DIY Cord & Tech Organizer | Free Sewing Pattern + Continuous Bias Tape Tutorial

Keep Your Everyday Tech Tidy with This Beginner-Friendly Sewing Project

Charging cords tangled at the bottom of your backpack? USB drives disappearing when you need them most? Charger blocks floating around in three different places?

Project 4 of our Back-to-School Sewing Series here to help organize all that everyday tech, with a project you can sew yourself!

This compact DIY Cord & Tech Organizer features elastic loops for keeping charging cords neatly separated, plus a roomy mesh zipper pocket for storing USB drives, charging blocks, earbuds, adapters, and other small tech essentials. Fold it closed, snap it shut, and toss it into your backpack, work bag, suitcase, or purse.

And this project isn’t just about getting organized. Along the way, we’ll work with mesh fabric, practice zipper installation, create a structured snap closure, and even learn how to make continuous bias tape from a single square of fabric.

We’re sewing it all on the NECCHI NC-103D, a lightweight computerized sewing machine with plenty of power for handling layered projects like this one. We’ll put both the all-purpose foot and included zipper foot to work while taking advantage of adjustable stitch settings for everything from temporary basting to neat topstitching.

Ready to get those cords under control?

Let’s sew!

Get the FREE Project Template

We’ve taken the guesswork out of cutting and placement so you can spend more time at your sewing machine.

Download the FREE Cord & Tech Organizer Project Template & Cutting Guide for the pattern pieces, cutting measurements, and placement guides you’ll need to follow along.

👉 Get the FREE Project Template

What You’ll Need

Materials

• ¼ yard main fabric
• ¼ yard heavyweight fusible interfacing, fusible fleece, or foam
• ⅜ yard coordinating fabric for the binding and accent pieces
• ¼ yard plastic canvas mesh, PVC mesh, or clear vinyl
• 1 zipper -  8” or longer
• 7” of ¾”–1” wide elastic
• Metal or plastic snaps or sew-in hook-and-loop tape
• Coordinating thread

Tools

• NECCHI NC-103D Sewing Machine
• All-purpose presser foot
• Zipper foot
• Iron and ironing board
• Sewing clips and/or pins
• Removable fabric marking pen
• Clear quilting ruler
• Fabric scissors or rotary cutter

Choosing Your Interfacing

The stabilizer you choose will change the feel of your finished organizer.

We used fusible fleece, which gives the organizer soft structure without making it overly stiff. If you’d prefer an organizer with more body and a firmer shape, foam is another great option.

If you’re using a non-fusible foam, you can temporarily secure it to the wrong side of your fabric with a fabric-safe spray adhesive according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Cut & Identify Your Pieces

Follow the measurements and pattern pieces included in your free Project Template to cut everything before you begin.

You should have:

• 2 Main Fabric Template Pieces
• 1 will become the Organizer Front
• 1 will become the Organizer Back
• 1 Interfacing/Foam Organizer Piece
• 1 Coordinating Fabric Square for the Continuous Bias Binding
• 2 Coordinating Fabric Rectangles for the Closure Tab
• 1 Interfacing Piece for the Closure Tab
• 2 Coordinating Fabric Strips for the Zipper Binding
• 1 Mesh Piece for the Mesh Zipper Pocket
• 1 -  7” Elastic Strip for the Cord Keeper
• 1 -  8” or Longer Zipper

Taking a minute to identify these pieces now will make the construction much easier to follow later.

Prep Your Fabric

Before we head to the sewing machine, there are a few pieces we can prepare at the ironing board.

Prepare the Organizer Back

Fuse the organizer-sized interfacing to the wrong side of one main fabric piece according to the manufacturer’s directions.

From this point forward, we’ll call this piece the Organizer Back.

The main fabric piece without interfacing will become the Organizer Front, where we’ll build our mesh pocket and cord storage.

Prepare the Closure Tab

Fuse the small piece of interfacing to the wrong side of one Closure Tab fabric piece.

Set both Closure Tab pieces aside, we’ll come back to them shortly.

Press the Zipper Binding Strips

Take your two coordinating Zipper Binding Strips.

Fold each long raw edge inward toward the center and press. Then fold the strip in half lengthwise and press again.

