There are 2 things a girl can never have enough of, friends and shoes. Why not be a great friend and make those girls a travel bag to tuck those shoes into. Not just a drawstring bag, but one that is super cute by adding an appliqued high heel shoe with HeatnBond Lite Fusible Adhesive.

Sew a Stylish Travel Shoe Bag with HeatnBond Lite

Carla here from Creatin’ in the Sticks and when I pack to travel, I’m always tucking my shoes into the bottom of my bag with the soles down, so they won’t touch the rest of my clothes. By putting my shoes in this bag, there are no worries about street dirt getting on my clothes and my friends all want it when they see it. This bag is made with 2 fat quarters and is so sweet in Windham fabric’s Meriwether. I want to make one in every color of the collection.

Travel Shoe Bag with HeatnBond Lite

by Carla at Creatin’ in the Sticks

Finished size: 10” x 15” (about the size of a shoe box)

Supplies:

Pattern – download here

HeatnBond Lite Fusible Adhesive

HeatnBond Non-Woven Fusible Interfacing – Light Weight

white cotton fabric-6 ½” x 6 ½” square

black cotton fabric- 6 ½” x 6 ½” square

2 fat quarters – Windham fabric’s Meriwether

Aurifil thread: 50wt #2692, #5006

2 pieces of narrow cording for drawstring – each 40”

Iron, sewing machine, sharp scissors, permanent marker, safety pin, and other basic sewing supplies

Instructions:

Step 1 – Cutting:

HeatnBond Non-Woven Fusible Interfacing – Light Weight 1 – 6 1/2″ x 6 1/2″

For the exterior of the bag cut one fat quarter according to the following diagram.

A – 10 ½” x 15 ½”

B (2) – 2 ½” x 15 ½”

C (2) 5” x 6 ½”

White fabric: D – 6 ½” x 6 ½”

Black fabric: E – 6 ½” x 6 ½”

For lining of bag and casing cut one fat quarter according to the following diagram.

F (2) – 10 ½” x 15 ½”

G (2) – 2” x 10 ½”

Step 2 – Prepare the shoe applique

Fuse the HeatnBond non-woven fusible interfacing to the wrong side of the white square of fabric. The interfacing will stabilize the fabric for applique. Next, trace the shoe parts on the paper side of HeatnBond Lite with a permanent marker. Cut around the shoe pieces, leaving a 1/4″ around the outside of the marked line. The next step is to fuse the pieces to fabrics. Fuse #1 and #3 to the wrong side of the black fabric following the package instructions. After the black pieces are finished, fuse #2 to the wrong side of the scrap reserved from cutting the exterior pieces.

Cut all the pieces out on the dark line of the patterns. Now it’s time to peel the backing paper off the back of the applique pieces and place them, adhesive side down, on the center of the right side of the white square of fabric using the key as a guide. Finally, use an iron to bond all the pieces at once to the white fabric following the manufacturer’s instructions.

The last step is to stitch around the edges of the shoe with Aurifil 50 wt. thread with a zigzag, straight, or blanket stitch.

Step 3

Place the pieces for the front of the exterior of the bag out as pictured with B, C, and shoe block as pictured.

Stitch the pieces together with 1/4″ seams as they are laid out. Stitch the C rectangles to the top and bottom of the shoe block. Once the middle unit is stitched, sew the outside B rectangles to the middle unit and press.

Step 4

Prepare the casings (G) by hemming the short ends of both 2″ x 10 1/2″ pieces. Make the hems by turning 1/4″ to the wrong side, press, and then fold 1/4″ again and press.

Do this to all four ends and then stitch the hems in place. Now, fold the strips in half lengthwise with wrong sides together and press. Pin both of the casing pieces to the top, right sides of the exterior pieces (A and the shoe unit).

Machine baste 1/8″ from the raw edges being careful to catch all the raw edges. Next, stitch the front exterior to the back exterior (A), with right sides together and a 1/4″ seam. Stitch the sides and bottom, leaving the top open.

Step 5

Pin the lining pieces (F) together around the sides and bottom with the right sides together. Stitch with a 1/4″ seam leaving a 4″ opening in the bottom for turning later.

After the seam is sewn, turn the lining right side out and slide it into the exterior of the bag with the right sides together.

Pin around the top of the bag, matching the side seams. The casings are sandwiched between the lining and the exterior of the bag. Now stitch the 1/4″ seam around the top of the bag.

Turn the bag right side out through the opening in the lining.

Press the opening and stitch it closed. Finally, tuck the lining into the exterior of the bag, press, and pin around the top of the shoe bag. Top stitch around the top of the shoe bag.

Step 6

The last step is to cut 2 pieces of cording 40″ long and attach a safety pin to each one. String the cords through both casings with the ends on opposite sides of the bag. Knot the ends of both cords to form the drawstrings.