Easy Sew Projects for Travel
Summer is a wonderful time to travel. One way to ease the expense of traveling is to sew a few accessories that make the adventure somewhat organized and with safety and comfort in mind.
Travel U-shape Neck pillow – made out of flannel (old flannel shirt will do), soft fleece (kids love novelty or character fleece prints), or plush velour for extra softness. Draw one-half of the usual travel pillow shape onto paper for a template allowing for the half U-shape 7 or 8 inches thick through curves. Place the template on the fold of two chosen fabrics and cut out (layer both fabric pieces right-sides facing each other then fold). Open the fabrics, place one facing the other, then pin all around to stitch using a 1/4 or 1/2-inch seam. Leave a small seam space open for turning right-sides out, trim or pink seam edges, press to neaten the U-shape then stuff with poly-fill firmly. Hand stitch seam closed.
Secret-Safe Clothes Hanger Cover – start by making a template tracing the top of a plastic hanger (bypass the hook) draw down on each side about 8 inches, then connect the two edges with a horizontal line. Cut two sturdy fabrics in the elongated hanger shape, one for front and back. Cut two from iron-on interfacing in the same shape and fuse to give the fabric body. Place right sides together and stitch across one upper edge, down each side and across the bottom. Cut a 6-inch length of hook and loop tape to be sewn onto the remaining open upper edge. Leave a small space for the hook to pass through. Trim seam, turn right sides out, press. Many hotels have fixed coat hangers, so this is a way to cover any hanger that will conceal an unusual space for small items. Slip over a fixed hanger (or any available hanger), close the tape over the top of the hanger, then add a garment to hang over all for extra obscurity.
Garment Bag – a clothes hanger, fabric, some straight stitching and a zipper for closure make this garment bag a great travel or gift idea. The garment bag is essentially the same as a traditional fabric hanger cover, just elongated to accommodate a garment’s length. Use the secret-safe clothes hanger template as before for the top of the garment bag (just make the sides as long as needed) - approximately 30 inches, a long zipper, about 2 yards of fabric and a length of grosgrain ribbon to make a hanging loop at the end of the bag bottom. The zipper will be sewn down the center of the bag front. Stitch zipper to the front fabric piece first, then with right-sides together, stitch front to back around all edges (leave an opening for the hanger hook). Once the bag is completed and zipped closed, attach a ribbon loop to the center of the bag bottom at seam edge as it will be used to slip over the hanger hook effectively shortening the bag in half for easy carry.
Fabric Roll-ups – great for jewelry, makeup accessories, or a power cord corral (phone chargers, ear buds, etc.) All that is needed for any roll-up - 1/2-yard outer fabric cut in a rectangle, 1/2-yard inner (lining) fabric, 1/2-yard medium fusible interfacing, several colorful elastic ponytail holders and about 24-inches of grosgrain ribbon for tying closed. The roll-up can be any size desired. Fuse interfacing to one side of the fabric piece. Then place outer and inner fabric pieces right-sides together, stitch leaving an opening for turning. Trim seam, turn right sides out, press and stitch opening closed. Stitch several ponytail holders near the top of the inner fabric for jewelry roll or in the middle for makeup brushes or power cords. Sew a length of ribbon folded in half (so two lengths are created from the one) to one side edge of the jewelry holder, roll up and tie ribbon around the roll to secure. Top stitch edges to secure.
Power Cord Taco Wrap – to keep power cords (hair dryer, curling iron, etc.) tangle-free when not in use. Use thick felt, leather-like fabric and snaps or hook and loop tape needed. Cut thick material into a rectangular shape long enough to go around the power cords when folded and tightly wrapped. Apply snap to folded rectangle or sew a 1-inch hook and loop tape section to middle edge.
Sleep Mask – cut two eye-mask shapes of fabric (satin-like material is kindest to the eyes), cut one of felt or thin cotton batting and length of elastic for the band. Layer fabric right-sides facing each other with elastic band sandwiched in between and with felt or batting on top of all. Stitch around the edges using a 1/4-inch seam leaving an opening for turning right-sides out. Trim seam close to stitching or pink edges, turn right-sides out, press and hand stitch opening closed. Top stitch edges to secure.
These few easy-to-sew, nice-to-have travel accessories are great to have on hand as they can be used over and over - wonderful for gifting as well.
