Great tutorial! I made a mat bag for my thin mat but it was a drawstring closure. I love this zipper bag and I think I'll try this for my new .5 mat. I have part of a jelly roll leftover so that will be perfect!
Rob, thanks for the tip to avoid the waviness. I completed the bag. From a distance it looks great. But upon close examination there are flaws. But I LOVE it anyway. Thank you for a great project. Time to pick out my next project with you. It might be sewing a panel.
Hi Jude! I'm sure mine has a few blemishes too, but I still really like to use it for my morning yoga sessions! Hope you have fun with the next project! I really enjoyed fmq on a panel! :)
What kind of coffee do you drink as mine doesn't give me that much energy, could me my age. Great video I have always wanted to make one keep up the great work.
Woah! I'm so early! How does the double open sides work for the larger piece? The way I am imagining it is moving from one side to the other, where you would only have one open side. Can someone explain how to do it?
Very nice idea, great video! May I ask why you do *not* take the zipper apart just for sewing in the second side? Would be much easier, I think. It's not that complicated to slide on the zipper head back on afterwards 😉 I use zipper by the yard alle the time, for bags big and small, and I always take them apart temporarily 😀
Hi Silke Greven or Ron. I would love for you to do a youtube video on this technique. I have been searching for one and can not find. I have just finished my fabric piece and am ready to cut into it. I have some by the yard tape and am a coward to set it up as you describe as I seem to have trouble inserting the pulls. I will keep a look out. Do you know where I may find a good video on this technique?
Hello! It took me about 5 hours to complete this project from start to finish. I had some good company while sewing together the strips, so it went by in a flash!
Jason Becker yes..just side by side. i made the bag using the same technique and is amazingly strong. Really easy to do. Place the edges right next to each other and the zig zag captures both. The thickness of the folded material makes it really durable yet still soft.
Hi Rob: I love the video and have been working on the bag. I have finished the foundation. A bit tricky. I chained my strips, growing them two to four to eight, etc. Using my sew steady table has really helped to reduce the pull. I made a prototype and it was a learning curve as it was quite curvy. End result is a nicely straight piece of quilted strips to work with. I still need to insert the zipper and am a bit apprehensive here as my plan was to use some zipper by the yard and a pull. I would love to use the technique as described by an earlier commentator. Any chance of your doing a video on this technique of sewing the zipper tabs first and re-inserting the pull? I would LOVE to see that done.
Hi Phyllis! We're happy to hear you are making a Yoga Mat bag. It was a little tricky for Rob to create, too, but it sounds like you have it under control! :) Thank you for the tutorial suggestion. :)
I finished my yoga mat bag. I payed attention to the numbers as I had to increase the circumference to accommodate two mats. I love it and have gotten so many OOH's ad AHH's. It is so nice to carry my mats into class. Where can I post a picture?
Hi Rob, thank you for sharing all your creativity. I tried to do the matching of the strips but I did not succeed. It came a curvy piece and almost in all the joints I had spaces where the zig zag did not cathc both fabrics. I tried to make the strips as precise as I could but it didn´t work. Do you have any comment that can help to my two challenges? Thank ypou a head.
Hi Ceclilia! The use of a foot with a blade in the center to align both strips against can help. However, there is now rule that says you can not set the folded end into the open end, and do a straight stitch on top to secure, that may work better for your set up. Give it a try with a few strips and see what you think. Hope this helps!
i like this very much only thing i will change to make it totally reversible i will bind the edges of the circle and the end then hand sew the circle on with extra strong thread
Ok. I'm SEWING strips together. The fabric got very wavy. Stop. Started again with new pieces no waviness. Using seam ripper to take apart wavy section off first piece. What causes the waviness?
Hey Jude! There are a couple of ways to help alleviate the waviness. 1. Sew up one side of the strip and back down the other so that you are alternating the direction each strip is sewn on. 2. Don't push the fabric through the machine, and maintain an even amount of pressure. Hope you have fun sewing!
Oh no, I'm doing something wrong, my strips go together beautifully but are bowing to one side. I have tried different feet using and not using the automatic feed. Please help.
Hi Peggy! A couple of thoughts to help with the bowing: 1. try sewing up one side of the strip and then back down the other side, so that you are alternating the direction each side of the strip is sewn. 2. make sure you are applying even pressure when feeding the fabric into your machine. Hope this helps!
Man Sewing , thank you, I finished this beauty. Trying to feed it evenly did not work for me. What did work was laying the next strip to be sewn beside the previous strip sewn and pin the ends and several places in between. One suggestion I have is before sewing on the round ends it would have been helpful to me had I sewn about 1/8 inch around the end circles of the body.....kind of hard to explain. I love it, thank you.
This is a great channel. Very practical projects and no "Super cute!" repeated a thousand times. Thanks for sharing!
Glad you are enjoying the tutorials, Teresa!
Yep. This one is added to the top of my "must sew" list when I get back in my sewing room this fall! Thanks for another awesome tutorial :)
I love using the open edge of the strips to sandwich the zipper in one pass
Another great video and project. Thank you Rob.
That's brilliant Rob, thank you
Namaste, Rob!
Great tutorial! I made a mat bag for my thin mat but it was a drawstring closure. I love this zipper bag and I think I'll try this for my new .5 mat. I have part of a jelly roll leftover so that will be perfect!
Thanks Rob looking forward to making this one for sure, love the circle cutter, haven't seen it before, Jules from Australia
Awesome, Julie! I can't wait to see your yoga mat bag!
