Stabilizer – you can use either water soluble Vilene or regular tear-away. The nice thing about using Vilene is that you can wash away all traces of stabilizer once you’re finished for a much neater look.
Small amount of fabric for the bag
Nylon zipper with a plastic coil (do not use a metal zipper) at least 6” long
Hoop a piece of tear-away stabilizer and then place hoop on machine. Color 1 embroiders the zipper placement lines (photo below).
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Step 2:
Remove hoop from machine. Spray light mist of temp spray adhesive over placement area. Please remember to do this away from your work area and machine. Place closed zip face up over the placement lines so that the coil is on top of the center line (see photo below).
(Click Image to Enlarge)
Step 3:
Also center the zipper in the hoop so that the metal pull and other end of zipper lie outside the stitching area (see photo below) and make sure the pull is at the bottom of the hoop. The zipper pull open end must be at the bottom and the zip end at the top. Embroider Color 2, stitches the zipper into place.
(Click Image to Enlarge)
Step 4:
Place folded fabric pieces to the left and right of zipper. Making sure the fabric edges overlap the top and bottom borders of your zipper placement lines. Secure in place with a little temp adhesive spray. Color 3 attaches the left piece of fabric to the hooped stabilizer. Color 4 attaches the right piece of fabric to the hooped stabilizer.
Step 5:
Color 5 stitches the decorative stitching on fabric. Next follow color chart for design you are doing. Next gently open the zipper as far as it will go down. Please make sure the zipper is not in the center as if your machine goes back to the center start when finished it will hit the zipper and break your needle.
(Click Image to Enlarge)
Step 6:
Place your piece of backing fabric on top of the design, with the wrong side facing up.
(Click Image to Enlarge)
Step 7:
Now embroider the last color which attaches the back and front together.
(Click Image to Enlarge)
Step 8:
Remove the case from the hoop and trim around the stitched outline. The excess zipper is also trimmed away.
(Click Image to Enlarge)
Step 9:
Remove the stabilizer piece covering the zipper. Zip zipper part closed. Leave partly open so you can turn the bag once the bottom is sewn closed. Now open bottom of bag and line up side seams and pin.
Hi! I am Bonnie, I was born in West Virginia, but raised in Cleveland Ohio. Graphics digitizer, commercial embroiderer & business owner. After living from Maine to Alaska in the Navy, we have settled in the country, so I have space for my three rescued alpacas. I began sewing at the age of 7, never learned to use a pattern so nearly failed home economics in junior high! For over 22 years I designed and created porcelain dolls and their costumes, ranging from antique reproductions to modern style dolls. I also sculpted several of my own dolls and taught classes.
I have been married almost 26 years now! We have two sons. Both boys, Daniel 23 and Jason 21, were home schooled and are currently attending college. My husband and I are active in our church and mission programs as he currently chairs a partnership of churches working in West Africa. We have also trained and led young adult mission teams working in Peru the past seven years. My family is an active supporter of the local Boy Scout troops, having raised two Eagle scouts.
I occasionally travel out of the country with my husband while he goes to meet with other governments. While he works I get to see all the sites and museums :0) We have been to Germany, United Kingdom, Netherlands and Africa. I am looking forward to Sweden this spring.
My digitizing “career” actually began 7 years ago when I purchased a home embroidery machine and software package. I self learned the software as I found out after they had no one that really new anything about the software they were selling so I became proficient in a very short time and the local store asked me to teach classes. This went on for a few years while I expanded my knowledge of the industry and determined it was time to obtain a commercial machine and software package and in doing so I started my embroidery business. I do custom embroidery for local businesses and home embroiderer’s and digitize for Designsbysick.com. I enjoy working with Shawn and Linda as I am able to be more creative with my digitizing and expand on my ideas. My husband supported this “business” change, as I sold my doll business and “focused” on embroidery, but he does think sometimes that he has lost me to the computer!