Sewing a Bedside Book Bag

Do you also have a pile of books resting on your bedside table? I am always reading and more often than not, from a number of books. At one time I have counted that I was busy with 12 books! Fortunately some of those were e-books and easier to accommodate space wise. My frustration over the lack of space on my bedside table have been growing for a while and I finally decided to do something about it. Getting rid of the books will never be an option, but I can shift them ever so slightly and still have them ready at hand. My solution is a crafty bedside book bag. This you can easily make within an hour.

I started by measuring the books on my bedside table, deciding that they were a true representation of what you would normally find there. I measured the width of the books side by side.

I also measured the depth of the bulkier books. This would give me a good idea of what size the book bags should be.

I then measured my bed and the drop that was left over for the book bag to hang from, without resting on the floor.

Having made my calculations, I cut my base from the cerise fabric, measuring 2 m x 53 cm. I needed only one of these. I would need two pockets (either side of the bed), measuring 36,5 cm x 63 cm. These two pieces were cut from the gingham.

I folded the top of the pockets over, leaving enough space to insert a wide elastic and pinned it in place. What was done with the pockets for one side of the bed, is repeated throughout for the other side of the bed as well.

I then pinned my ribbon finish right on the fold.

I unpinned the fold again, so I could first sew on the ribbon.

As I used a fairly wide ribbon, I sewed along one side of it ...

... and then up the other side, securing it properly.

I re-folded the hem and sewed it.

I then measured the elastic to be the same width as the base fabric.

I then used a Bodkin to pull the elastic through the top hem of the pockets.

I find the bottom centers of both the pocket fabric as well as the base.

Lining the centers up, I pin the pockets to the base, right side to wrong side.

As the pockets are wider than the base to accommodate bulky books, I pin pleats at the bottom of the pockets.

The bags are then sewn onto the base at seam allowance 1,5 cm.

Cut away the corners to turn over smoothly.

Mark the center of the pockets and sew a dividing seam, turning the one big pocket into two smaller ones. (There are two more pockets on the other side of the bed as well, giving you four pockets in total).

The side seams will fold to the other side. Cut these open and fold back.

Sew the side seams.

Once all the seams are ironed, you can slip the book bag under the mattress and it will hang next to the bed, with your books within easy reach, but off the bedside table.

For more crafty ideas and great products, visit APrettyTalent.com.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making PRETTY things.
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