This camera cozy protects your LCD and keeps your lens cap on when you toss your camera in your bag or are just carrying it around. It also provides storage for a spare set of batteries as well as a location for the dead ones you’re taking out.
It was designed for the Canon S2IS and S3IS, but the pattern can be adapted for other similarly shaped cameras. Download the pattern here (160 kB PDF file).
It was inspired by a knit crocheted camera bag by Leethal. (If you like it, she has a similar one for sale right nowsold!) However, the darling lens pouch seemed rather excessive for my non-SLR, and I don’t knit (or crochet!), so this design was born.
This is a perfect project for scrap material. I used denim from a pair of jeans that were made into cutoffs for the outer surface and leftover cotton batik from a summer dress for the liner and pockets.
The liner is sewn to the denim first along the seam that will be the lip of the bag.
I sewed up seams 1, 2 and 3 (see pattern) of the liner, and then realized I should have added the pockets first.
The pockets for batteries start by folding over 1/4″ of the top and one side edge. A row of stitches across the top helps to prevent fraying. Align the folded side to where the side of the bag will fold and stitch down.
Next, stitch the pocket divider seams, evenly spaced along the side of the bag. It takes about 1 1/4″ of fabric for each AA battery.
Form a little pleat at the bottom of each pocket and stitch the bottom edge down.
The pocket flaps are just rectangles of denim that have had the edges stitched under. The pockets are labeled for the spare and dead batteries so there will be no mixing them up. Zigzag stitches work just fine for simple embroidery like this.
The pocket flap is placed about halfway between the top of the pocket and the edge of the bag. I put a snap on one corner, which gives just enough resistance to keep any of the batteries from falling out when it is turned upside down.
It’s now time to put the body of the bag together. For both the liner and the outer material, stitch seams 1, 2 and 3, starting with seam 1.
Next, stitch the liner to the lid, but only along the sides. Leave the front edge open so you can turn it right-side out.
Once right-side out, there will be one seam left to do.
Fold the seam allowances in and stitch along the front lip of the lid to close it up.
A row of topstitching along the rim of the bag helps to to maintain its shape.
A buttonhole and a button for the lid are the final details.
My S2IS fits snugly in its new cozy!
Great looking bag! – Bre
Very nice – exactly what I need for my S3! What do you do with the bag when you’re using the camera?
I am usually carrying a larger bag, so it gets thrown in there. Alternately, it scrunches up small enough to fit in a jacket pocket. You could also add a loop to clip onto the strap to let the bag dangle.
Sweet!! I always admire people who can sew. To turn something flat, like fabric, into something 3-D is amazing and when one knows the subtelties of linings and stitches to add form, and all that — well, my hat’s off to you?
Um, the lining on my hat came loose here at the front — would you mind…?
This is great. But I was really disappointed by the Etsy ‘knit a camera bag’ – it’s not knitting, it’s crochet! Anyone know a knitted pattern?
MM of http://www.margaret-marks.com/Transblawg
Whoops! I guess I should have read the item description. I couldn’t take my eyes away from the picture (not a good excuse) and while I can make chains of slipknots, I have never knitted or crocheted, so my ignorance is showing. I’ve corrected the text up top – but the question is still open: Does anyone know of a knitting pattern for a camera bag?
I can custom crochet bags of all kinds for cameras, cell phones, ipods, and bags that will hold all three plus extra batteries. I’ve been selling them for some time. rhiannon@chorusofchaos.com
Not very good looking this bag, to be absolutely honest… but better than having to pay for an ugly looking black or grey one..
Still looking for the perfect stylish camera bag.
There’s a lot of potential here for creativity. There are so many embellishments that could be added to make it designer like. I think it would be awesome to add crazy quilt patches & stitches, including beads, buttons, and embroidery to it.
Thanks for posting this pattern & idea.
jtd
Thanks jtd! We’d love to see pics if you do make one.
I love this post! If I had an SLR, I would be so into making a case like that – something really unique.
I have a compact Canon and found this case, which I love because it is slim (most cases are so bulky these days) and it’s made in the USA. I love the fabric too. It comes with a mountaineering carabiner so I can justs clip it onto the outside of my bag rather than digging for it each time I want to take a picture.
Link SFBags.com camera case
If I had a pattern for something like this, I would make several!
~Janet
This is awesome!! I’m definately making one tomorrow! Thank you for the pattern.
Not that I don’t love this, but how do you make it bigger so you can hold other things like a flash or a bigger camera?
If you are still working with a roughly rectangular object, you can scale up any of the dimensions you like, but this bag isn’t really designed to hold accessories (other than batteries) in addition to the camera.
This is the best camera bag pattern/tutorial I’ve found today. I received a small dslr for Christmas and all I want to do is make this bag and a matching strap cover!
Thanks so much for sharing your idea!!
This is awesome! I have an ugly black commercially made one, but I just may have to make me one of these smaller ones. =) The ugly one holds everything that came with my camera. The tripod, battery charger, and extra batteries (didn’t come with the camera). But I love the looks of this one. I can see it in lots of funky colors. I may just have to makeme one of these. Thank you for this really great tut!
Debbie J
This is so great! I was going to have to buy a $50 special case for my camera because it’s too big for the standard camera cases. Now all I have to do is find a liner fabric somewhere in my house and I’ve already got a pair of jeans cut up! Can’t beat free!
This actually turned out too small for my camera. Any suggestions on how to make it bigger? Do I just add a few more inches of fabric?
For liner fabric, I used one of those reusable grocery bags that I didn’t need and was just sitting in my closet. I found out the hard way that you can’t iron it, so use a really wrinkle-free bag. It’s not hard to sew and paired with denim, it makes a nice, sturdy case.
This is just what I was looking for. I didn’t want to get a separate camera bag and most of the camera tutorials are for point and shoot or padded purse inserts for DSLRS. Thanks!!