My husband's camera case recently fell apart. He's been looking for a new one for a while, but he likes to slide it onto his belt, and hasn't been able to find one like that. So I said I'd make him one. (I am sewing for 100 days, for the 100 Day Project, after all!) It seemed logical to make a tutorial about it, in case anyone else would like to make one. So here it is:

How to make a camera case

I based my case on my husband's current one. It's a bit on the big side, but he likes it like that. You could alter the size to fit your camera. I've included an internal pocket for batteries, etc.

Warning!  This is a fiddly project.  Not suitable for beginners!

I used some off-cuts of denim for the outer case and scraps of our 195gsm cotton for the lining. Any firm fabric will be fine for the outer - good bits from discarded jeans, corduroy, heavy canvas, strong waterproof nylon. You could use light-weight waterproof nylon for the lining, or any scraps of cotton, fleece or any non-scratchy not-too-heavy fabric. For the interfacing, I used a firm interfacing, sold as pelmet interfacing. If you wanted a softer, more quilted look (and feel), you could use quilting batting, or a thick fabric (single or double , depending on how thick it is), such as brushed cotton or old blanket.

You will need:

Outer fabric:

•  2 pieces 15cms x 11½cms (case)
• 1 piece 28cms x 7½cms (gusset)
• 2 pieces 20½cms x 5cms (gusset)
• 1 piece 15cms x 23cms (strap)

Lining fabric:

•  2 pieces15cms x 11½cms (case)
• 1 piece 28cms x 7½cms (gusset)
• 2 pieces 20½cms x 5cms (gusset)
• 1 piece 18cms x 11½cms (pocket)

Interfacing:

• 2 pieces 15cms x 11½cms

Zip:    approx. 21cms

To Make:

Cut out all pieces

Strap:

1. Fold strap in half along the long side. Press
2. Open the strap out and fold each short edge in to meet at the fold.  Press.  Fold in half again, along the original fold line.
   

   

3. Stitch close to each edge, by the fold and by the open edges. Stitch again approx. ¼” from first line of stitching.
4. Pin in position on the right side of one case outer piece, lining up the edges and placing the strap in the middle of the case. Stitch across at the top and bottom.
5. Mark the centre of the strap and stitch about 1" above this, and again half way between that line of stitching and the seam line.  Repeat below the centre mark.  This will give about 2" for your belt to go through.  If you usually wear wider belts, make the gap in the middle wider.

Pocket:

1. Fold pocket piece in half so that it measures 9cms x 11½cms. Press
2. Pin in postion onto right side of one case lining piece, lining up raw edges at the bottom and sides, with the fold at the top of the pocket.
   

   

3. Stitch inside the seam allowance along each side seam.

Case:

1. Press under ½" on the long side of the 2 smaller gusset pieces.
   

   

2. Pin one each side of the right side of the zip, placing the fold close to the teeth of the zip.
3. Stitch in place.
   

   

4. Stitch one end of the long gusset piece across one end of the zip.  Press. *
   

   

5. Place interfacing on the wrong side of each case piece. Depending on the type of interfacing used, pin, tack, stitch or iron it in place.
6. Now we come to the tricky bit!  Pin the gusset to the back of the case, right sides together, starting with the zip.  This should be positioned so that the zip is at the top of the case, with (more or less!) equal lengths down each side.
7. Stitch from 6 or 7 cms from the end of the gusset, easing round the corners, till you have about 6 or 7 cms left.  Finger press the seam away from the zip.
8. Check the length of the gusset against the back of the case, and join the 2 ends of the gusset so that it is the right length.  If your measuring and sewing has been reasonable accurate, this should give you a seam about ½" wide.  Stitch the seam.
9. Complete the gusset seam.
   

   

10. Open the zip (otherwise you won't be able to get into your case!) and stitch the other edge of the gusset to the front of the case, right sides together.
11. Trim the interfacing close to the seam.  Trim corners.  Snip into curves.
12. Turn the case right side out.

Lining:

1. Press under ½" on the long side of the 2 smaller gusset pieces.
2. Pin the short ends to a short end of the other gusset piece, right sides together.  The raw edges should be even, with a small gap in the middle, where the folded edges don't quite meet.  Stitch.  Press.
   

   

3. Stitch the gusset to the back of the lining, as in 7 above.
   

   

   Turning the corner
4. Stitch the ends of the gusset together, as in 8 above.
5. Complete the gusset seam.
6. Trim corners and seams.  Clip curves.
7. Put the lining inside the case, wrong sides together.
   

   

8. Stitch the folded edges of the gusset alongside the zip.  Ideally, you would do this from the outside of the case, so you could stitch on top of the stitches holding the zip in place.  However, this is the fiddliest bit of the whole project.  I stitched from the inside, so that I could position the lining as I went (I pinned it first, but I sometimes had to move the pins.)  I left long tails of thread at the beginning and end so that I could finish ot off by hand, as the machine won't get close to the ends of the zip.