Kids Car Activity Bag

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• 1/2 yd Outdoor Fabric (for exterior, fabric A)
• 1/2 yd Outdoor Fabric (for interior, fabric B)
• 1/4 yd clear vinyl
• 1/4 yd Mesh
• 4 pkg 12 yds.5 Double Fold Bias Tape
• 10" Zipper
• 40" Zipper
• 1/4" x 6" Elastic
• 3 yds 1" Woven Strapping
• 1" Parachute Buckle
• 1" Strap Adjusters (3)
• 22" x 30" 3 ply Matboard Sheet
• Basic Sewing Supplies
• Sewing Machine
• Coordinating Thread

DIRECTIONS:

1. FRONT POCKET:
• Cut one 9" square from clear vinyl.
• Top stitch bias tape along one edge.
• Cut one 9" x 1 1/4" strip from fabric A.
• Sew along opposite edge.
• Fold back and top stitch in place.
• Cut two template A.
• Stitch A along the side marked with dots on opposing sides of vinyl, fold back and top stitch in place.
• With right sides up, place front pocket on one piece of template b cut from fabric a, baste in place.


2. BAG BACK:
• Cut two 18" lengths of woven strapping.
• Top stitch in place on one piece cut from template B, fabric A, using guides on template B.


3. INSIDE SLEEVE:
• Cut one template C from clear vinyl.
• Top stitch bias tape along straight edge.
• Baste sleeve to one template b cut from fabric B.


4. INSIDE STORAGE POCKETS:
• Cut one 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" rectangle from mesh.
• Shorted 10" zipper to 8 1/2" by bar tacking across excess zipper and cutting to length.
• Top stitch single folded edge of bias tape along both sides of zipper.
• Along one length of the bias tape attached to the zipper, pin one side of the 8 1/2" length of mesh in between the two folded edges of bias tape. Top stitch in place.
• Cut one 8 1/2" piece of bias tape and tuck opposite side of mesh rectangle between the two folded edges of bias tape. Top stitch in place.
• Cut two 6.5" pieces of bias tape.
• Fold 1/4" under on both ends of the bias tape strips and tuck raw edges of zipper and mesh rectangle in between the folded lengths of bias tape. Top stitch in place.
• Repeat on remaining unfinished edge of mesh rectangle.
• Cut one 5" x 6" piece of mesh. Cut two 5" pieces of bias tape.
• Tuck the 5" edge of mesh between the folded edges of bias tape and top stitch in place. Repeat along opposite side.
• Cut two 6 1/2" pieces of bias tape, turn under 1/4" on edge cut edge. Tuck the 6" edge of mesh and top stitch in place, repeat along opposite side.
• Pin mesh pocket and zipper pouch in place using guide on template b on one template B cut from fabric B.
• Top stich all 4 sides of zipper pouch and along sides and bottom of pocket.


5. BAG BOTTOM:
• Cut one 14" x 3" rectangle from fabric a and one from fabric B.
• Layer bag back (fabric a with strapping attached) and bag inside (fabric B with storage pockets attached).
• Pin one piece of bag bottom to each 14" length of bag back, right sides together, matching fabric A to fabric A and fabric B to fabric B. Stitch together.
• Turn bag bottom out and top stitch along seam.
• Layer bag front (fabric a with vinyl pocket) and bag inside (fabric B with vinyl sleeve attached). Pin 14" length of bag bottom fabric b to 14" side bag inside, right sides together. Stitch in place.
• Fold 1/4" under on bag bottom fabric A and pin in place covering raw edges of the seam just sewn.
• Topstitch in place.


6. SIDE SUPPORTS:
• Cut two template D from fabric B.
• Fold in half along marked line, right sides together.
• Stitch along raw edges parallel to fold.
• Turn right side out and press fold. Baste to bag back where marked.
• Baste second raw edge of side supports to bag front, lining up the bottom of the support to the seam connecting the bag front to the bottom of the bag.


7. SHOULDER STRAPS:
• Cut four template E from fabric A.
• Cut two 4" strips of strapping.
• Feed strapping through adjuster, fold strapping in half and pin to right side of bottom edge of shoulder strap and tack in place.
• Place second fabric shoulder strap on top, right side together and strapping between fabric.
• Sew three sides of shoulder strap, leaving top open for turning. Turn right side out, press, and top stitch along seams.
• Baste in place where marked on template B.
• Repeat for second shoulder strap.
• Water bottle holder: Cut two 6" x 9" rectangle from mesh.
• Cut one 9" length of bias tape.
• Tuck 9" edge of mesh between folds of bias tape.
• Cut a 6" length of 1/4" elastic and run through bias tape casing just created.


8. ZIPPER GUSSET:
• SEE DIAGRAM 1.
• Cut (2) 36" x 2 3/4" strips from fabric a. Shorted 40" zipper to 36."
• Pin water bottle holder to one of the fabric strips so that the bottom of the water bottle holder is 3" in from the bottom of the strip.
• Pin zipper between fabric strips, right sides together. Sew in place.
• Turn fabric strips right side out and lay bottle holder across the strips to the left with the zipper to the right, top stitch along folded edge of fabric.
• Baste raw edges of fabric strips together and pocket in place along open edge.
• Gather bottom of water bottle pouch to fit the span of fabric strips and top stitch in place.
• Top stitch bias tape to short edges of gusset, covering raw ends of zipper.
• Cut (1) 5" piece of strapping and feed through one end of parachute buckle, lining up ends.
• Sew 4" to the left of center on the zipper gusset. Cut one 26" length of belting and feed through one strap adjuster and then through the opposite end of the parachute buckle and back through the adjuster.
• Sew end of belting passed through the adjust back onto itself to secure in place.
• Sew loose end of belting 4" to the right of center on the zipper gusset.
• Find top center of bag back and center of zipper gusset. Beginning in center, pin gusset to inside fabric only along the top of the bag and curved corners.
• Pin gusset and both inside and outside fabrics along both sides. Sew gusset to bag back. The gusset will extend 3" past each side of the bag back.
• Repeat this step to the front of the bag and the zipper edge of the zipper gusset, leaving the top of the bag front and the curved corners open.
• Cut (4) template f from mat board. Slide (2) into the top opening of the bag back and 2 into the opening of the bag front. Top stitch openings closed.
• Using bias tape, cover raw edges of seams around the bag front, back, and sides of bag bottom, hand stitch in place.
• Tuck ends of zipper gusset inside bag, under the side supports. Feed strapping attached to bag back through adjusters on shoulder straps.