Easy Casserole/Treat Carrier

Easy Casserole/Treat Carrier
This versatile carrier is easy to make, fun to use to take your favorite foods to share, and keeps things warm or cool!
Versatile for many different size pans, but you can easily changeup the measurements to custom fit other sizes. A great
gift, both the carrier and whatever good things you put inside it! We made ours using a Baby Lock serger with a Wave
stitch for added detail. Not sure what the Wave stitch is? We'll show you in the pictures but would love it if you come
on in to take a look for yourself!
Supplies: (Items with * can be purchased direct from Moore's online blog store, just click the link below product photo!)
Fabric: (for contrast Outer and Inner pieces)
Outer fabric and tabs - 1-3/8 yd. 45" wide, wovens only
Inner fabric - 3/4 yd. 45" wide, wovens only
(For one fabric, 2-1/8 yd. 45" wide)
One 1 yd. Package of Insul-Bright*
Spray Adhesive - KK2000* or 505*
Floriani Embroidery Perfection Tape*
Cutting Mat*
Ruler/Grid*
Rotary Cutter*
Fray Block* (note, this is not the same product as Fray Check)
Set of purse handles (instructions are for handles approx. 6" at bottom - if you select different length, adjust length of
tab fabric accordingly)
Velcro (1/4 yd., you may want more - see options in Instructions)
Regular sewing thread (available in Moore's stores)
Decorative thread for serger -- Mettler Quilting Thread, YLI Jeans Stitch, YLI Pearl Crown etc., for both upper and lower
loopers, and one cone of regular serger thread (available in Moore's stores)
Serger and Sewing Machine (available in Moore's stores)
Instructions:
1.
Cut the following:
Outer fabric: 2 pieces each 40" long x 19-1/2" wide
Inner fabric: 2 pieces each 42" long x 12-1/2" wide
Tabs for handles: 2 pieces 12-1/2"long x 3-3/4" wide
Insul-Bright: 1 piece 41-3/4" long x 12-1/4" wide
A rotary cutter, cutting mat, and ruler are invaluable in cutting nice straight pieces. You'll find many uses for these tools!
We used a large (24"x36") mat and large (6-1/2"x24-1/2") ruler with 45mm rotary cutter.
Buy ruler!
Buy cutting mat!
Buy rotary cutter!
NOTE: Insul-Bright has a "reflective" side that goes against the item to be kept warm or cool. It is the slightly shinier
side of the product. We recommend sticking a label on that side so you always know which it is! We've used Floriani
Embroidery Perfection Tape (which we'll often refer to as "pink tape") to mark ours.
Get Insul-Bright!
Buy Tape Now!
2.
Place Insul-Bright between the two pieces of inner fabric - use spray adhesive to hold in place - we recommend
505 or KK2000 to baste the layers together.
Get 505!
Get KK2000!
Right side of each piece of fabric should face out. Your Insul-Bright was cut just a bit smaller than these fabric pieces to
prevent its "fuzziness" from poking through your serged edges, so it should be approximately 1/8" smaller than each
side of the outer fabric. It's VERY IMPORTANT to mark the fabric as to which is covering the reflective side of the InsulBright -- we've moved our pink tape label into position for this purpose. You will need to know which side this is when
you join it to the outer section to be sure your food is kept warm/cool.
3.
Thread your serger according to manufacturer's instructions. We have used the Wave stitch -- this great
decorative stitch is found on Baby Lock's Ovation, Evolution or Enlighten sergers (if you don't have one of these, come
on into your local Moore's store - we can help!). You can use a regular 3 thread wide serging/overlock stitch. Use the
serger cone thread for the needle, and decorative thread in upper and lower loopers. We shortened the stitch length to
just "a click" above 1.0. We recommend layering some scraps as above as test pieces to adjust your stitch the way you
want it.
Serge all four sides of the inner section together. Isn't that Wave pretty?! We serged off the edge on each side,
then used Fray Block to secure the stitches. It dries soft and clear! We put wax paper under our work to protect
surfaces from spills. KEEP that "Reflective Side" marker in place!
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4.
Attach the Velcro closure strips - this is how your inner section closes and keeps your food warm/cool.
Place one 9" strip approximately 1" in from edge of the Reflective Side of your inner section. Place the other piece of
the Velcro approximately 1" in from OPPOSITE END of the OPPOSITE SIDE of inner section -- this allows the pieces to fold
over and fasten shut. We've used pink tape to baste the Velcro.
Hint: Even if you purchased self stick Velcro, we recommend sewing it down to avoid lifting.
Hint: We used an edge joining foot - also called a narrow edge foot, stitch in the ditch foot - to
easily sew it on. About the center guide to edge of Velcro, move needle over a few clicks, sew!
Hint: You may wish to apply additional strips to adjust for wrapping different size pans.
Your inner section is done!
5.
Tabs - Fold each tab lengthwise, right sides together. Sew with 1/4" seam, press. Turn right side out so finished
seam is on outside. Position this seam in center of tab, press. Press one raw edge up 1/2".
6.
If you'd like to add some embroidery, applique, or other embellishment to the outside, add these
embellishments now. Place outer fabric pieces WRONG sides together and baste with spray adhesive.
Note -- we used a quilting cotton so our carrier is very soft. A more firm fabric will give your carrier a more
"crisp" result. You may wish to add interfacing or a stabilizing material between your outer pieces - it's all personal
preference!
7.
Center one tab at each short end of the outer fabric set, seam side up, and pin or baste in place (do NOT serge
over pins!). This is the piece that will be the outermost part of carrier and is the "public" side - so if you preferred one
side of your fabric, your tabs should be attached to that side, and you will serge with that side up!
8.
Serge all four sides, as in step #3. Your tab end will look like this --
9.
Press each tab up away from outer fabric, but leave serger stitching flat beneath it. Press raw edges of tab
under 1/2".
10.
Turn outer section over. One at a time, lay handle as near edge of stitching as possible (see photo - it will be
easier with a straighter handle!). Fold tab over handle so the raw edge you pressed under is now concealed. We used
pink tape to hold in place. Edge stitch along each tab edge to attach handles.
Your outer section is done!
11.
Lay outer section flat so the tab edges you just sewed are facing up. Place the inner section crosswise,
centered, on top of the outer section as shown and pin or tape to secure. THE REFLECTIVE SIDE SHOULD BE FACING UP.
Stitch inner section to outer section approximately 1" in from outer edge, as shown. We've used pink tape to secure and
mark stitching placement.
(Yes, that is carpet you're seeing! Even with this large cutting mat you can run out of room or table space.
That's why you NEED a cutting table!)
Your carrier is done! You're all ready to take your culinary creation to share! Here's how to close the inner section for
insulation (that's mom's vintage pan peaking out, it's still going strong creating delicious meals after decades!)
Now just pull the outside up with handles and you're good to go!
Options: If you'd like, you can add Velcro tabs at each of the corners of your outer section. Or, for
Additional embellishment, some interesting buttons can be placed at corners to enhance your carrier.
Bon Appetite!