I have been ask to do a write-up on the two Freedom Panel Bags I made. Here is the finished product.






The fabric I used was Denier Endura 1200. It is a heavy outdoor fabric. Anything super heavy would work.
You will also need
upholstery thread
upholstery needle for sewing machine
scissors
ruler
sew on heavy duty velcro
nylon strapping for handles
and 2 large shoulder pads (optional)

Instructions below. Hopefully they make sense.

 

You want to lay your panel on the fabric just as shown in the picture.
You need to make the right side of the panel flush with the "fold/center" of the fabric. And trace the outline on the two sides of the panel. The bottom edge will be your open end and will get hemmed and velcro sewn to it.

Using a ruler, add 2 inches all the way around your inital tracing of your panel.
This will allow you seam allowance plus a little extra.

Now fold your fabric in half and cut it out. DO NOT CUT FOLD.
The fold is where all the weight will be when your bag is carried.
You want it to remain the "fold". No seam to worry about ripping through.

Now hem your long straight edge.

Fold in half, right sides together, wrong sides facing you.
Sew the left and top sides. Sew this twice. You want to have a double set of stitches to ensure it's strength.
If you want handles on your bags you need to insert them into the seam
before you sew it together. Refer to the picture to see how to place them "inside" the bag, so when you finish and turn your bag "right side out" the handles will be on the outside.

Now that it is sewn, BEFORE you turn the bag "right side out" you need to
CLIP the rounded areas of the seam so it will lay flat when turned. I don't really know how to explain this but anyone who sews can show you.

Sew on your heavy duty velcro all the way across the open end of the bag.
Optional....I bought two large shoulder pads that have velcro already sewn to them,
and I attached "stick on" velcro to the front panel clips. You know the big black metal clamps that you lock the panels down at the windshield with. When I put the panels in the bag I stick the shoulder pads on them just for extra cushion. Especially since I normally lay them on top of each other in the back of the Jeep.

 

Do you accept Paypal and can I choose the color?

 

Thanks for the write up it looks great!!Do you have much of the grill cover left?

 

If I wasn't getting ready to do a cross country move in 2 weeks, I would make some and sell them. But as you can imagine, I have my hands full for the time being. Sorry.

No, not much left at all. That is one thing I did not mention in the write up. If you use one of the grill covers it MUST BE a 68 inch wide one. The extra large one. And if you use the grill cover, you obviously have to tear it apart so you have the fabric to work with. You also have to "piece" in fabric from the "top" of the grill cover onto the big piece you are working with. It is not hard, you just need to add it to the bottom so the depth of the fabric is long enough. One cover will make two complete bags with a little fabric left over. Once you buy one and lay your panel down on it, it will be obvious to you what needs to be done. It really isn't hard.

 

Dang..you're all over this stuff. Where do I sign my wife up to learn this crap...she needs to quit being a lawyer and start making me jeep accessories! Pronto!

 

Why does your wife have to be the one to learn it??? I think you should give it a shot.....just think of all the stuff you could make for your Jeep. The more stuff you make the more money you save to spend on better mods.

 

To hell with that! I'd rather be wheelin! Learning a skill like that requires forfeiture of your man card...not sure if I can do that.

 

Win ya git rown ta it... Kin ya darn muh socks?



:toung:

 

Win ya git rown ta it... Kin ya darn muh socks?