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How to Make a Fabric Closet Safe

How to Make a Fabric Closet Safe

How to make a fabric closet safe.  I absolutely love this project.  It is the perfect fabric closet safe that can be hung in your closet or taken on the road to hide your valuables while traveling.  It is discreet and can be hidden among your clothes so that your valuables are well hidden from prying eyes.

I, of course, used 1/2 yd remnants for my project but if you need the perfect fabric for your fabric closet safe head over to Hobby Lobby or Fabric.com to find the perfect fabric for your secret hangers.

This project is an advanced beginner project because of the zippers but it is easy to create by just using the secret safe pattern, fabric, and 2 zippers.  You will be so pleased with this project that you will want to make them as gifts for family and friends.  This secret storage project is perfect for home or on the road. Note that the pattern for this project is for a wire hanger.  I will hopefully be able to rework the pattern to fit a plastic hanger in the future.  

If you would like more travel patterns check out my post on how to make travel patterns and a passport wallet.  These are easy projects to make and are perfect for any traveler on the go. This post contains affiliate links that if you click on them and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

If you would like a complete video tutorial of this project head over to YouTube and check out my brand new video. Here it is.  

How to Make a Fabric Closet Safe

What you will Need: How to Make a Fabric Closet safe

How to make a fabric closet safe
What you will Need Fabric Closet Safe

Step 1: Cut your Fabrics

Print out the pattern and tape the pieces together by abutting the edges.  Cut two of the outer fabric, lining fabric and interfacing.  Cut a pocket piece from either fabric and interfacing that measures 11 1/2″ x 17 1/4″ and two zipper tabs that measure 1″ x 2″. From this you will have:

  • 2 outer pieces
  • 2 lining Pieces
  • 2 interfacing pieces
  • 1 pocket piece with interfacing
  • 2 zipper tabs

Step 2: fuse the interfacing

Fuse your interfacing to the wrong side of the outer fabrics and the pocket piece.  If you are not familiar with interfacing it is a product that provides structure to garments and bags.  It typically comes with instructions on how to attach it but the process is quite easy.  The interfacing has a glue side and a non-glue side.  Lay the wrong side of your fabric on the glue side of the interfacing and press with a hot iron until it fuses with the fabric and you can treat the two pieces as one.

Step 3: add the zipper tabs

Add the zipper tabs to the ends of the zipper.  If you have never added zipper tabs the process is quite easy.  For this project, because the zipper tabs will be sewn into the body of the closet safe you will not have to worry about the sides.  You can leave them raw.  First tack the pull ends together. Then, simply lay the tab right sides together with each end of the zipper so that the tab is laying on the zipper.  Sew the tabs across the short ends.  Make sure that you do not sew over the stops of the zipper or you will break your needle.  Fold the tab so that it is right side out and press.  You have now added the zipper tabs to your zipper.

I added zipper tabs because my zipper was not quite long enough for this project and I wanted to make sure that the zipper laid flat while sewing it to the body.

How to make a fabric closet safe
Tack the Pull End Together
How to make a fabric closet safe
Add the Zipper Tabs
How to make a fabric closet safe
Open out the tabs

Step 4: add the center zipper

Add the first zipper.  This is the zipper without the zipper tabs.  This zipper will be added to the center of the safe and will serve as the place to put your valuables.  You will create a pocket from the lining fabric.  First you will fuse interfacing to the pocket piece.  Measure 6″ up from the bottom of one of the outer safe pieces and draw a line across the piece using an erasable pen like FrixionFrixion ink disappears with the use of heat so when you press the safe it will disappear.  This is one of my favorite sewing hacks and you can get it at Amazon by clicking on the link.

How to make a fabric closet safe
Draw a Line 6 inches up from the bottom

Step 5: draw the opening

On the reverse side of the pocket piece on the interfacing draw a box 1″ down from the top and in the center of the rectangular piece that measures 3/8″ x 14″.  Measure in 1/2″ from the short ends and draw a triangle.  Then connect the two triangles with a straight line.  Line up the raw edge of the pocket piece with the line you previously drew on the outer safe piece.  Pin.  These pieces will be right sides together.  Sew a straight seam all the way around the box

How to make a fabric closet safe
Draw the box

Step 6: open the opening

Using a seam ripper or a small pair of scissors cut a slit along the center line until you get to the points of the triangles.  Stop and cut the legs of the triangles without cutting through the stitching.  Push the pocket piece through the hole you just created and press.

How to make a fabric closet safe
Cut the slit

Step 7: Add the zipper

Place the zipper in the center of the hole and either pin or use basting tape.  I like to use basting tape.  Using a zipper foot sew around the zipper close to the edge of the fabric.  The zipper is now installed.

Press the opening
How to make a fabric closet safe
Add the Zipper

Step 8: make the pocket

Turn the piece to the wrong side and fold up the pocket piece so the bottom meets the top and pin.  Sew around the three raw edges of the pocket piece making sure not to catch the outer fabric.  The pocket is now complete.

Step 9: add the bottom zipper

Add the bottom zipper that has the tabs.  This can be done by laying the main fabric right side up on your table.  Place the zipper right side down and the lining on top of the zipper right sides down so that it makes a zipper sandwich.  Using a zipper foot sew the zipper close to the teeth.  Repeat for the other side of the zipper.  Top stitch along the right side of the zipper for a more professional look and to prevent the zipper from catching on the lining.

How to make a fabric closet safe
Add the bottom zipper

Step 10: Sew the sides

Unzip the bottom zipper.  Pin the lining pieces right sides together and the outer pieces right sides together.  Sew all the way around leaving the top curve and an opening in one side of the lining piece for turning.  You should have two pieces separated by the bottom zipper.

How to make a fabric closet safe
Pin the lining pieces together and the outer pieces together

Step 11: turn the piece

Turn the safe through the open zipper and the opening in the lining.  Push out all of the corners with a chopstick or knitting needle.

How to make a fabric closet safe
Turn the bag

Step 12: close the top

Finish the top curve either with bias binding or turn the raw edges under and sew together using ladder stitch.  I chose to fold the edges under and sew because the bias binding was a little too fidgity for this project but you could use bias binding if you choose.

How to make a fabric closet safe
Sew the curved top

Step 13: finish the Fabric Closet Safe

Press the entire safe and insert a hanger through the bottom zipper and up through the curved edge.  Close the zipper and you have completed your fabric closet safe. You can hang it in your closet as is or under a piece of clothing to really conceal it. You can place items in the center pocket or through the bottom zipper.

How to make a fabric closet safe
Finished Fabric Closet Safe

I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial on how to make this hidden storage fabric closet safe.  This is a fun and functional project that is easy to make.  Feel free to let me know what you think of this terrific little project.

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Best Regards

— Sewverycrafty

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