- The materials list is at the bottom of this post:
- Pattern drafting is here
Well, now you have your pattern drawn and cut out. The straight side that you labelled for the Fold Line, fold your fabric in half and place that side along the fold. Pin it down and cut around the other sides. Cut:
- 2 pieces from the exterior fabric
- 2 pieces from the interior fabric
- 4 pieces from the medium weight interfacing
From your remaining interior fabric, cut:
- 4 pieces 5 inches by 8 inches for the interior pockets
- 2 pieces 9.5 inches by 2 inches for the frame casing - If you don't trust your top stitching skills, you may want to make it 2.25 inches.
Also cut 2 pieces of interfacing 9.5 inches by 2 inches. Iron this to the back of the interior fabric for the frame casing.
If you want to make straps for the bag, cut from the fabric of your choice:
If you want to make straps for the bag, cut from the fabric of your choice:
- 2 pieces 21 inches by 4 inches
- 4 pieces 4.5 inches by 4 inches
The straps are designed for a square ring that is 1 inch long on the inside of the ring. The straps are folded the long into 4 parts. If the interior of your ring measures something else, take that measurement and multiply it by 4 to get the required width.
We start with everything that is being sewn to the interior of the bag.
Let's Get Started - Pockets!
Remember our .5 inch seam allowance!
Take two of the pocket pieces and pin them right sides together. Make sure to backstitch at the start and end to lock in the thread. Pivot and turn at the corners. Starting 1.5 inches from the end of one of the longer ends, stitch to .5 inches from the end, turn and stitch through the short side, then the long side, then the next short side. Pivot and turn and stitch another inch. Cut your thread. Trim the corners. In the picture below, I sewed with a white thread that blends into the fabric. I've drawn in the line you want to sew in grey.
Turn pocket right side out, making sure to push the corners out, and iron the sewn edges. Fold in the the unsewn edge and press flat. Top stitch the sewn long side, making sure to back stitch at the start and end. This is the first pocket. Repeat for the second pocket.
Frame casing
For each frame casing piece, make sure you have the interfacing ironed on to the bag.
Fold in half an inch from both short sides and one of the long sides.
Cut a little notch out of the corners of the fabric where it folds double to decrease the bulk.
Make sure you have a piece of interfacing ironed and fused to the back of each interior piece. For each interior piece, center the frame casing on the top of the bag top edge, matching the edges. Right sides of both pieces facing up. Pin.
Top stitch the frame casing to the interior along the long folded edge of the frame casing.
One pocket piece on each interior piece. The unsewn long edge of the pocket 2.5 inches from the bottom of the interior. Center the pocket from the sides. Pin and top stitch around the sides and bottom. Again, back stitch and pivot the corners!
For a divided pocket, figure out where you want the divide placed and you can either mark it with a fabric pencil that will disappear or, I taped a piece of painter's tape 1/4 of an inch away and used it as a guide for my presser foot.
Putting the inside together
The bottom of the bag is the long side of the trapezoid. Place the right sides together of your interior pieces and pin. Mark the center 8 inches of the bottom of the bag. DO NOT SEW THESE 8 INCHES. This is how we will turn the bag right side out after we sew it to the exterior. Sew each of the sides, pivot at the corner, and sew to where you've marked. BACKSTITCH! It is very important to backstitch on the bag bottom because you don't want the stitches to come loose as you're working with it.
For each corner, flatten the seams open, you will have a hard time ironing but you can certainly give it a try. Flatten each corner and match the seams. Pin through both seams of the side and bottom, this will help to keep them matched. Measure 2 inches along the seam in from the corner. Draw a line perpendicular to the seam.
Sew along this line and backstitch! Trim the corner off, 1/4 inch from the seam, we don't want a lot of bulk here. Do this for both corners and then you can see the form!
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