Step By Step Guide: Sewing A 18″ Doll Sleeping Bag With Pattern Included

• All seams are 1/4″

Step One: Create the Sleeping Bag Outside

• Stitch the 3, 3″ x 36″ strips of fabric together along the 36″ sides. Press seams either open or to one side. It does not matter which way you press.
• If desired, apply jumbo and medium rick rack to the sleeping bag front over the top of the seams between the strips.

  You can stitch down the center of the ric rack or iron it on using fusible seam tape. Since this project may take a lot of wear and tear, I recommend stitching it in place. The ric rack is optional. Add it only if you like it.
  

Step Two: Add the Ribbon Ties to the Sleeping Bag

• Fold the two 36" pieces of ribbon in half lengthwise and stitch to the bottom of the sleeping bag on what will be the back.

  Think of the sleeping bag as a book; it will open, one side will be the front and the other the back. When folded up and zipped the sleeping bag will be approx 18" x 23".

  Finish all raw edges of the ribbon with Fray check.
  
• Stitch the first piece of ribbon 6″ in from the outside edge of the sleeping bag. Stitch the 2nd piece of ribbon 6″ away from the first piece.

Step Three: Add the Zipper

• Separate your zipper- Mark the wrong side of the zipper with a marking pen (sometimes, it’s easy to mix up the right and wrong sides of the zipper).
  
• Pin one side of the zipper to one half of the sleeping bag- starting 1″ in from the center bottom of the bag and wrapping around to the top of the sleeping bag.
• You will pin the zipper upside down (so that the right side of the zipper faces the right side of the fabric) with the teeth of the zipper facing IN. (see photo)
• To get the zipper to go around the corner- clip a “V” into the zipper tape where it meets the corner of the sleeping bag. The zipper will reach within 1″-2″ of the top of the sleeping bag. It does not need to go all the way to the top.
  
• Now, pin the other part of the zipper to the other half of the sleeping bag so that the zippers mirror each other.
  
• Using your zipper foot, stitch the zipper to the sleeping bag’s front. It is helpful to “move” the zipper pull as you sew so it does not get in the way of your zipper foot.
• TIP: TEST your zipper before you proceed. Ensure you have it installed correctly before moving on to the next step.

Step Four: Create the Bag Lining

• Sew the two 18.5″ x 23″ pieces of fabric together along the 23″ seams to form the bag lining. Press the seam open.

Step Five: Add the Batting

• Place the sewn bag lining piece right sides together with bag’s outside piece. Cut a piece of batting to the size of your bag. Place this on the wrong side of the bag lining piece.
  
• You will have a "sandwich" with batting at the top, then bag lining and bag front. Remember bag lining and bag front are right sides together.

Step Six: Sew Sleeping Bag Front & Lining Pieces Together

• Start stitching at one top corner of the sleeping bag, and stitch all the way around, leaving a 3-4″ opening on the top of the bag to turn it right side out. Make sure you don’t catch your ribbon pieces in the seams.
• Stitch along the line you JUST made to attach your zipper- this will ensure the zipper is placed correctly in the bag.
• Note: you are still sewing with your zipper foot. Clip corners and turn right side out.
  
• It should look like this, with an opening like this at the top:
  
• And the base of the zipper should look like this:
  
• Hand stitch opening in the top of the sleeping bag closed.
• If desired: To finish the sleeping bag, hand stitch on crocheted flowers to the front.
  

How to Make a Matching Pillow

• To make the pillow, stitch the three 3.5″x 8″ pieces of fabric together along the 8″ sides. Press seams open
  
• Stitch 2 pieces of rick rack, each 9″ long, to the top and bottom of the pillow piece. Stitch right down the center of the rick rack.
  
• >Place right sides together and stitch 8″ x 9″ piece of fabric to pillow front. Leave a 2″ opening to turn the pillow right side out. Stuff pillow and hand stitch opening closed.