These little strips will give the exposed edges of our mesh and zipper a clean fabric finish.

Now we’re ready to start sewing.

Build the Mesh Zipper Pocket

Mesh is a fun material to incorporate into organizers because you can see what’s inside without opening every pocket, and you don’t need any complicated construction techniques to sew with it.

We’ll first finish one edge of the mesh and one edge of the zipper separately, then join them together to create our Mesh Zipper Pocket.

Finish the Mesh Edge

Take one prepared Zipper Binding Strip and place it over one long raw edge of your mesh, enclosing the mesh inside the folded binding.

Clip it in place.

Topstitch close to the folded edge, making sure your stitching catches the binding on both sides.

You now have a clean, fabric-finished edge along your mesh.

Prepare the Zipper

Take your remaining Zipper Binding Strip and position it around one long edge of the zipper tape.

Clip the binding in place.

Now switch from the all-purpose foot to your zipper foot.

Sew close to the zipper teeth to secure the binding to the zipper tape.

And if the zipper pull gets in your way while you’re sewing, there’s no need to fight with it.

Stop sewing with the needle lowered into your project, lift the presser foot, and carefully slide the zipper pull behind the foot. Lower the presser foot and continue stitching.

Your needle holds everything in position while you move the zipper pull out of your path.

Join the Zipper and Mesh

Now we’ll bring those two finished pieces together.

Align the bound edge of the mesh with the unbound edge of the zipper tape.

Pin or clip the layers together, making sure everything remains straight and even.

With your zipper foot still attached, sew close to the zipper teeth, catching the mesh binding as you stitch so all of the layers are securely joined.

Take a moment to open and close the zipper to make sure everything moves freely.

Your Mesh Zipper Pocket is now assembled!

Set it aside for just a moment while we prepare the cord storage underneath it.

Add the Cord Keeper Elastic

Those little cords are exactly what this organizer was designed to tame.

Grab your Organizer Front, remember, this is the main fabric piece without interfacing.

Fold the piece in half and lightly press the fold to establish the center line.

Position your 7” elastic strip vertically, beginning approximately ¼” past the pressed center line and centering the elastic vertically on the organizer, shown above.

Baste the elastic in place.

For this step, we increased the stitch length on the NC-103D to 4.5 mm and skipped the backstitching.

This is where having easily adjustable stitch settings on a computerized machine like the NC-103D comes in handy. We can quickly switch from our regular construction stitch to a long basting stitch and back again as the project calls for it.

Attach the Mesh Zipper Pocket

Bring your completed Mesh Zipper Pocket back to your work surface and position it right side up on the Organizer Front.

Align the finished edge of the zipper tape with the ironed center line.

Your basted Cord Keeper Elastic should now be sandwiched underneath the Mesh Zipper Pocket.

Pin the zipper edge securely in place.

Stitch close to the finished zipper edge to attach the Mesh Zipper Pocket to the Organizer Front. This seam also catches and permanently secures the end of the elastic underneath.

Next, baste approximately ¼” from the outer edge around the remaining sides of the Mesh Zipper Pocket to hold it securely against the Organizer Front.

Trim away the excess mesh and zipper extending beyond the organizer’s outer edges.

Now it’s starting to look like an organizer!

Create the Cord Keeper Loops

That strip of elastic is about to become individual storage spaces for charging cords.

Use a removable fabric marker to mark where you’d like each elastic loop to be secured.

We spaced ours approximately 1” apart, beginning about ½” from the top and bottom.

Topstitch using a matching thread across the elastic at each mark, securing it to the Organizer Front.

These individual sections create flexible loops that can hold different cords while keeping each one separated and easy to grab.

Make It Your Own

Your loops don’t all have to be the same size!

Consider what you’ll actually store inside your organizer. Smaller sections work well for thin charging cables, while slightly larger loops can accommodate bulkier cords.

That’s one of the benefits of sewing your own organizer, you can customize the storage to fit your tech.

Sew the Closure Tab

Next, let’s make the tab that will keep everything neatly closed when you’re on the go.

Place your two Closure Tab pieces right sides together, making sure the interfaced piece is included.

