Nail Polish Organizer Bag

I found this idea when I was looking for a way to organize all of my nail polish bottles into one convenient place. I came across this great idea from Vancriska! I had never worked with plastic before and didn’t even realize you could sew plastic. Turns out you can! This handy carry-all bag holds 32 bottles of polish, and it has turned out to be one of my favorite personal care products - I use it regularly. Hope you like it as much as I do!

What You’ll Need to Make a Nail Polish Organizer Bag

• 1 yard of 54” wide Clear Vinyl (I used 8 gauge vinyl, but even an old shower curtain would work)
• 3 yards of ¾” Double Fold Bias Tape
• 24” x ¾” heavy twill tape for handles (not shown in materials photo)
• Sewing Machine
• Needle and Thread (If you want your stitches to be transparent, you could use ‘Magic Thread’ which is a transparent clear nylon thread!)
• Scissors
• 17” Strip of Velcro (or 2 – 8-1/2” strips)
• Fine Point Sharpie for Marking
• Pins
• Fabric Clips if you have them
• Ruler

I wish I saw these tips before I did this project...

Stitch Length: Use a longer stitch length on your sewing machine than normal, about 3mm is good. Too close of stitches could basically create a 'tear strip' which you don't want.

Needle: Vinyl puts more stress on your needle than a lightweight cotton, so choose a heavier needle. A denim, leather needle, or a number 90 will do the trick.

Don't Use Pins: 😳 Unlike me, you might not want to use pins as they leave permanent holes. I didn't care since I am the only one using this bag, but you might want to use clips instead.

To Keep Vinyl From 'Sticking' While Sewing:

Option #1) Put gift wrapping tissue paper between below the vinyl and above the vinyl, keeping a 'barrier' between all the metal parts of the machine. When done sewing, you rip off the tissue paper easily.
Option #2) Put a piece of scotch tape underneath your presser foot, trimming off the excess. The vinyl should now glide easily as you sew.
NOTE: I haven't tried either option as I didn't know about these tips until after I did the project. I just tugged and cussed my way through...but it was worth it!

Cut out of the vinyl:

• 34” x 11” (cut 1)
• 34” x 1” (cut 2)
• 54” x 4” (cut 2)

Lay out your 54” x 4” strips of plastic. Use a fine point sharpie to make small marks. I found that the sharpie marks wipe right off with a little rubbing alcohol. If you have a better idea to mark plastic – let me know!

• 1st mark should be 1” from left edge.
• After the initial 1” mark, make a little mark every 3.25” after that. You should end up with 1” left at the end of the strip.
  (NOTE: I found it might be a great idea to make these same markings at the top as well as the bottom edge of your 4” strips – which will help line things up on Step 4. You don’t have to do this additional marking on your 1” strips)
  
• Do this on both of your 54” x 4” wide strips
• Lay out your 34” x 1” strips of plastic.
• 1st mark should be 1” from left edge.
• After the initial 1” mark, make a little mark every 2” after that. You should end up with 1” left at the end of the strip.
• Do this on both of your 34” x 1” wide strips

Normally you wouldn’t want to pin plastic, as it leaves a hole. If you would rather use clips for this part, that would work to.

• Lay the 1” wide strip down and then lay the 4” wide strip on top of it. Align the markings from left edge to right, as in the photo. Pin or clip in place. This will form your pockets.
• Also do this on your second set of strips.

Lay one completed strip (4” strip pinned to the 1” strip) on top of the 34” x 11” piece of vinyl. (34” will be the horizontal orientation.)

• Unpin your prepared piece slightly and re-pin catching the backing plastic piece. This will keep everything in place.
• Sew a vertical line between each pocket using the pinned markings as your guide. (This is where your double markings on the 4” pieces will come in handy. You might notice my lines got crooked)
• Start on the far right edge, sewing from the top marking of the pocket down to the marking on the bottom edge of the pocket.
• After you sew the initial vertical line, you can use the edge of your ‘throat plate’ (that metal plate under the needle area on your sewing machine) as a guide to make your lines straight. You can also put a piece of masking tape on that area, to mark 2” from the last vertical stitch line to the location of your needle. This will help you make perfect vertical lines 2” apart. (see photo)
  
• As you progress to each section, make it easier to work with by rolling the stitched section up to the right of your needle to control the long strip you are working with.
• When done, trim any threads if needed.

• Press a raised section of a pocket in the center of the hump. Press to each side of the center and make a ¼” pleat on each side of the pocket, next to but not over the stitched line. (See photo) Use a clip to hold the fold in place.
• When all pleats are secured, sew along the bottom edge of all 3 layers, using about ¼” seam allowance from the edge.
• Align your second pinned pocket section about 1-1/2” above the top edge of your bottom pocket section.
• Repeat steps 4 & 5 for your top row of pocket.

• Encase the edges of your vinyl between the fold of your bias tape. Stitch all the way around your bag about 1/8” away from the edge of the bias tape.

The Corners…. This may not be the proper way to make a corner, but it worked for me! (See the photos)

• Use clips to hold your binding all the way around, and open the tape slightly to bend the tape at the corners of the plastic. Place a clip about an inch away from each corner to control.

• Smooth one edge of the tape to the corner making a 45 ° fold, press down and secure with a clip. Now sew up to the corner, pivot and sew along the little fold you just made.
  
• Continue sewing the binding all the way around.

• For handles, you could use whatever you want, as long as it is sturdy because the bag is weighty when filled with bottles. I used a 3/4" wide heavy weight black twill tape.
• Cut (2 ) 12” sections of tape, or whatever you choose to use.

Open your bag with the inside (the side with the open pockets) of the bag facing you.

• Separate your Velcro strips into 3 soft strips and 3 scratchy strips.
• Pin one soft sided Velcro piece 1” from the left side of the bag along the top Bias Tape trim. Position one handle between the Velcro and the top Biased edge, 1” from each side of the Velcro. Pin then stitch all the way around the Velcro, encasing the handle.
• Do the same for the second handle. Pin a second soft sided Velcro piece 3-1/4” from the left side of first strip of Velcro. Position the second handle between the Velcro and the top Biased edge, 1” from each side of the Velcro. Pin then stitch all the way around the Velcro, encasing the handle.
• Double secure the handle by stitching an 'X' on the outside of the bag binding (see photo)
• Sew a scratchy piece of Velcro 3-1/4” from the edge of the center piece of Velcro you just sewed. (see photos for placement)
• Sew the last scratchy piece of Velcro on the reverse side of the bag (the outside of the bag), directly behind the scratchy Velcro you just sewed on the inside of the bag.

• Laid your finished bag out flat, fill your pockets with your nail polish bottles.
• Flip the right side of the bag and fold it to the middle of the bag
• Flip the left edge and fold it over all the way to the right. The Velcro strips at the top will catch and secure the bag.

NOW PICK UP THE BAG AND GO DO YOUR NAILS!