Stella Sewalong Day 7: Interior Construction and Finishing

LAST DAY! Hooray! Easiest day.

We are basically repeating everything from yesterday but with the lining.

* If you want to do an interior zipper pocket, then do that now.
Follow the same instructions as in this YouTube video
but make your rectangle 8" x 1/2" and 2.5" from the top of the interior main panel*

Take the two top panels and place them right sides together.

Pin the straight sides (not the round side).

Measure and mark 1" from each end (or 2" if you're using a 22" zipper).

Sew along straight end with 1/2" seam allowance. 

Remember sew with a regular stitch for the first 1", backstitch, change to a

basting stitch.  Baste until you reach your next 1" mark, change stitch back to regular length, backstitch and finish sewing to the end.

Press your seam open. 

Seam rip the basting stitches leaving each 1" end in tact.

It will look like this.

Take your bottom piece and top panels. Alight one short side if the top panel with a short side of the bottom piece right sides together. Stitch at 1/2" SA.

Repeat for other end. 

Creating your loop.

Press the seam allowances toward the bottom piece.

Stitch seam allowance down 1/4" away from seam. 

Repeat for the other side.

Ta-da!

Once again, match seams and mark the four centers-two at the top and two at the bottom.

Grab an interior main panel. Fold it in half, mark the centers on the fold.

Align your top center mark of the main panel with one of the top panel centers. Pin together. Making sure you are working on the same side of the loop, pin together the bottom center of the main panel with the bottom center of the loop. 

Continue to pin the loop around the rest of the main panel.

Sew together with 1/2" seam allowance.  Trim/clip corners if necessary.  

Repeat for other interior main panel and the other side of your loop.

What it will look like.

*I did not add the stiff bottom ( I like softer bags, just my preference).

but here's what you do.

1.  Stack the two stiff bottoms on top of each other, non fusible sides together. 

2.  Baste the pieces together along all four sides.

3.  Place pieces into the bottom of the exterior bag.

4.  Insert the interior bag, wrong side out (see pic below) into the exterior bag.

5.  Place hot iron into the bag, pressing well, adhering the stabilizer to the lining.

6.  Pull the iron out, flip the bag over and press the exterior bottom of the bag to adhere the stabilizer to the exterior.  

How to insert your interior. 

Last step! Sewing the lining to the exterior.

Line up the  side of the interior to the side of the exterior.  Make sure the interior raw edge is folded in (crease caused by removing the basting stitches.  Pin the interior to the exterior along the zipper. 

We will be following our previous zipper stitching.  Careful note to ensure the lining edge is covering the exterior zipper stitching .

My lining is covering the stitching but not hitting the zipper teeth.

 Pin extra well along both sides of the zipper.

Remove your machine's free arm, slide the bag on the machine getting as close to the zipper end as possible.  Follow the previous stitching and sew down one side to the other end of the zipper.

Repeat for the other size of the zipper.

You're done!  That's it!  Enjoy your new Stella Weekender!