Sew along the two long sides and one short end using a ¼” seam allowance, leaving the opposite short end open for turning.

Clip the two sewn corners to remove excess bulk, being careful not to cut through your stitches.

Turn the Closure Tab right side out through the open end.

Gently push out the corners with a point turner or other blunt tool, then press everything neatly.

Top Stitch around all three edges with coordinating thread to finish off your Closure Tab. 

Add the Closure

Now you can choose the closure that works best for you.

We’re using a snap, but sew-in hook-and-loop tape is an easy alternative.

For a snap closure, install the decorative side of your snap approximately ½” from the finished end of the Closure Tab.

Then grab your interfaced Organizer Back.

Install the receiving side of the snap approximately ¾” from the bottom edge, centered across the organizer.

If you’re using sew-in hook-and-loop tape instead, position and stitch your pieces according to the placement markings above.

Make sure you’re working at the correct end of the Organizer Back so your print will run in the direction you want when the organizer is folded closed.

It’s a very small check now that can prevent a very noticeable surprise later!

Make Your Own Continuous Bias Binding

One Square of Fabric. One Long Strip of Bias Binding!

You could absolutely reach for a package of premade bias tape for this project, but learning how to make your own opens up so many more creative possibilities.

Making your own binding means you can coordinate it perfectly with your project, use fabric already in your stash, and create exactly as much as you need.

More importantly, we’re making bias binding for a reason.

Why Does Bias Matter?

Fabric normally has very little stretch when cut along the straight grain. But when it’s cut diagonally, or on the bias, it has more flexibility.

That little bit of give is exactly what we need to smoothly work our binding around the curved edges of the Cord & Tech Organizer.

And instead of cutting and joining a bunch of individual diagonal strips, we’re going to use a clever technique to create one continuous strip from a single square of fabric.

Ready? Grab the coordinating fabric square from your Project Template and let’s give it a try!

Cut Your Fabric Square Diagonally

Start with the square of coordinating fabric you cut during your project prep.

Using a clear quilting ruler, draw or identify a diagonal line running from one corner of the square to the opposite corner.

Cut directly along this diagonal line.

You should now have two fabric triangles.

These two pieces are going to look very different by the time we’re finished!

Join the Two Triangles

Reposition your two triangles as shown above so their corresponding straight edges meet.

Place the pieces right sides together, carefully aligning the raw edges.

Pin in place.

Sew across this edge using a ¼” seam allowance.

Open the fabric and press the seam allowance open.

You should now have one larger fabric piece that resembles a parallelogram.

Mark Your 2” Bias Strips

Turn your fabric so the wrong side is facing up.

Using your clear quilting ruler and removable fabric marker, begin drawing parallel lines across the fabric at 2” intervals, following the direction shown above.

Continue marking across the entire piece.

These lines will eventually become your cutting path, so take your time and make sure they’re straight and consistently spaced.

Why 2 Inches?

We’re creating 2”-wide bias binding for this organizer. That gives us enough fabric to wrap comfortably around the layered outer edge while still creating a neat finished border.

Create the Continuous Loop

Here’s where the magic happens!

Bring the two diagonal raw edges of your fabric together right sides facing.

But don’t simply line up the first drawn line with the first drawn line.

Instead, offset the fabric by one strip, so the first marked line on one edge aligns with the next marked line on the opposite edge.

Your fabric will look slightly twisted at this stage.

That’s exactly what we want!

Carefully match each drawn line across the seam so the lines flow continuously from one side to the other.

Pin everything securely in place.

If you align the edges without offsetting them, you’ll end up cutting individual loops instead of one long strip of binding.

Sew the Tube

Once you’re happy with your alignment, sew along the pinned raw edge using a ¼” seam allowance.

Take your time as you sew so your marked lines remain aligned.

Your fabric may look a little unusual at this point, and that’s okay!

We’re almost ready for the satisfying part.

Make One Continuous Cut

Find the beginning of your first marked line.

Using fabric scissors, begin cutting directly along the line.

When you reach the seam, simply keep following the next connected line.

Keep cutting…

and cutting…

and cutting!

Because we offset our lines before sewing, your cutting path will spiral continuously around the fabric tube.

