DIY Sunglasses Case Sewing Free Pattern & Tutorial
Materials
Fabric:
9” x 8¼” (23x21cm) - Exterior: Cotton fabric, vinyl, faux leather or cork fabric.
9” x 8¼” (23x21cm) - Lining: Cotton fabric.
Interfacing:
9” x 8¼” (23x21cm) - Foam/fusible fleece/quilt batting interfacing: By Annie’s Soft & Stable, Pellon Flex Foam, Bosal In-R-Form, Fusible Fleece, Pellon TP971F Fusible Thermolam, quilt batting or similar. You can use pretty much whichever batting scrap you have on hand, just choose a batting with a bit of loft and stability - to protect your glasses better.
(9” x 8¼” (23x21cm) Fusible web: Heat n’ Bond Lite, Vliesofix Bondaweb or similar, the kind you use for appliqué.
Recommended only if working with cotton exterior and non-fusible foam/interfacing. Not necessary.)
Notions:
1 - #3 Zipper 25” (63cm) (or longer): Should match the exterior fabric. #5 zippers can be used but the bottom will be bulkier.
Double sided quilting/sewing tape: I recommend this but it’s not necessary.
Rotary cutter, cutting mat and ruler.
Non-permanent marker: For making temporary marks, that can be removed with water, heat or similar.
Fabric clips.
1. Preparations
When working with cotton and fusible interfacing, before cutting your pieces: Press all cotton fabric on the cotton setting of your iron with steam, to pre-shrink the fabric. This is to prevent shrinkage and that
undesirable crinkling when we fuse the interfacing.
Cut 1 rectangle, 9” x 8¼” (23x21cm) (height x width) from the exterior, lining and interfacing respectively.
Print the template from your computer, not a tablet or cell (they shrink to fit the paper and the template will be the wrong size), and make sure your printer is set to not scale the document but to print at 100% so that the template will be the correct size. Test by measuring the 1” square.
DOWNLOAD PDF PATTERN
Cut out the template and use it to shape all pieces on the top short side, do NOT cut your fabric down to template size. It’s only to be used for rounding the corners so you get the shape in the photo.
2. Quilting or fusing interfacing to exterior
Fuse your interfacing to your exterior piece if using fusible interfacing. If you don’t wish to quilt your exterior but have non-fusible interfacing and cotton fabric exterior, you can use a fusible web to bond the two together. I really like the crisp feeling the web gives, so I often use it no matter if I’m quilting or not when working with cotton.
Quilt your interfacing and exterior fabric together if desired. I chose to quilt simple diagonal lines using painters tape as a guide*. This is otherwise a great little piece to practice your free motion quilting on or
trying out your machine's decorative stitches.
3. Separate your zipper
If it’s not zipper by the yard but a closed end one, cut off the stoppers in both ends, pull off the zipper pull and then separate it.
4. Zipper installation
Place your exterior right side up. Take one of your zipper tape pieces (you will only use the one so you might as well make a case for a friend too while you’re at it ;) ) and place it right side down on top of your exterior fabric. Starting at one long side, leave at least ½” (1cm) sticking out at the bottom.
I attach the zipper with double sided tape, but if you don’t have any, use clips like in the photo. Place your lining on top, right side down and with double sided tape or clips, hold your three layers in place.
Sew down the zipper with a ¼” (0.5cm) seam allowance (if using a #5 zipper, increase your seam allowance to about ⅜” (a scant 1cm)), leaving the short bottom end open.
Do not cut off the zipper ends sticking out!
5. Trim the curved sections of the seam allowance using pinking shears if you have a pair but if not, cut little “V” shapes into the curved sections of the seam allowances (if you’re using a wide zipper and it’s not laying flat after turning, let the cuts go into the zipper tape to help it lay flat) on the exterior and the lining fabric around the curved part to make the curve smoother when turning.
Turn your case right side out, press if your fabric allows and topstitch the zipper in place with a ⅛”-¼” (2-5mm) seam allowance, all the way around the zipper.
6. Time to put the zipper pull back on. Now don’t panic, this isn’t all that tricky! Place your zipper ends together with the right side of the case out, clip together so it stays in place. If you managed to get the parts of your zipper sticking out completely even, it will be easier if you shorten one side ¼” (0.5cm).
Ensure both sides of the fabric are completely even, then place the pull onto the long side first, and then slide it onto the shorter side till you hear a little “click”. Push the whole thing flat to the table, place your fingers like I have mine in the photo at the bottom of the zipper tape and pull it on. Piece of cake! I also show this in the YouTube video for this pattern, if you find it difficult.
7. Finishing the case
Turn your case the wrong side out. This is easiest if you unzip the top and hold the bottom of the zipper closed while turning (taking care to not allow the zipper pull to fall off!).
Place your sunglasses (or what you plan to use it for, pens, makeup brushes or similar), place them on your case and measure out about 1”-1 ½” (2.5-3.5cm) to each side of them (you don’t want your case too tight or it will be tricky to open and close it with your glasses in it).
Make a mark and cut off the excess fabric from the bottom if any, taking care to leave ¼” (0.5cm) seam allowance.
8. Make sure the zipper is pushed out evenly to the edge and clip the bottom closed.
Sew the end closed with a ¼” (0.5cm) seam allowance, using a short stitch length. I don’t like leaving raw seams, but if we cover it up with bias tape or similar, it will get very bulky once you turn it.
Cut off a little bit of the corners to make it neater when you turn. Close the raw seam with a tight zigzag stitch and turn your case.
All done and well done!
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