I’m a little bit of a superhero geek.  There, I said it.  Which is why I HAD to buy a piece of this fabric when I saw it.  Flash forward a couple of years, and it’s still on my shelf.  I’m not sure why.  I had actually been looking for something like it when I found it.  Maybe I’m waiting for the perfect project.

This didn’t take much of the fabric, but it was completely right for it.  I made the pattern before I decided what to use, and it just happened to span exactly across two squares.

I made four tags, but to make just one you’ll need:

• 2 pieces of cotton fabric, cut 11 x 4″ (one for the inside and one for the outside)
• 1 piece of medium-weight interfacing, cut 11 x 4″
• 1 piece of clear vinyl, cut 3 1/4 x 4″
• 1 piece of cotton fabric, cut on the bias 1 1/2″ x 18″

Cut the corners off the large fabric pieces and the interfacing by measuring 1″ down and 1″ across on each side and drawing a diagonal line.

Iron the interfacing onto the inside fabric piece.

Fold the bias in half, wrong sides together.  Fold the raw edges into the middle and press.

Slide the bottom edge (one of the shorter sides) of the vinyl into the fold of the bias.  Cut bias to fit.  Stitch through bias and vinyl, close to the inside fold.

Position the vinyl with the fabric-covered edge 1/4″ from the center and sides of the inside fabric piece.  Use a piece or two of masking tape to hold in place, removing as you sew.  Slide the vinyl edge inside the bias fold, turning the end to the inside 1/4″ and covering the end of the bias you sewed on previously.  Stitch around all three sides near the vinyl, turning and folding the bias at the corners.  Fold the finishing end to the inside 1/4″.  Stitch again around the outside edge of the bias.

Lay the inside and outside pieces right sides together.  Stitch around with a 1/4″ seam, leaving a 4″ opening near the vinyl window.

Clip the corners and turn right side out.  Press, turning in edges of opening.  Stitch around outside edge.  Stitch down the center where it will fold in half.

Sew a 1/2″ button-hole 3/8″ from the top edge on both sides.

Fold the two sides together with the vinyl window inside, so the bad guys can’t see where you live.  The PDF of the tags I made to fit inside can be downloaded here.

Use a large rubber band, hair tie, zip tie or a strap scavenged from an old tag to attach it to your bag by pulling it through both the button holes.

Not only will it be a piece of cake finding our luggage with these attached to it, but a quick peek inside at the color indicates who in our family each one belongs to.

Now I’m less worried about someone taking my luggage than I am about someone taking my tags!