When you reach the end, you’ll have transformed that one fabric square into one long strip of continuous bias binding!

Pretty neat, right?

A Skill Worth Saving

Once you learn this technique, you can use it for so much more than today’s organizer.

Continuous bias binding is great for finishing:

• Bags and pouches
• Quilts
• Placemats
• Curved pockets
• Garments
• Pot holders
• Home décor projects

And because you make it yourself, your binding can coordinate perfectly with whatever you’re sewing.

Prepare the Bias Binding

Take your newly created continuous bias strip to your ironing board.

Fold the entire strip in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press.

Work your way along the full length until your binding is neatly folded and ready to use.

Set it aside for just a moment.

It’s finally time to bring all of our organizer pieces together!

Final Construction

Join the Organizer Front & Back

Grab your completed Organizer Front with the Mesh Zipper Pocket and Cord Keeper Loops.

Place it together with the interfaced Organizer Back, with the wrong sides facing each other.

Before clipping, double-check your orientation.

The snap installed on the Organizer Back should be positioned at the top of the organizer in relation to the elastic side, so everything aligns correctly when the finished organizer folds closed.

Once you’re happy with the placement, clip around the entire outer edge.

Baste the layers together approximately ¼” from the raw edge.

For our organizer, we increased the stitch length on the NC-103D to approximately 4.0 mm for this temporary stitching.

Attach Your DIY Bias Binding

Grab that beautiful continuous bias binding you just made!

Working around the organizer, position the binding along the raw outer edge and clip it securely in place.

Because the binding was cut on the bias, you’ll notice that it naturally has enough flexibility to work around the organizer’s curved corners.

This is exactly why we didn’t use a straight-grain fabric strip!

Take your time around each curve, gently shaping the binding rather than stretching or pulling it.

Sew the binding to the organizer using a ¼” seam allowance.

Continue around the entire perimeter.

Slow and steady wins this part!

Wrap the Binding Around the Edge

Once the first side is sewn, flip the organizer over.

Fold the bias binding around the raw edge toward the opposite side.

The folded edge of the binding should extend just past, or align closely with, the stitching line you created when attaching the first side.

Clip the binding securely all the way around.

Take a quick look at both sides before you begin topstitching.

You want the binding to neatly cover the previous stitching while fully enclosing all of the raw edges inside.

We’re almost ready to finish it, but first, we need to add one last piece.

Position the Closure Tab

Remember the Closure Tab we made earlier?

Now it’s time to permanently attach it.

Position the raw open end of the Closure Tab along the bottom edge of the organizer, directly opposite the snap installed on the Organizer Back.

Make sure the wrong side of the snap is facing upward at this stage so the closure will fold into the correct position when finished.

Align the raw edge of the Closure Tab with the organizer edge and secure it in place.

The final topstitching around our binding will catch this tab and secure it at the same time.

Before You Sew…

This is a great time to temporarily fold the organizer closed and make sure your Closure Tab reaches the opposite snap correctly.

A quick fit check now is much easier than discovering the placement is off after you’ve finished your binding!

Finish the Bias Binding

Topstitch close to the folded edge of the bias binding around the entire organizer.

This final line of stitching does several jobs at once:

• Secures the folded binding
• Encloses the organizer’s raw edges
• Finishes the curved perimeter
• Permanently catches the Closure Tab

Take your time around the curves and keep your stitching consistently close to the folded edge.

Instead of trying to balance several layers along the very edge of the presser foot, adjusting the needle position allows you to keep more of the organizer underneath the foot and feed dogs while placing your stitches exactly where you want them.

It’s a small adjustment that can make edge stitching and binding feel much more controlled.

Secure the Closure Tab

There’s just one last seam!

Fold the Closure Tab outward so it extends away from the organizer in its finished position.

Stitch close to the organizer edge across the base of the tab.

This additional row of stitching reinforces the Closure Tab and helps it fold neatly around the organizer when closed.

Trim any loose threads and give everything one final check.

Now snap it closed…

Your Cord & Tech Organizer is Finished! 🎉

Open it up and fill those elastic loops with your charging cables, tuck charger blocks, USB drives, adapters, earbuds, or other small essentials into the mesh zipper pocket, then fold everything closed and snap it shut.

