Medical Bag

My son, from time to time, will spend a few days at his grandparents' place. These getaways provide him with new experiences and cherished moments with his loved ones.

I pack for him the typical items; clothes, books, hot wheel cars, his beloved doggy (stuffed toy) and a large Ziploc bag of medical supplies. Just in case.

The Ziploc is handy but I wanted to make something a little prettier.

Lorrie Nunemaker creates a zipper pouch from a placemat she purchased at Walmart. The project looked interesting. It was something I had to try.

Watch her video here for details on how to fabricate this easy and sturdy pouch.

The supplies are simple; one placemat, one zipper and thread.

I personalized the pouch by embroidering a medical symbol and some words on one side of the bag. I used Embird embroidery software to create the medical symbol and then added the lettering using a font included with the Brother Dream Machine2.

I divided the placemat in half and placed the embroidery design in the middle of one of the halves. After embroidering, I assembled the pouch following Lorrie's instructions.

I did not remove the scalloped edge, I simply incorporated them into the seam allowance.

I have nothing against Ziploc bags - I use them for everything - holding a collection of small books, partially assembled Lego kits, supplies for a sewing projects or a scrapbook page but you have to admit, this placemat zipper pouch is pretty snazzy. The only thing I wish I would have added is the little tab Lorrie mentions in her video. The tab would make carrying the bag from bathroom to luggage a lot easier.