Travel Cosmetics Bag Tutorial (featured guest blogger)

I am so excited to be guest posting today here at Everyday Mom Ideas.  I just recently found this blog and fell in love instantly.  I think one of the main reasons is because it is closely related to what I write about on my blog Small Fry & Co. (accept I don't have all the fabulous digital scrapbooking ideas).

 I am a stay at home mother of two girls (19 months apart).  I love to cook, sew, craft and garden besides taking care of my family.  I started blogging as a creative outlet for myself and it has just become a deep passion and actually a great source of encouragement and inspiration for me and hopefully for others.  My blog covers a wide variety of things (I try and keep my life pretty well rounded-doing a lot of different things) including crafts, recipes, motherhood moments, card making and sewing.  Here is a little sample of ideas you will find in my neck of the woods:

Baby ideas like this Binkie Bag

and this carry-all change pad

 Household Decorating Ideas like these Firecrackers

 Tons of do-it-yourself projects like this checkbook cover

 Today I wanted to share with you a tutorial on how to make this (a travel cosmetics bag)

 from these (a placemat and matching dish towel). 

 For this project you will need:
1 placemat 18x13 (I found mine at K-mart and they had some really cute ones)
1 dish towel (I think they just come in a standard size-you will want it larger than the placemat)
2 pieces of elastic (about 3-4 inches long)
1. To begin cut your dish towel into two pieces (13 1/4x8").  You can leave the hemmed part on the towel-this just gives you one less seam to sew.

 2. Turn your pocket piece over and hem to 7x12 3/4".  On the sides where I had cut I rolled my hem twice-this gives a nice finished edge inside.  The amount you hem on each side will depend on how you have cut your towel pieces and how many pre-sewn edges you have.

 3.  If there is not already a sewn edge on the long edge of the pocket piece then you will want to create a top hem by sewing 1/4" seam across one long side.

 4.  Now place your pocket piece on your placemat (the side you want to the inside of your bag), matching up the top hemmed edge with a short side of the placemat...

 like this.  The pockets will open to the outside edges.  All the other edges will be sewn down.  Pin the pockets in place but don't sew yet.

 5.  I make my handle pieces next.  To make these, cut two more pieces from your placemat 9x3".

 6.  To form the handle press the handle piece in half, wrong sides together.

 Open it up and press one side in to meet the center crease.  Repeat with the other side.

 Now fold the entire piece in half again. 

 7.  Because your handles are not going to be tucked into anything you will want them to have a nice finished bottom.  Open your handle piece back up, fold in a 1/4" on each end and then refold.  You can do this before as well, I just like having all my fold lines first.

 The end should look like this.

 8.  Sew along both sides of each handle piece like this:

 9.  Place your handle pieces.  You will have the handle come in 4" from each side.  Pin these in place.

 10.  You will also want to add something to hold the top of the cosmetics bag together.  I added a ribbon tie.  To do this cut 2 pieces of ribbon at least 10" long (each).  Fold one end under twice and pin in between the two sides of the handle.

 11.  Now sew all these pieces in place.  After you have sewn these down, sew around the 3 sides of the pocket that you pinned previously. 

 12.  Next determine the size of each carry compartment.  Find some general bathroom items that you might carry in your cosmetics bag and lay them out like this:

 13.  Mark where you will want each compartment to be with a pin.  If you feel like you can eyeball it, then sew a line down from each pin to the bottom of the large pocket to form your compartments.  If you need a guide draw a line with a chalk pencil or a washable marker and sew over it. 

 14.  Lastly you can add a some holders to carry a curling or straightening iron in the center of your bag.  To do this cut two pieces of elastic (mine were 3 1/2".  It will depend on the what you are putting in the middle.  You may need your pieces a bit longer or shorter.)

 15.  Pin your elastic pieces in the middle between the two large pockets.  Check the placement of the elastic with the item you will want to carry.  You want to have the elastic be snug enough to hold your curling or straightening iron in place but also make it easy to get in and out.

 16.  Stitch over the ends of the elastic.

 17.  Fill your compartments and add your curling or straightening iron to the middle...

 Fold in half and tie.  DONE!!!!

Thanks for having me today.  Hope you enjoy!! Happy sewing!!