Handbag Making, Part 2 - Sewing Instructions

Here we go! I've finished the purse, took step-by-step photos, and am ready to let you in on all of my not-so-secret-secrets. It is pretty basic. I really like the black and white and bought a pre-made black flower pin yesterday to stick on it (although it is not pictured).

For fabric dimensions, see below for Part 1 - cutting directions.
We have 5 basic pieces: Outside of Bag (Fabric A - Black swirls), Outside Bag Top (Fabric B - white w/ black swirls), Straps (same Fabric B), Inside Bag (Fabric C - white with small black pattern), and the Interfacing.

I use a regular sewing machine and a serger, although everything can be done on just a regular machine. I am lucky enough to have a serger and I love how it cleans up edges, but we are lining the bag with Fabric C so it is fine is this is done entirely on a sewing machine as we will never see the seams anyways.

Three things to know:
1. Seam allowance 1/4".
2. Always pin fronts of fabrics facing each other!
3. Thread color: Serger - standard white.
Sewing Machine - I choose a coordinating color. For this bag I went black, but the darker the color, the more obvious the stitch and the need to make sure lines are straight.

OUTSIDE OF BAG AND STRAPS:
1. Pin the front bag pieces together and sew.
2. Iron open.
3. Iron Interfacing to the back of bag fronts with shiny fusible side facing back of fabric.
4. Top-stitch 1/4" above and below the steam, between contrasting fabrics.

5. Go back and IRON Straps Interfacing to the back of two straps.
6. Pin Straps fabric together (interfacing w/ strap fabric to strap fabric x 2).
Pin Bag Fronts together on 3 sides (side, bottom, & side).

7. Sew.
8. Flip bag and straps right-side-out. (For straps, I use a drum stick from our guitar hero set. Be patient - this is the worst part.)
8. Iron flat.
9. Topstitch straps 1/4" in from each side.

10. Pin straps to bag. One strap to front/One strap to back. Equidistant from outside edge (aprox 1"). Make sure straps aren't twisted.
11. Stitch handles to bag.

INSIDE BAG:
1. Pin Inside Bag and Sew outside edges but not the bottom (you can sew half of the bottom and leave a hole to flip bag through but I think it is easier to sew the bottom all at once).
2. Keep bag inside out and slip over Outside Bag w/ straps. Pin bags together, making sure straps are down and between bags. Sew all the ways around 3/8" in from edge (so as to not show strap stitching).
3. Flip Inside Bag right-side-out.
4. Fold unfinished bottom in 1/4" and press.
5. Sew along very edge of bag (as close as possible without going off).
6. Tuck Inside Bag INSIDE (almost done!) and Pin.
7. Top-stitch 1/4" in from top edge & DONE!

Handbag-Making part 1 - Cutting Instructions

I hate big, poofy, obnoxious purses of junk and I am aware that I may be alone in this feeling, but I am okay with that. I like my "bag" of necessities: keys, wallet, phone, lip-gloss, and a book. That's it! Years ago I found my perfect bag and loved it, until it got so dingy that I couldn't bear to take it out into public anymore. Here it is... my Soft Sky Corduroy bag that was simple and casual - just like me.

Well, last year I was introduced to the Crafting-Blog-World where a sister-of-a-friend has the most amazing blog (I Am Momma Hear Me Roar) that got me sewing again. Seriously, if I had the time, I would make just about every idea that she posts. Anyway, last year she had a guest post making Easter baskets that I just had to make. I thought they could even double as church bags for the kids but a friend told me they looked a little purse-ish and I had to nix the idea (at least for the boys, Hannah still uses hers).

Soon after, I came across my saved-yet-neglected purse/bag and realized how similar it was to the Easter Baskets. A few basic changes and it could easily be replicated. I gave it a try and it turned out so successful that I have made at least a dozen more. I keep giving them away as presents. Even my daughter's friends are asking for them. The one on the left was my first attempt with the same denim that I used on the baskets and the single strap. The two other purses I made for friends but felt the need to test-run them before I could send them and have never gotten around to it. (Seriously, if it has to go in the mail, you may never get whatever it is I have bought or made for you!)


Recently, the ladies at church have convinced me to teach how to make them and a different friend is doing some craft-fairs and has asked me to make some for her to sell. I have been writing down measurements and figuring out the step-by-steps so I figured, as long as I am going to write out the instructions, why not post it Craft-blog-like-style. I went shopping this week and came home with the makings for at least 8 bags. I'm pretty excited with what I have so far (a few classic ones but mostly prints that I would want myself)!


*all measurements are width by height!

cutting diagram for interfacing

Supplies: Interfacing
1 medium weight Fusible Interfacing -
2/3 yard (by standard 20" wide).

Interfacing for front and back of bag -
cut 2 rectangles: 11-1/2" x 13-1/2"
Shoulder straps -
cut 2 strips: 23" x 2

(Interfacing, if cut as shown, will fit perfectly on 2/3 yard by 20”. Only need two straps although cutting 3. Third strap can be saved or discarded.)

Fabric
3 cotton fabrics - 1foot each (by 45"),
washed and ironed.

Yellow (fabric A) = OUTSIDE OF BAG:
(cut 2) 11-1/2" x 10"
Green (B) OUTSIDE OF BAG
(cut 2) 11-1/2" x 4"
Green STRAP
(cut 4) 23" x 2"
Gray (C) INSIDE OF BAG
(cut 2) 11-1/2" x 13-1/2"

Secret to cutting fabric:
Never trust the fabric store to cut your fabric exactly at 12". They will always give you a hair extra to make sure that you have enough. Don't expect their cut to be straight either. The only edge that you can trust to be straight is the bottom SALVAGE edge. The bottom 1/2" edge of the fabric is the salvage edge and will need to be cut off. Fold your fabric in half so the Salvage edges are together and cut it off. This is the only edge that you can trust to be straight so do your best to keep your new cut straight too.
Below: Fold is to the left and salvage edge is on the right.


Fabric A: (cut 2) 11-1/2" x 10" - Outside of Bag
1. Cut off your salvage edge off Fabric A. Fabric should be approx 12" wide.
2. Now, cut the rectangle (11-1/2" x 10") to create the front of the bag. Cut 10" up from new salvage edge to (create the height of rectangle). Now, line up your cut edge along cutting mat and use the grid to show you where to cut a perpendicular line on the raw edge. Cut off 1/4" - 1/2" to create clean edge. Now, measure 11-1/2" and cut for width.


Fabric B: (cut 4) 23" x 2" - Straps. (cut 2) 11-1/2" x 4" - Outside bag tops.
1. Fold in half and cut off salvage edge.
2. Line up clean salvage edge along bottom of cutting mat. Cut clean perpendicular edge along right long-side of fabric. Cut 4 - 2" strips along whole length for straps.
3. Open up your 2" strips and cut to 23" length.
4. Cut 1 - 4" width. Now, cut length of 4" strip down to 11-1/2" to create bag top.


Fabric C: (cut 2) 11-1/2" x 13-1/2" - Inside of bag
Folded edge to left. Salvage edge to far right.
1. Fold in half and cut Salvage off of ends. Measure up 13-1/2" to create the height of rectangles and cut.
2. Use grid on cutting mat to create perpendicular clean edge. Cut off 1/4" - 1/2" to create clean edge. Now, measure 11-1/2" and cut for width.


You will have some left-over pieces but the fabric pieces you want should look something like this (although not the same patterns, of course).