I had a hard time deciding between making a skirt for my daughter or a bag for her to carry her journal/art supplies in. She has been asking for me to make her a bag so I went with the bag idea and am so glad I did, I love how it turned out!
To get started here is what you will need:
1/2 yard of exterior fabric
1/2 yard of lining fabric
1/2 yard fusible interfacing
Button (optional)
Let's get started cutting our fabrics.
Main Fabric: Cut 2 pieces 18.5 inches long by 14 inches wide.
You will also need to cut 2 of these pieces from fusible interfacing as well.
Lining Fabric: Cut 2 pieces 12 inches long by 2 1/2 inches wide. Cut 2 of these pieces from fusible interfacing as well. These will be the handles we will be cut the lining pieces a little later.
Iron your fusible interfacing to the fabric pieces they correspond with.
To prepare your bag:
Take one of your rectangles and mark the middle lengthwise. Measure and mark 3 inches from the middle on both sides.
Fold each mark over to the middle mark and iron and pin in place. Do this on the other exterior piece as well.
Place the pieces print sides facing each other pin on the three sides leaving the top open and sew around making sure to back stitch at the start and end of your sewing.
Turn your bag so the the right side is showing and fold in half. Use this as a pattern for your lining piece. fold you lining fabric in half place the piece your using as a pattern on top and cut around it leaving sewing allowance. This picture looks like I left more sewing allowance than I did. You don't want your lining to end up wider than your exterior of your bag so only leave what you will need.
If you would like a pocket inside of your bag now is the time to add that.
Place your lining pieces together right sides facing and pin together. Leave a big enough space on the bottom open for turning. I like to place two pins where I need to leave it open so I remember not to sew it shut. Sew around making sure to back stitch at the start and on the opening spaces and the end.
Take your main tote piece turned inside out and place both seams at the corner making sure to line them up. Mark up 1.5 inches. Draw a line all the way across at that mark and stitch. Repeat this on the other corner and both corner's of the lining.
Trim of all four of these corners.
With the Right side facing out of your lining piece and the wrong side facing out of your main piece,
place the lining inside of the main piece and pin in place and sew around.
Pull the outside piece through the lining and the lining piece back into the outer piece.
Iron and sew around the top of your bag.
Fold your handle pieces in half and iron. Open up and fold each side into the middle and iron.
Fold and iron both ends up 1/2 inch and press in place.
Fold the Handle back in half and press. Repeat with second handle piece.
Sew along the edge of both sides of the handle on both handles.
Mark 3 inches from the middle on both sides of the bag and pin and sew handle in place. Repeat with other handle on the other side of the bag.
If you want you can sew on a little bow and a button and your done!
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