You now have a compact organizer that’s ready for backpacks, work bags, travel, school, or wherever your tech needs to go.

One Project, Plenty of New Sewing Skills

What started as a few pieces of fabric, mesh, elastic, and a zipper is now something completely custom, and incredibly useful.

Along the way, you practiced sewing with mesh, zipper installation, basting, working through multiple layers, creating elastic storage loops, attaching hardware, sewing curved edges, and making continuous bias binding from scratch.

And that’s exactly what we love about projects like this.

You don’t have to tackle something huge to grow your sewing skills. Sometimes one compact project can introduce techniques you’ll carry into dozens of future makes.

Of course, when you’re asking one sewing machine to move from lightweight mesh, to zipper tape, to elastic, to interfaced layers, and finally through a bound multi-layer edge, having a machine that’s ready to keep up makes a difference.

We made this entire organizer on the NECCHI NC-103D, switching between its all-purpose and zipper feet and adjusting our stitch settings as the project changed. Lightweight enough to fit comfortably into an everyday sewing space but packed with the computerized features and power to take on projects with plenty of variety, it proved to be a perfect fit for this Sew in Style project.

NECCHI NC-103D

Lightweight Design. Computerized Control. Ready for Real Projects.

One project. A whole lot of different sewing.

Throughout this Cord & Tech Organizer, we moved from lightweight mesh and zipper tape to elastic, interfacing, layered fabric, curved edges, and bias binding, and the NECCHI NC-103D was right there for every step.

This feature-packed computerized sewing machine combines easy-to-use controls with the versatility to take on projects that challenge you to try something new.

Whether you’re learning your first sewing techniques or looking for a lightweight machine with more creative possibilities, the NC-103D gives you room to keep growing.

Features You’ll Love

316 Built-In Stitches + Alphabet Font
Go beyond basic construction with utility stitches, decorative options, and lettering that give you even more ways to personalize future projects.

Intuitive LCD Controls
Quickly select stitches and make adjustments right from the machine’s controls, so you can spend less time setting up and more time sewing.

Adjustable Stitch Length, Width & Needle Position
Throughout this project, we changed our settings depending on the task, from longer stitches for basting to precise needle positioning for topstitching and binding. The NC-103D makes those adjustments simple.

Automatic Needle Threader
A small convenience you’ll appreciate every time you sit down to sew.

Drop-In Bobbin System
Quick setup and easy bobbin changes help keep your projects moving.

Extension Table Included
When you’re ready to tackle larger projects, the included extension table gives you additional workspace and support.

Lightweight & Travel Ready
A powerful computerized machine doesn’t have to take over your sewing space. The NC-103D’s lightweight design makes it easy to bring to sewing classes, retreats, or wherever your next project takes you.

We Put It to Work

This wasn’t a project where the machine only had to sew a few straight seams.

We used the NC-103D to:

• Sew and topstitch mesh fabric
• Install a zipper with the zipper foot
• Baste elastic and multiple fabric layers
• Adjust stitch length throughout construction
• Sew through interfaced and layered sections
• Navigate curved edges
• Attach and topstitch continuous bias binding
• Switch easily between the all-purpose and zipper feet

That’s the kind of versatility we love in an everyday sewing machine.

The NC-103D is simple enough to sit down and start creating, but packed with features that give you more options as your projects, and your skills, grow.

Ready to See What Else You Can Create?

Explore the NECCHI NC-103D and discover all the features designed to help take your next sewing idea from inspiration to finished project.

Keep Sewing With Us

Your cords are organized, you’ve learned how to sew with mesh, and you can officially add making continuous bias binding to your sewing skill set!

But we’re not finished yet.

The Back-to-School Sewing Series continues with more free projects designed to help you try new techniques, discover what your NECCHI sewing machine can do, and create things you’ll actually be excited to use.

And don’t forget to show us what you made!

Share your finished Cord & Tech Organizer and tag @Necchi.us using #SewWithNecchi and #NecchiSewInStyle.

We can’t wait to see how you make yours your own.

Learn something new. Make something useful. Sew with NECCHI.