When traveling, sometimes your luggage can really get knocked around. This could result on knicks or scratches on your nice suitcase. Or, if you’ve got that standard, “little black suitcase” you may have a hard time finding yours in a carosel full of little black suitcases. You can make this simple suitcase sleeve out of resiliant neoprene that will give character to your bag while protecting it from the elements.
Janome Supplies Required
Janome Supplie Required:
- Walking Foot / Standard AcuFeed Foot / Wide AccuFeed Flex Foot
- Red Tip Needles
Fabric and Notions Required
Fabrics and Notions Required:
- Rotary cutter, ruler, and rotary cutting mat
- Thread
- Fabric – Determine how much fabric you will need by measuring your suitcase. Measure from top to bottom of the suitcase, not including wheels, then measure around the circumference of the suitcase. Then subtract 5 inches from the height of the suitcase. You will then need a piece of Neoprene that size. I.e. my suitcase was 26 inches tall and 52 inches around, I cut my neoprene 21 inches by 52 inches. The Neoprene was only 48 inches wide so I needed at least 1 2/3 yard.
Instructions
Sewing Instructions:
- If you wish to embellish or applique a design on your cover do this while your neoprene is flat. This will make your suitcase easy to identify and also protect the case against damage.
- You will be making a seam joining the short side of the neoprene leaving an opening for the side handle.
- Measure how far down you will need to stitch, measure the opening you will need to leave open for the handle and pin or mark where you will need to resume sewing below the handle.
- If your machine has a seam guide set it at one inch.
- You will make a seam down to the handle mark, back stitch using a stretch stitch to secure the seam to the handle opening.
- Resume stitching at the mark on the other side of handle opening at the second mark, being sure to backstitch to secure that stitching.
- Unfortunately you can NOT press this seam open (neoprene doesn’t press it melts) fold the seam open and using a three step zigzag stitch along the raw edge to hold it down.
- Turn down one inch on the remaining raw edges and stitch with the three step zigzag.
- It is now ready to be stretched over your suitcase!