Monday, September 10, 2012

Travel Lingerie {Undies} Bag

I’m back!  We enjoyed our trip to Arizona but it’s definitely good to be home. I’m also excited to spend time with females.  If I never hear another Super Troopers quote, fart joke, or Fantasty Football stat again, it will be too soon.  We’ll share some of our vacation favorites with you later this week or next.

Today I’m going to share with you one of my favorite recent creations…a travel undies bag.

travellingeriebag

My brother asked me what I was making.  I told him I needed a bag to hold my underwear in my suitcase.  I hate when they get all mixed up.  I can never remember if they are clean or not.  They never stay in the pocket I put them in.  He didn’t understand. Nate didn’t understand either. (This is why I need more estrogen in my life.)  Am I the only one with this underwear problem? 

I can’t be.  Today I’m here to help.  This bag was super helpful on our trip.  We lived out of a suitcase and my suitcase ended up being a hot mess.  My underwear, however, were neatly confined to their cute little bag.

This bag contains a zipper but don’t let that scare you.  Zippers really aren’t a big deal.  I promise.  I think this bag took me about 45 minutes to make..and that was after I sewed something the wrong way.

You will need:

  • 1 zipper.  Any length.  See below.
  • 4 rectangles.  You can make them any size…probably depending on the size of your zipper.  My zipper was 18 inches so I went with four rectangles that measured 10”x20”.
    • The fabric I used is from the Salvation Army.  The grey stripes were a sheet and the coral floral was a torn table cloth.
  • Heat N’Bond
  • Fabric scraps for the “C” (clean) and “D” (dirty)

421pm

Your first steps depends on if you want to sew on your “C” and “D” or if you want to just iron them on (my choice).  If you want to sew them on, this would be the time to do that.

Place 1 rectangle of lining fabric right side up.  Place the zipper on top of that followed by a rectangle of outside fabric (right side down).

424pm

Sew along the top edge.  I’m horrible with seam allowances but just make sure you are sewing through the three layers. 

Place these two rectangles wrong sides together.

426pm

Next layer your fabric as you did previously (lining right side up, zipper, outside right side down).  Pay special attention to how I have the zipper placed.  If you turn the zipper, you will have liner on the outside.  Not that I would know.  Sew along the top edge.

430pm

Now it’s time to open the zipper a little.  This is an important step.  Don’t forget it or you won’t be able to flip your bag right side out and that would be sad.

433pm

Next place your outside fabric right sides together and your lining fabric right sides together…as shown below.

434pm

Sew around the perimeter of the bag leaving a small opening on one of the lining short sides.  You will use this opening to turn the bag right side out.  Turn bag right side out. 

437pm

Close the opening in the lining either by secret stitching or just sewing over the top.  I sewed over the top because it’s an underwear bag for myself.  I’m okay a few stitches showing on the inside.

Ooo, look.  It’s a bag.

438pm

Turn the bag right side out.  Find the center of your bag and sew to divide your bag into two halves.  I sewed over the same line 3 times.

440pm

This line will keep the dirty undies from the clean.  Very important.  I also sewed a small (about an inch) line at the top along the zipper.

444pm

442pm

Iron on your letters (I traced letters that I printed out and the used Heat N’Bond applied to my fabric.) and enjoy your fancy lingerie bag!

454pm

lingeriebag

travellingeriebag

Anyone else struggle with stray underwear?  Have you traveled recently? Any plans to travel soon? 

27 comments:

  1. I am going to Japan in October and this would be perfect. Besides keeping things organized it would be great to know TSA has not manhandled my undergarments.

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  2. This is such a great idea! We are taking a giant 2 week, lots of moving around and living out of a suitcase trip next fall, so I'm gonna need to have my panties together!

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  3. Isn't this the handiest thing ever? I applaud you for making your own. I was perfectly fine with my mother buying me mine for $10. Can't wait to see your vacation pics.

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  4. Awesome idea! I will be doing this!

    I also have an issue with undies when I travel. Not only do I have trouble remembering what's clean and dirty, but the thought of the dirty ones floating around with my clean clothes makes me feel slightly ill.

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  5. OMG brilliant! I just came back from vacation and had been saying to my friend while we were gone that someone needs to invent an underwear bag to keep in your suitcase to keep them contained. The last two suitcases I have bought haven't even come with little side pockets, so my undies just get mixed in with the general population.
    I love it!!!

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  6. WOW. I can't believe you made that!!! It looks so easy...but I'm sure I'd screw it up somewhere. You did great!

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  7. Sometimes I wonder if you mean to be so wholeheartedly endearing and adorable.. but I get the feeling it's just the real you. And I like you. And this bag. And the fact that you call them "undies". :)

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  8. I have the same problem! The reason the guys don't understand is because they don't mind wearing dirty undies... :)

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  9. I have the same problem while on vacation! I always end up using a plastic bag or the hotel room's laundry bag. :P Yours is way cuter...

    Hope you had a great time despite the lack of estrogen. :)

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  10. Hey Farva, what's the name of that restaurant you like with all the goofy shit on the walls and the mozzarella sticks?

    Farva: You mean Shenanigans?

    Nice bag.

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  11. I hate when my dirty undies get mixed up too! guess what, boys dont care because they dont care if they wear dirty undies sometimes! ewwwwww

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  12. Ths is genius. And I totally need one because this is an issue. And Ryan really needs one so I don't have to do all his laundry when he comes home. In other news, I think you may have girl time coming soon. Hurray!!

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    Replies
    1. Yay girl time!!!! Can't wait. : )

      Also? This bag is GENIUS. I never would have thought of it but I absolutely love it. And it's super cute.

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  13. This is a great idea. I just need to get me a sewing machine!

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  14. OMG! Seriously, absolutely LOVE this! Someone needs to sew one for me asap! I have lots more travel in the works and this is vital for ladies!

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  15. Hey what superb timing ~ I'm off the England (from France where I live) to visit with family on Thursday, so I'll be making the bag this afternoon ~ I've got loads of fabric remnants, and odd zippers, to use up, here I go. Thanks...

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  16. This is a great idea! We just got back from a road trip around France (http://annabelvita.com/2012/08/31/wild-swimming-in-france/) and for that trip we just had a big laundry bag on the back seat of the car, but this is ideal for trips where you're just traveling by suitcase. I love it.

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  17. This is so cute! I definitely need one of these. I always get them mixed up!

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  18. This is so clever. I need to go on more vacations so I have an excuse to use this. Sadly, zippers still scare me :(

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  19. this is amazing! you are definitely not the only one with undie issues, mine are always everywhere, i need this!!

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  20. Okay, this might just be the smartest thing I've seen in months. I always bring along a laundry bag but inevitably you forget to put dirty clothes inside and the suitcase is a messy nightmare. This is sooooo brilliant!

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  21. I can't/won't sew but got one of these ingenious bags as a bridesmaid gift one year. What, oh what did I do before it came into my life? Boys don't get it.
    Sew cute! har har ;)

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  22. That's a good idea! I usually end up stuffing all the dirty stuff in a plastic bag, but this seems a bit more organized...and much cuter!

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  23. OMG, this is brilliant!! Although, I'm terrified of zippers. Yikes! Etsy shop?!?! ;)

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  24. So handy! I, too, have an unfounded fear of zippers. I've never even tried sewing with a zipper... Maybe I should give it a shot with this tutorial. :-)

    Erin @ The Great Indoors

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  25. Thanks for this helpful tutorial. I used your instructions as a starting point for this gift for my sister:
    http://trinknitty.blogspot.com/2013/01/washwear-travel-lingerie-bag.html

    These bags are so useful!

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