Quilted Nylon Remote Tote
I've sewn several Remote Totes since the pattern's release last year, all in canvas or heavyweight twill. But while boarding a plane recently, I spotted another passenger's carry-on made in quilted nylon with an almost wet-look sheen—and I was immediately inspired. The Remote Tote felt like the perfect pattern to translate into this sleek travel bag aesthetic.
Since working with nylon requires some adjustments to the usual construction techniques, I filmed the process. In the video at the end of this post, I walk through material selection, share tips for sewing nylon fabrics, and explain a few construction tweaks I made to accommodate this fabric's unique qualities compared to the sturdier materials I've used before. While this video shows a lot of the making process, the original full-length sewing tutorial for the Remote Tote can be found here.
Tools & Materials
Left: side of bag with external pocket | Right: side of bag with luggage handle strap
Tools
I used all the same tools listed in the Remote Tote pattern instructions, with a few additions that make working with nylon much easier. Given nylon's unique properties, you'll need to adjust your approach to pressing seams—heat can damage synthetic fabrics (and your iron!). Nylon also behaves differently under your presser foot than cotton, tending to stick or slip rather than feed smoothly. I've outlined these alternative tools and techniques in the next section.
Materials
Fabric:
I sourced this quilted shiny black nylon online. While it didn't quite have the "wet-look" finish that first caught my eye, it turned out to be the choice I went with in the end. I considered quilting my own fabric, but I wanted to keep this project quick and straightforward.
When selecting fabric for the Remote Tote, weight and structure are crucial considerations. The finished bag needs enough body to hold its shape and prevent items inside from poking through and distorting the silhouette. This pre-quilted nylon does exactly that—it keeps everything securely contained while maintaining the bag's clean lines.
Zipper:
I scaled the bag up by 2" in width, which required using a zipper at least 2" longer than the original pattern calls for. If you want to go any larger than this while maintaining the original design's proportions, you'll need to adjust nearly all the pattern pieces—a process I've covered in detail in another post here.
I've been sourcing all my bag zippers from Wawak lately, and this 18" Brass Donut Pull Bag Zipper comes in a wide range of colors and lengths. Instead of matching the zipper tape to the black fabric, I went with this bright fluorescent green for a pop of contrast. The 18" length allows the bag opening to unzip completely—a construction detail that differs from the original instructions and is demonstrated in the video. An even longer zipper would have been ideal, but 18" is the longest length they carry.
Binding & Pull Tab:
I rummaged through my stash and found some leftover striped cotton that perfectly complemented the fluorescent green zipper. I used it to bind the side seams of the tote—a finishing detail I'd nearly forgotten about until this lucky scrap bin discovery saved the day. The original Remote Tote instructions include tips for managing heavyweight fabrics, but this quilted nylon was surprisingly easy to work with and made binding those seams a breeze. Finally, I used the same striped fabric for the zipper pull tab, which turned out to be the perfect finishing touch that tied all the materials together into a cohesive design.
Tips For Sewing Nylon Fabric
Before any sewing project, I always prepare myself by testing my stitches on the fabric I’m using to decide on things like color and stitch length. This is also a moment when you might find out your fabric need to be handled differently than what you imagined. This nylon fabric would benefit from an alternative to the standard machine foot. Here are some options:
Teflon/non-stick foot: This is ideal for nylon since it glides smoothly over the slippery fabric without sticking or dragging. It prevents the fabric from getting caught under the foot.
Rolling foot/roller foot: The small wheels help feed slippery nylon evenly through the machine, preventing shifting and puckering.
Walking foot/even-feed foot: Great for keeping multiple layers of nylon moving together at the same rate, especially important for bag construction with thicker areas or when topstitching.
Alternatives if you don't have specialty feet:
Place tissue paper or water-soluble stabilizer between the fabric and your regular presser foot—tear it away after stitching
Put a strip of masking tape or Scotch tape on the bottom of your regular foot to reduce friction (replace when it gets gunky)
Decrease presser foot pressure if your machine allows it
Use a longer stitch length (3.0-3.5mm) to prevent puckering
Additional tips: Use polyester thread (stronger and more compatible with synthetics), and reduce your machine's speed for better control. Hold slight tension on both the fabric in front and behind the presser foot to help it feed evenly.
During my sewing prep phase, I tested all my materials and determined that finger pressing would work well for the seams. I used to own a wooden clapper but no longer have one on hand. There are other points in the construction process where an iron would typically be helpful for prepping pieces before stitching them together—I share my workarounds for those moments in the video.
For nylon and other synthetic fabrics that can't handle iron heat, here are the best alternatives for pressing seams open:
Finger pressing: Use your fingers or a bone folder (a smooth tool often used in bookbinding) to press seams flat. Run it firmly along the seam several times. This works surprisingly well for lightweight to medium-weight nylons.
Wooden clapper or tailor's clapper: Press the seam flat with this smooth wooden tool, applying firm pressure. The weight and hardness help set the seam without heat.
Topstitching: Sew a line of stitching about 1/8" away from the seam on both sides. This mechanically holds the seam allowances open and flat, and it's a common finish on bags anyway.
Seam roller: This small tool (looks like a tiny rolling pin) applies even pressure along seams. Roll it firmly over the seam several times.
Steam without contact: If your nylon can tolerate some heat, hold a steam iron about an inch above the fabric and let the steam do the work, then finger-press while it's warm and pliable. Test on a scrap first.
What The Video
The construction process for this quilted nylon version of the Remote Tote closely follows the original sewing tutorial, but the full-length video captures all the small adjustments and decisions I made along the way. Use the video below as a step-by-step guide if you'd like to create a similar bag.
