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!
Very nice, can't wait to try it!
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