For the hand sewing assignment, I decided to make a sunglasses case. Although I didn’t bring any sunglasses with me, this project gave me a good excuse to buy a pair.
Process
I began by gathering the materials: two pieces of fabric, a piece of foam paper, needles, thread, scissors, and other basic tools. The fabric size was measured using my glasses with a half-inch allowance on all sides for seams. The patterned fabric had existing stitches, so I removed them before cutting. The foam paper available was not large enough for a single piece, so I joined two smaller pieces together using super glue.
Figure 1. Materials
Next, I folded each piece of fabric and sewed along the two side edges. I used backstitch and did it twice to make the connection more secure.
Figure 2. Pinned Fabric
Figure 3. Sewed Fabric
Then I placed the patterned fabric inside the black fabric and sewed the upper semicircular edge together using backstitch. I trimmed the extra fabric along the sides to make it easier to turn the case inside out in the following steps.
Figure 4. Pinned Fabric
Figure 5. Sewed Fabric
After that,I turned the pocket inside out and inserted the foam paper. I trimmed the foam slightly to leave enough space for closing the final two edges. When sewing the layers together, I avoided having stitches on the exterior of the fabric by only sewing through the inner surface and the foam. I’m not sure what this type of stitch is called, but it did help me firmly connect the fabric while leaving no visible stitches on the outside.
Figure 6. Putting Foam
Figure 7. Sewed Edges
Lastly, I sewed the snaps onto the middle of the case. For the snap on the lid, I used the same no-name stitch as before to avoid visible seams on the exterior.
Figure 8. Sewed Snaps
Sunglasses case completed.
Figure 9. Sunglasses Case
Cleaned Workspace
Cost Breakdown
- Raw Materials
Black Fabric – 1 sqft : $0.75
Patterned Fabric – 1 sqft : $1.25
Foam Paper – 1 sqft : $0.5
Snaps – 1 pair : $0.2
- Tools
Needles : $1
Threads : $1
Scissors : $7
Super Glue : $1.5
Chalk : $1
Ruler : $2
Pins : $1
- Labor
4 Hours – $10 per hour : $40
Total Cost: $57.20
Reflection
Through this project, I completed a functional sunglasses case and learned several lessons about sewing. I figured that pulling the thread slowly helps prevent forming knots, which makes the sewing process much smoother. I also realized that having more seam allowance is always better than not having enough. In addition, I found it helpful to take short breaks every 30 minutes or so to refresh and maintain focus. Overall, this was a meaningful and enjoyable experience, and I’m grateful to everyone who helped along the way.
