Laundry bag with hanging loop by Emma G

A while ago, Emma sent off a laundry bag to a sailor recipient and he wondered if it was possible to add a hanging loop to the bags to make it easier for them to hang them on the ship. Emma came up with a tutorial for adding a hanging loop to our bags and has written a tutorial to share her idea. Adding hanging loops is now an optional extra you can add when you make a bag if you feel so inclined.  

And now the tutorial:

The laundry (dhobi a Navy term) bags issued to service personnel are either white (calico), plain blue or plain green which means they are easily mistaken for another’s bag. Aussie Hero Quilts Laundry Bags should be individual so they can be easily identifiable. Suggested fabrics are bright colours, checks, stripes, dots, novelties, etc. choose gender neutral fabric for bags that are not allocated to a recipient.

Fabric

Suitable fabrics to make a laundry bag include patchwork fabric, unlined curtaining, doona covers and cotton twill/ drill. Just remember that these bags will go through industrial washing machines and need to last, most will be used for many years by the recipients. Lining can be poly cotton, patchwork fabric, calico or anything similar, but the drawstring channel needs to be durable fabric, cotton twill/ drill, duck or canvas. All fabrics need to be pre-washed.

You will need

•            Main fabric for bag 81 x 56 cm x 2 (front and back) or 81 cm in length, by the width of the fabric (112cm wide fabric)

•            Lining fabric 81 x 56 cm x 2 or 81 cm long by the width of the fabric (112cm wide fabric)

•            10cm drawstring Channel to the width of the fabric (heavy duty fabric preferred)

•            10cm additional loop (22cm x 7 cm)

•            Scraps for Initials  square of calico for patch

•            1.3m of thick cord 5 - 7mm in white or black (no macrame cord)

•            AHQ logo tag

•            Vliesofix / double-sided fusible webbing

•            Matching machine-piecing thread

•            Matching machine-appliqué thread

•            Rotary cutter/scissors, ruler and mat

•            Overlocker and/ or Sewing machine

•            Iron/ ironing board

•            Large safety pin/ clip for drawstring pul through 

•            General haberdashery

FINISHED SIZE - Approximately 21 inches x 32 inches

 

Method

Applique the initials on the right side of the main fabric OR ensure there is a plain square for the recipient to write their initials.

Iron fabric flat, then pin the main fabric with right sides together, ensure you decide where you will place the AHQ tag prior to pinning fabric. Stitch the left, bottom and right sides together so only the top is open and unstitched.

 

Pin the lining fabric right sides together, stitch the right- and left-hand sides of the fabric together. With the bottom of the lining fabric ensure you leave a 10 cm opening (unstitched) for pulling through the bag later.

     

Turn the main fabric right side out, and keep the lining right side in. Slip the lining over the main fabric.

Use the top of the bag to measure the width for the cord channel. Fold and iron one end of the cord channel fabric, about half an inch and then over again. Stitch end down.

 

Place that ironed and stitched end at one of the seams of the LB (Leave 1 inch), fold the cord channel where it meets the other LB seam. With the cord channel end that has not been ironed, fold until it is even with the iron side, and press with the iron.

 

 

Once both ends are folded and stitched, iron the cord channel in half lengthways (this will make the pinning easier)

 

 

Slip the cord channel between the main fabric and the lining. Ensure there is no overlap with the cord channel.

 

Making the loop, iron Vliesofix or fusible webbing to the 9.5 inches by the width of the cord channel i.e. 4 inches

 

 

Fold fabric with right sides together, overlock down the long edge.

 

    

Using a safety pin or pull through tool, pull the fabric through so the right sides are seen. Fold in half and iron, I like to put the seam in the centre of the back, and add some decorative stitching.

     

Tuck the cord channel in between the main fabric and lining, ensure the loop fabric is between the cord channel and the lining. Place the loop in a practical area for hanging the laundry bag.

    

Stitch the pinned fabric together, I like to start where the cord channel has left a gap.

 

Pull fabric through the lining 4 inches opening, when pulling the fabric through, ensure the cord channel and lining have been stitched correctly and there are no holes/ gaps.

 

Turn the lining so the right sides are square, iron the bottom of the lining (this helps with stitching the opening closed). Stitch the opening closed, I like to sew two rows, but this is not necessary.

Tuck the lining into the main LB fabric, iron lining and cord channel well. Stitch a top stitch around the top of the bag ensuring it goes through all layers, ie, cord channel, outer bag and lining.  This adds strength to the cord channel.

  

Measure the cord to go into the cord channel, pull through the cord channel with a pin or pull through tool and finish with a knot.

 

Thanks for much for all the effort that you have gone to writing this and taking all the photos, Emma. A lot of time and effort has gone into this and this should be beneficial to others.