figure J

16. Position snap in the middle of the bag, 1/4-inch down from the top. Snap may be either the post or prong type. Secure snap to bag according to manufacturer's instructions (figure J).