Easy and fun to make ITH Kitty Bags are a hit with the kids and cat lovers alike! Two hoopings are required to make the bag, but the design is presented all in one file, so please read the instructions to know when you should re-hoop.
This project requires two hoopings. The first hooping is to stitch the ears. After they are complete you will re-hoop a new sheet of stabilizer to complete the project.
Step 1:
Cut fabrics, lining and fusible knit interfacing per the materials list above.
Step 2:
Press all fabrics with Magic Sizing® and press the fusible knit interfacing to the back of the outside fabrics. There is no fusible interfacing applied to the two 3” x 7” rectangles for the ears.
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Step 3:
Tautly hoop no show stabilizer. Run color stop (CS) 1 as placement lines for the ears. This can be stitched in a color to match your fabric. A brighter thread was used in these pictures to enable you to see it better.
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Step 4:
Spray adhesive on the wrong side of a 3” x 7” of outside fabric ear rectangle. Position it over both ear placement lines having at least ½” of fabric below the placement lines.
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Step 5:
Run CS 2 to tack down the ear fabric. Run CS 3 in Pink Carnation (1108) for the insides of the ears.
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Step 6:
Place the second 3” x 7” ear rectangle right side down over the ears. Run CS 4 to seam the fabrics together.
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Step 7:
Remove the project from the hoop. Trim approximately ¼” around the top and the sides of the ears, trim approximately ½” below the stitching across the bottom of the ears. Clip the seam allowances around the curves of the ears.
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Step 8:
Turn the ears right side out, press and set aside for later.
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Step 9:
Tautly hoop new no show stabilizer in your hoop. Run CS 5 as an outline of the design and placement line for the zipper.
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Step 10:
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Lay the zipper right side up over the placement lines. Have both ends of the zipper extend well beyond the outlines of the design. Tape in place in the center as well outside the outline of the design.
Step 11:
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Run CS 6 to tack down the zipper. Remove the tape from the center of the zipper.
Step 12:
Remove the hoop from the machine, do not unhoop. Place the outside top fabric, right side down, along the upper edge of the zipper, tape the sides in place. Since this project sits vertically in the hoop the top of the design is towards the left hand side of the hoop. Turn the hoop face down on a flat surface. Tape the lining fabric, right side down, to the top edge of the zipper. Run CS 7 to seam the fabrics to the zipper
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Step 13:
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Remove the hoop from the machine, do not unhoop. Remove the tape from the outer fabric, spray the wrong side with adhesive and smooth towards the left side of the hoop. Turn the hoop over, remove the tape from the lining, spray with adhesive and smooth towards the left side of the hoop. Run CS 8 to top stitch the bag top.
Step 14:
Remove the hoop from the machine, do not unhoop. Place the 7” edge of the outside bottom fabric along the right edge of the zipper and tape it into place. Turn the hoop face down. Align the 7” edge of the lining fabric, right side down, along the back edge of the zipper and tape in place. Return the hoop to the machine and run CS 9 to seam the fabric together.
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Step 15:
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Remove the tape from the front fabric, spray with adhesive and smooth over the front of the outline. Do not remove the tape nor bring down the lining fabric at this point.
Step 16:
Run CS 10 in Emerald Black and CS 11 in Pink Carnation to stitch the face ( For ITHB03 there is also a 3rd color used in the face, use white thread for the eye highlight). Then remove the hoop from the machine, remove the tape from the lining. Spray adhesive on the wrong side of the lining and smooth it down over the front face fabric.
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Step 17:
Run CS 12 to top stitch the lower face fabrics. Run CS 13 as placement lines for the ears and ribbon.
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Step 18:
Align the bottom of the pink embroidery on the ears along the ear placement lines and tape in place right over the placement lines. Fold the ribbon in half and position the raw edges of the ribbon about ½” above the placement line. Run CS 14 to tack down the ears and the ribbon. Remove all of the tape.
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Step 19:
IMPORTANT: Open the zipper about three quarters way across the project. If you fail to do this now you will not be able to turn the project the right side out.
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Step 20:
Lay the outer fabric, right side down, over the front of the project. Tape into place and then run CS 15 to seam it to the project.
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Step 21:
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Remove the hoop from the machine, do not unhoop. Place the lining fabric, right side down, over the back of the hoop and tape into place.
Step 22:
Return the hoop to the machine and run CS 16 as the final seam on the project, which will leave and opening at the bottom of the kitty face for turning.
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Step 23:
There is one more color stop at the end of the project CS 17. Do not run this CS – it is just there to prevent the needle from coming back to the center of the project. Simply remove the hoop from the machine at this point and remove it from the hoop.
Step 24:
Trim the project with a ¼” seam allowance except over the opening. Leave about ½” seam allowance over the opening. Clip the seam allowance all around the curves.
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Step 25:
Fold the ½” seam allowances of the lining fabric to one side. Clip the outer fabric and stabilizer ½” seam allowances close to the stitching to reduce bulk.
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Step 26:
Turn the bag out through the lining. The bag will now be lining side out.
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Step 27:
Turn in the lining seam allowances using the stitching on one as a guide and slip stitch closed. This does not have to be too neat as the stitches will not be visible again.
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Step 28:
Remove the stabilizer behind the zipper with a seam ripper or small scissors using care to not clip the fabrics.
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Step 29:
Open the zipper the rest of the way and turn the project right side out through the zipper.
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Step 30:
Press the project with a steam iron.
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Step 31:
Congratulations your ITH Kitty Bag is done. Make all three for your little ones to have a place keep their favorite things.
Award winning Digitizer, Embroidery Educator, Author and a Consultant to the Industry, Pat Williams has 30 years of experience in the embroidery industry. Pat has won multiple awards for her digitizing expertise including the 2007 Impressions Awards Grand Championship, Best of Show as well as the 1st and 2nd Place Awards. Pat’s love of digitizing has afforded her the opportunity to write numerous articles for Impressions magazine in the United States and Images Magazine in Europe. In 2001 Pat was named “Embroidery Educator of the Year.” For many years Pat taught digitizing seminars at the ISS Shows in Long Beach, CA and for Compucon software. She now resides in Tucson, AZ.
