luggage tag tutorial.

as you might remember, back in december i was trying to figure out how to label my luggage when i had a breakthrough...fabric luggage tags. the mister and i are in need of more luggage tags, so today i got busy sewing. i decided to document the process and create a tutorial for those of you who like to sew. if you are not into sewing, fear not...i also sell these luggage tags in my etsy shop lerato designs.

materials: scraps of colorful fabric, light-colored fabric (i use unbleached cotton), interfacing, thread, and string (i use cotton twine).

sew together lots of bits or keep it simple with just one or two fabrics.

step 1. cut out a 3.5"x4.5" piece from your light-colored fabric (we'll call this the white piece from now on). cut out a 3"x4" piece of interfacing. sew together a collection of scraps and cut a 3.5"x4.5" piece from the assembled pieces (for an easier luggage tag, you can skip the assemblage and cut a 3.5"x4.5" piece from a single colorful fabric).

step 2. iron your interfacing onto the back of the assembled piece.

step 3. place the colorful piece with the white piece, right sides together.

step 4. sew around the edges with a 1/4" seam, leaving a 2" gap on one side.

step 5. trim the corners, to make it easier to the turn the tag right-side out.

step 6. turn the tag right-side out through the gap. use a bone creaser, chopstick, or some other pointy tool to push the corners all the way out. tuck the open edges in, pin, and press flat.

step 7. top-stitch around the edge of the tag (no more than 1/8" from the edge).

step 8. sew a tiny buttonhole on one end of the tag. open the buttonhole with your seam ripper or scissors.

step 9. cut a 13" piece of string. thread the string through the buttonhole and tie it off.

step 10. use a fine point permanent marker to write your contact information on the light side of your tag. enjoy traveling in style!!!

identification, if you please.

every time i travel i am in the same quandary. how to announce to the world that the glorious hot pink suitcase belongs to me? thanks to the airlines insistence on charging hefty fees to take care of my luggage for me, i have joined the masses who carry all of my possessions on board the aircraft to be stowed in the overhead compartments. it seems that since my luggage never leaves my person, it is slightly unnecessary to affix luggage tags. however, being the neurotic lass that i am, i of course require a method to identify my bags as belonging to me me me.

simple, right? uh huh. sure. put on a luggage tag. but where do i get said luggage tag? when i was a wee human my parents took care of this for me. as i grew older i borrowed their luggage tags of unknown origins, because mi casa era su casa. but now that i am grown i dont seem to have any tags. you know the fancy ones that look pretty and are durable so you can use them for years and years? how do people acquire these tags? do people actually BUY luggage tags? if that isnt a silly thing on which to waste money, i dont know what is. since i was unwilling to buy a tag, i needed some organization to give one to me just because. apparently i hobnob with the wrong crowd, because none of the freebies hoisted in my direction are luggage tags. why why why? in the absence of real luggage tags, for the last fourteen years i have been using the cheesy paper ones provided by the airlines. ridiculous isn't it?

but last night i had a revelation. why on earth haven't i MADE luggage tags? i make everything else, i cant believe i didnt think of this sooner!! thats right kids. i sewed some tags. it was easy as pie - well actually i dont find pie-making to be particularly easy, but you get the picture. i thought about embroidering my contact information onto the tags, but that seemed a little overkill, so i wrote it on with a permanent marker. i am almost certain that i am now in possession of the cutest luggage tags EVER. i cant wait to see the looks of jealousy from the other passengers who are stuck with the little paper doohickeys from the airlines.