Making a travel neck pillow from WikiHow
Sew happy, sew inspired.
Travel U-shape Neck pillow – made out of flannel (old flannel shirt will do), soft fleece (kids love novelty or character fleece prints), or plush velour for extra softness. Draw one-half of the usual travel pillow shape onto paper for a template allowing for the half U-shape 7 or 8 inches thick through curves. Place the template on the fold of two chosen fabrics and cut out (layer both fabric pieces right-sides facing each other then fold). Open the fabrics, place one facing the other, then pin all around to stitch using a 1/4 or 1/2-inch seam. Leave a small seam space open for turning right-sides out, trim or pink seam edges, press to neaten the U-shape then stuff with poly-fill firmly. Hand stitch seam closed.
Secret-Safe Clothes Hanger Cover – start by making a template tracing the top of a plastic hanger (bypass the hook) draw down on each side about 8 inches, then connect the two edges with a horizontal line. Cut two sturdy fabrics in the elongated hanger shape, one for front and back. Cut two from iron-on interfacing in the same shape and fuse to give the fabric body. Place right sides together and stitch across one upper edge, down each side and across the bottom. Cut a 6-inch length of hook and loop tape to be sewn onto the remaining open upper edge. Leave a small space for the hook to pass through. Trim seam, turn right sides out, press. Many hotels have fixed coat hangers, so this is a way to cover any hanger that will conceal an unusual space for small items. Slip over a fixed hanger (or any available hanger), close the tape over the top of the hanger, then add a garment to hang over all for extra obscurity.
Garment Bag – a clothes hanger, fabric, some straight stitching and a zipper for closure make this garment bag a great travel or gift idea. The garment bag is essentially the same as a traditional fabric hanger cover, just elongated to accommodate a garment’s length. Use the secret-safe clothes hanger template as before for the top of the garment bag (just make the sides as long as needed) - approximately 30 inches, a long zipper, about 2 yards of fabric and a length of grosgrain ribbon to make a hanging loop at the end of the bag bottom. The zipper will be sewn down the center of the bag front. Stitch zipper to the front fabric piece first, then with right-sides together, stitch front to back around all edges (leave an opening for the hanger hook). Once the bag is completed and zipped closed, attach a ribbon loop to the center of the bag bottom at seam edge as it will be used to slip over the hanger hook effectively shortening the bag in half for easy carry.
Fabric Roll-ups – great for jewelry, makeup accessories, or a power cord corral (phone chargers, ear buds, etc.) All that is needed for any roll-up - 1/2-yard outer fabric cut in a rectangle, 1/2-yard inner (lining) fabric, 1/2-yard medium fusible interfacing, several colorful elastic ponytail holders and about 24-inches of grosgrain ribbon for tying closed. The roll-up can be any size desired. Fuse interfacing to one side of the fabric piece. Then place outer and inner fabric pieces right-sides together, stitch leaving an opening for turning. Trim seam, turn right sides out, press and stitch opening closed. Stitch several ponytail holders near the top of the inner fabric for jewelry roll or in the middle for makeup brushes or power cords. Sew a length of ribbon folded in half (so two lengths are created from the one) to one side edge of the jewelry holder, roll up and tie ribbon around the roll to secure. Top stitch edges to secure.
Power Cord Taco Wrap – to keep power cords (hair dryer, curling iron, etc.) tangle-free when not in use. Use thick felt, leather-like fabric and snaps or hook and loop tape needed. Cut thick material into a rectangular shape long enough to go around the power cords when folded and tightly wrapped. Apply snap to folded rectangle or sew a 1-inch hook and loop tape section to middle edge.
Sleep Mask – cut two eye-mask shapes of fabric (satin-like material is kindest to the eyes), cut one of felt or thin cotton batting and length of elastic for the band. Layer fabric right-sides facing each other with elastic band sandwiched in between and with felt or batting on top of all. Stitch around the edges using a 1/4-inch seam leaving an opening for turning right-sides out. Trim seam close to stitching or pink edges, turn right-sides out, press and hand stitch opening closed. Top stitch edges to secure.
These few easy-to-sew, nice-to-have travel accessories are great to have on hand as they can be used over and over - wonderful for gifting as well.
Making a travel neck pillow from WikiHow
Sew happy, sew inspired.
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