Great video! This would also make a awesome tripod carrier!
melinda meehan That is an amazing idea! I need a new bag for one of my tripods. Thanks! :)
great tutorial, i really like the way you showed how to attach the zip. tfs:)
That was brilliant just what l was looking for .
Rob, thanks for the tip to avoid the waviness. I completed the bag. From a distance it looks great. But upon close examination there are flaws. But I LOVE it anyway. Thank you for a great project. Time to pick out my next project with you. It might be sewing a panel.
Hi Jude! I'm sure mine has a few blemishes too, but I still really like to use it for my morning yoga sessions! Hope you have fun with the next project! I really enjoyed fmq on a panel! :)
Bag looks awesome
that's a nice idea! looks really pretty. i'd neaten the edges of the fabric though with my serger ;-)..
well done, awesome work!
That is a great bag!
je l'ai fait ! thank you
Cool way to make a bag. Any chance you could come with a storage piece to store all those wonders templates/rulers?
Thanks for the tutorial suggestion, Donna! I'll keep it in mind!
great zipper action!
What kind of coffee do you drink as mine doesn't give me that much energy, could me my age. Great video I have always wanted to make one keep up the great work.
Hope you have fun sewing your Yoga Mat Bag, Evelyn!
Rob you Slay me
I'm using an Edge Joining foot.
Woah! I'm so early! How does the double open sides work for the larger piece? The way I am imagining it is moving from one side to the other, where you would only have one open side. Can someone explain how to do it?
well observed. i'd say on the outside they're both sewed down with the open-side looking towards the zipper.
Very nice idea, great video! May I ask why you do *not* take the zipper apart just for sewing in the second side? Would be much easier, I think. It's not that complicated to slide on the zipper head back on afterwards 😉
I use zipper by the yard alle the time, for bags big and small, and I always take them apart temporarily 😀
Hi Silke Greven or Ron. I would love for you to do a youtube video on this technique. I have been searching for one and can not find. I have just finished my fabric piece and am ready to cut into it. I have some by the yard tape and am a coward to set it up as you describe as I seem to have trouble inserting the pulls. I will keep a look out. Do you know where I may find a good video on this technique?
Amazing tutorial! I really like the way the bag came out. How long would you say it took you to make and sew together all of the strips for the bag?
Hello! It took me about 5 hours to complete this project from start to finish. I had some good company while sewing together the strips, so it went by in a flash!
wait I'm a little confused. When you see the strips together you don't overlap them? you just butt them together?
Jason Becker yes..just side by side. i made the bag using the same technique and is amazingly strong. Really easy to do. Place the edges right next to each other and the zig zag captures both. The thickness of the folded material makes it really durable yet still soft.
Beth Cooley thank you
Hi Rob: I love the video and have been working on the bag. I have finished the foundation. A bit tricky. I chained my strips, growing them two to four to eight, etc. Using my sew steady table has really helped to reduce the pull.
I made a prototype and it was a learning curve as it was quite curvy. End result is a
nicely straight piece of quilted strips to work with. I still need to insert the zipper and am a bit apprehensive here as my plan was to use some zipper by the yard and a pull. I would love to use the technique as described by an earlier commentator. Any chance of your doing a video on this technique of sewing the zipper tabs first and re-inserting the pull? I would LOVE to see that done.
Hi Phyllis! We're happy to hear you are making a Yoga Mat bag. It was a little tricky for Rob to create, too, but it sounds like you have it under control! :) Thank you for the tutorial suggestion. :)
I finished my yoga mat bag. I payed attention to the numbers as I had to increase the circumference to accommodate two mats. I love it and have gotten so many OOH's ad AHH's. It is so nice to carry my mats into class. Where can I post a picture?
This looks great! Is the bag durable?
Hi Rob, thank you for sharing all your creativity. I tried to do the matching of the strips but I did not succeed. It came a curvy piece and almost in all the joints I had spaces where the zig zag did not cathc both fabrics. I tried to make the strips as precise as I could but it didn´t work. Do you have any comment that can help to my two challenges? Thank ypou a head.
Hi Ceclilia! The use of a foot with a blade in the center to align both strips against can help. However, there is now rule that says you can not set the folded end into the open end, and do a straight stitch on top to secure, that may work better for your set up. Give it a try with a few strips and see what you think. Hope this helps!
Thank you. I will try your recommendation!
And could you add a pocket or two?
i like this very much only thing i will change to make it totally reversible i will bind the edges of the circle and the end then hand sew the circle on with extra strong thread
That sounds like a great idea, Nikki! Have fun sewing!
Ok. I'm SEWING strips together. The fabric got very wavy. Stop. Started again with new pieces no waviness. Using seam ripper to take apart wavy section off first piece. What causes the waviness?
Hey Jude! There are a couple of ways to help alleviate the waviness. 1. Sew up one side of the strip and back down the other so that you are alternating the direction each strip is sewn on. 2. Don't push the fabric through the machine, and maintain an even amount of pressure. Hope you have fun sewing!
Oh no, I'm doing something wrong, my strips go together beautifully but are bowing to one side. I have tried different feet using and not using the automatic feed. Please help.
Hi Peggy! A couple of thoughts to help with the bowing: 1. try sewing up one side of the strip and then back down the other side, so that you are alternating the direction each side of the strip is sewn. 2. make sure you are applying even pressure when feeding the fabric into your machine. Hope this helps!
Man Sewing , thank you, I finished this beauty. Trying to feed it evenly did not work for me. What did work was laying the next strip to be sewn beside the previous strip sewn and pin the ends and several places in between. One suggestion I have is before sewing on the round ends it would have been helpful to me had I sewn about 1/8 inch around the end circles of the body.....kind of hard to explain. I love it, thank you.