Make an upcycled water bottle carrier..

NOTE: FULL CREDIT FOR MY IDEA CAME FROM THE TUTORIAL BY BETZ WHITE AT PETITE PURLS!

Okay, so...I saw Betz's tut and LOVED the idea. But my family...we are..uh..active. In other words, I needed to make sure it wouldn't fall out, which meant completely changing how to put this together. Oh, and I wanted an adjustable strap, too. Upshot, I ended up making a tutorial of my changes, and you get to try it out! Heheh :D :D

I did this over a period of weeks, since I kept not having this or that, and so missed properly documenting every single step clearly, but I think they are clear enough, and I will elaborate when necessary. (Note: the strap on my model is a touch different to how my tut will show. Don't ask. I messed something up the first time, and when I fixed it and put it back together, I didn't notice til JUST NOW that I forgot to put one of the D rings back on. Sheesh. :p )

MATERIALS:

one leg from a trashed pair of cargo pants, including pocket

lining fabric of choice

1.5-2 yards 1" nylon webbing

2 D-rings

1 slide buckle

1 swivel clip

1 cordstop

12-15" cord for drawstring

Okay, take the pants....split it up the inseam as far as you can go, so you can spread it flat easily.

Figure out the dimensions you want, to fit your bottle; I measured my bottle, and then added an inch all around, plus seam allowances. Center it on the pocket, and cut out your square. Cut a matching lining from your contrast lining fabric. Cut a strip as wide as the square, but only about 3.5-4 inches tall, from the extra leftover pants fabric.

Fold the pants square lengthwise right sides together, and sew across the bottom and up the side.

Repeat for the lining, but only sew a couple inches up the side, and then leave a gap of a couple inches, and then continue on to the top. Backstitch a couple stitches at the end and beginning of those lines to keep them from coming undone when you are flipping the finished back through the hole at the end.

This is one of the steps I didn't get the best pic of, but it's really simple. At the bottoms of the lengthwise sewn lining and  outer pieces, pinch up the sewn corners and flatten them so they look like this. Sew straight across the corner, about 1 1/4 inch down from the point. When you open them out, voila, you suddenly have your 3-D bag shape. :p If you need a better pic of this step, let me know, and I'll hook you up. :D

Now, the drawstring casing. Fold the long strip you previously cut, the long way, short end to short end, right sides together. Sew up the side about 1.5 inches, and then backstitch a little to reinforce.

On the open section where you didn't sew, fold back the seam allowance, and press open. Repeat on other side.

Topstitch from top to bottom.

At the top edge, fold over your seam allowance, and press....

...and fold again, matching the folded seam allowance edge with the very end of the backstitched bit of stitching. Press.

Now sew all around, forming your casing.

The strap.

Take a three inch piece of webbing, loop it through a D ring. Sew back and forth across a few times, to reinforce. Repeat for the second D ring.

Loop the length you have chosen for a strap through one of the D rings.

At one of the ends, get out your lighter, and seal the raw end, so it doesn't keep fraying, by holding the end close to the flame til the raw ends melt (CAREFUL! Don't touch the melted plastic, and be aware of the flame!!). Loop it through the slide buckle, and sew back and forth neatly a few times, to reinforce. Weave the other end through the buckle.

Here is supposed to be a picture that I completely spaced. What you are doing here is attaching the swivel clip in the same way as the buckle, including singeing to seal, to the other end of the strap.

Okay, here is where I messed up the strap, cause I SUCK at spatial thinking, and put the whole shebang together backwards, twice. :p I am holding the bag in my hand, and am going to tell you how to do it right, so you don't have to get all comfy with your seam ripper like me. :D

So. Make a sandwich of all your layers, in this order:

Outer layer

D ring strap ends tacked into each side, right side of buckle to right side of outer layer (the rest of the strap should all be assembled, so it's all one piece)

drawstring panel, right side to right side with the outer layer

lining , right side to wrong side with the drawstring panel


Sew all around the circle, going back and forth a few times when you go over the d ring strap ends to reinforce.

Pull everything back out through to hole you left in the lining. Tuck the seam allowances back into the lining, and sew closed.

If you are using a synthetic cord or shoelace for a drawstring, you should singe the ends in the lighter, too.

Pull it through the casing, wrestle it into the cordstop by pinching it open as wide as you can and feed the ends through, and tie the ends together.

Tada. Done!!!

If you have any questions, just ask, and if you make one up, I'd LOVE to see!!!! Please!! :D


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