Camera Lens Sleeves

I have a really good camera bag.  It's a sling style and has plenty of pockets.  It looks something like this:

source



But I also like to be able to just put my camera in my purse and carry one bag around.  Unfortunately that doesn't protect my camera and lenses very well.  I came up with the idea of making little drawstring "pouches" for each spare part. 

I have a set of fleece sheets that are no longer used - they are soft and cushiony, but not bulky.  And I love the grey colour.  The pillow case alone provided more than enough material for me to fashion my pouches.

Here's what I did.

I turned the pillow case inside out and laid it out on a flat surface.  I took my longer 55-250 zoom lens and put it in the pillow case, sliding it down to the bottom corner.  Using a pillow case is nice because two of your seams are already sewn for you. 

I used a ruler and a Sharpie to mark where my other side seam should be. It should be snug but not too tight.  I measured two inches beyond the edge of the lens on the open end to allow the bag room to close (plus a hem) and marked it.

(radius is one inch - allow an extra inch for hem)

I removed the lens and drew straight lines to join the marks, making a rectangle on the material.  While you could draw the lines with the lens inside the pillowcase, I found that they didn't always end up being straight.  I cut out the "rectangle" and got to sewing.

You're going to close the top of the pouch with a drawstring, so there are going to be open edges where the string comes out.  You'll want a nice finished look there, so take your two raw edges on the open side and fold over the material - right side out - sewing a very small hem on each one, all the way top to bottom. 

Take your top open edge and fold it over 1 inch, right side out.  Sew all the way across the opening about 3/4" from the edge. 

Do you see how you have a nice finished edge at each end?  Aren't you happy you sewed those tiny hems?

Turn your pouch inside out and sew the open side together, keeping as close to the first hem as you can. Only sew up as far as the stitching that goes across the top.  You don't want to sew your drawstring opening closed.

If the bottom isn't already sewn for you, sew it closed now.

You now need to string a ribbon or cord through the top.  I used a navy & white flat ribbon that used to be the handle of a shopping bag.  Resourceful, yes?  I have found that the easiest way to string the ribbon is to attach a safety pin to one end and feed the pin through the hole. 

Slide the ribbon all the way through, tie a knot at each end to keep it from slipping back , turn your pouch right side out and admire your work.

The lens fits perfectly and I'm not so worried that it's being damaged in my purse.  I might keep it in the pouch even when it's in the camera bag in case it should fall out (not that that's ever happened - not more than once anyway).

I then went ahead and made a pouch for my smaller lens, my Lightscoop flash redirecter, and my little point and shoot.  It's especially good for small cameras as they're always getting tossed in a bag or knapsack (as you can see from the scratches on it already).

(See the difference when the flash isn't bounced?)

my little army

I think I'm going to make one for the camera body, and probably one for the battery recharger because that cord is always all over the place, even when it's in the camera bag. 

Yes, I'm out of control.  Snuggies for everyone!