Scrappy Sewing Project Keeps Your Glasses Safe and Out of the Way

One of my favorite things about where I live is the beautiful sunshine we enjoy all year long. Because of all that sun one of the most important things to have in my car while I’ve driving my kids all over the place is a pair of sunglasses. I never go anywhere without them. That being said, I often have a hard time finding them in my car! I don’t like the built-in sunglass holder because for some reason my dang glasses always get stuck in it and it’s way more trouble than it's worth. But with all the gear and things I’m hauling around for myself and the kids, the sunglasses end up on the floor more often than not.

I decided I needed a place to put my sunglasses so I would be able to keep them protected and easy to find. And, while I wanted to put them on my van’s sun visor, I didn’t want them to get in the way of the mirror that I need to apply my makeup while parked in the drop-off line at school.

This nifty sunglass case fits vertically on the end of a sun visor and has a snap to hold the glasses inside so they don’t fall out when I’m moving the visor around. And because this project only requires small amounts of fabric, it’s a great scrap buster. You can whip these up fast for yourself and some to give away. If you don’t want to attach it to your sun visor, just leave the elastic trim off and it’s a regular glasses holder to throw in a bag, purse, or on a car center console. Easy peasy!

Watch the video tutorial here:

Supplies to make a Visor Glasses Case:

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• Free strap template below

• Cotton fabric for the exterior cut to 6 ¾ wide x 7 1/2 tall (if you are using a directional print, the shorter edges will be the top and bottom of the glasses holder)

• Coordinating cotton fabric for the interior cut to 6 ¾ wide by 7 ¼ tall

• Fusible fleece cut to 6 ¼ in wide x 6 ¾ inches tall

• ½-inch wide elastic trim cut to 8 ¾ inches

• Plastic size 20 snap

• Kam Snap Table Press

• Kam Snap handheld Press

• Sewing machine

• Matching general use thread

• Fabric pen or pencil

• Fabric scissors

• Rotary mat, cutting ruler and rotary cutter

• Sewing clips

• Iron

• Ironing board

 Make the strap for a visor glasses case:

Let’s create the strap.  I used my interior fabric for some contrast. You need to cut two pieces of fabric for the strap. Fold a small piece of fabric in half right sides together and hold them in place while you cut out the strap using the template.

With the right sides of the fabric pieces still together, sew around the outside edge of the strap with a 1/8-inch seam allowance but don’t sew the flat straight edge.

Carefully clip the rounded edge without cutting your seam. This helps the fabric curve more and look smooth once you turn it right side out.

Flip the strap right side out through the straight edge opening and make sure all of the fabric is pushed out. Iron the strap flat.

Now in the center of the strap near the rounded end, install one side of your snap. If you need any help with snaps, there is a step-by-step tutorial here. I like to place the male side of the snap on the strap itself, but that’s just a personal preference and either will work.

Prepare the exterior and interior fabric to sew a visor glasses case:

Center the fusible fleece on the back of the interior fabric and iron it on. I hold it in place and flip it over to iron from the cotton side. It helps to melt the adhesive and makes it less likely I will melt the fleece. That's all it takes to get the interior piece of fabric ready.

On the exterior piece of fabric at one of the shorter edges - Measure 1 3/4 inches in from right and mark with fabric pencil or marker. Then, measure 1 3/4 inches in from the left and mark with fabric pencil or marker.

At the mark you just made on the right side of the exterior fabric measure 1 inch down from the top edge and make another mark with a fabric pencil or marker.

Install the second side of your snap (the female side) at the 1-inch mark with the snap portion facing up.

At the mark you made on the left side of the exterior fabric, center the piece of elastic at top and center the unsewn edge of the strap with the male part of the snap facing up.

Baste in place with a 1/8-inch seam just to hold them so they don't move around in the next few steps.

Place the lining with the right side (the side without the fusible fleece) facing up and the exterior face down.

Sew along the edge that has the basted strap and elastic with a ¼-inch seam.

Open up the two pieces of fabric and iron this seam toward the exterior fabric.

Now fold the whole thing lengthwise so the raw edges are lined up. Sew along the one long side with a 1/4 – inch seam allowance.

Iron this seam open and flat.

Flip the whole thing right side out – the easiest way to do this is to pull the side without the fusible fleece through the interior.

Now push the interior INSIDE the exterior so the wrong sides of the fabrics are facing each other. Line it all up, adjust your seams and iron the whole thing flat.

Roll the bottom unsewn exterior edges inward ¼ - ½ inch around the interior fabric so the edges are even. Clip in place.

Now put the other end of the elastic between these two edges and center it up.

Sew the bottom shut with 1/8-inch seam allowance.

The last step is to top stitch around the glasses case opening. From the INSIDE, top stitch around the opening.

Ready to use up all your scraps and sew a whole pile? That’s exactly what I've been doing! Happy crafting!

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