Monday, April 18, 2022

Bag making sew day on May 19

Most of us have patterns we've been longing to make, but if you are one of the few who needs a bag pattern for sew day in May, here are some suggestions.

Sources for free bag patterns 

 “moda bake shop free bag patterns” (search revealed dozens of free patterns!) 

 35 FREE Coin Purse Patterns (sewingsupport.com) 

 Free Sewing Patterns – Bagstock Designs 

 https://sewcanshe.com/free-bag-patterns/ 

 https://www.allpeoplequilt.com/bags-pillows-gifts/bags-and-purses/free-bag-patterns

If you have other sources not mentioned above, please share them in the comments!

Here is the bag I taught years ago at a NewBees class:

  

UFO Tote Bag            


Supply list:

UFO blocks – recommend 12” or larger, cut into strips – or other scraps or several fat quarters or some 2 ½” strips from a jelly roll… whatever you have – any scraps are fair game!

½ yard of lining fabric (or 2 fat quarters)

½ yard of fusible fleece (I like the thinnest fusible fleece for bags but the foam is getting very popular too – I really prefer the fusible fleece for this as it is much easier to handle through the sewing machine.)

¾ yard for handles and outer bag – note (1 ¼ yd) belt webbing can be substituted for handles – reduce yardage to ½ yd of fabric.

3” full width strip for bag facing – I used a contrasting fabric that was not used much in my bag – but you can use whatever you like… - fold/press in half lengthwise (binding wise) and set aside*** Note:  wider is better, but narrower won’t work.  A 3” strip will only give you a 1” facing.

Thread that matches the lining fabric

Sewing machine – walking foot helpful but not required.

This project will use up some of those blocks you may have started and decided you just did not like well enough to finish… or maybe just a bunch of scraps that have no other purpose.

If you have no orphan blocks, any strips will do…. A few fat quarters will be enough to substitute for the blocks.  I used six 12” blocks from a 9 block quilt that I was never going to finish.  I cut them up into strips of varying widths from 1 ½” to 2 ½” – or maybe 3” not parallel but narrow at one end and wider at the other.  It doesn’t matter how wide you cut them as long as the cuts are straight.  The wider you cut, the fewer you need… hint, hint.

I had another piece of fabric in the stash that was about ¾ yard – I cut two 4” strips across the full width for straps and set them aside.  From the rest, I cut for the outside top and bottom of the bag – 3 inches wide x WOF for the top, and 6” x WOF for the bottom. 

And …. I cut ½ yard for the lining from another fabric.

First, I steamed the lining fabric to a piece of fusible polyester batting.  I cut this into two pieces to make it easier to handle – a front and a back!  Each piece was about 20” x 18” (like fat quarters!)

I marked two parallel lines (with a permanent pen) on the top and bottom of the fleece side to guide where my strips should cover.  You can cover yours in a wider or narrower strip, but I recommend at least 6- 8”.  Mine was 10”, but 8” looks good, too.  If you make a narrower strip, you’ll need more fabric for the top & bottom.  Think of it this way, you have an area 18” high and 20” wide to cover with fabric.  Your pieced section will need to be 20” wide, so you may, if necessary, adapt the height to accommodate the size of blocks or scraps you are using.  My blocks were 12”, but I trimmed them to fit 2 bands of piecing 10” high and 20” wide.

Starting in the middle, I used the ‘quilt as you go’ method to sew the block/strips to the middle of the fleece.  Make sure the strips cover the guidelines on both ends (top and bottom) as you sew them down.  Sew them ‘right sides together’ - You want to go a little past the lines with your stitches, then pull your threads to the ‘inside’ of the seam and tuck the thread tails into the seam allowance on top.  Use ¼” seams for the strip piecing.

Complete a band of strip piecing through the center of both pieces.  Make sure you have covered those lines you drew on the batting! You may want to snip off any strips that go well past the lines – but you want to allow for about ½” seams in the rest of the bag.

Square up both sections once strips are completed.

Measure both fleece/pieced sections and trim so that both have the same measurement from the pieced section to the top edges and the bottom edges before adding the bottom and top fabrics.

These will also be added with the “sew & flip” technique. – you may want to re-mark guidelines onto your pieced sections to make sure you enclose all the ends in this seam.

After adding the top and bottom fabric to both pieces, baste or zigzag (not satin stitch, but a wide open zigzag) along the edges to help prevent them from sliding when you sew the seams – I like to sew all the way around both pieces with a zigzag stitch to cover the raw edges, since that’s all the finishing they will get in this bag.  If you have a serger, that also makes a nice finish to these edges.

Note:  there is no lining or turning required with this bag!

The only difficult part is sewing the side seams so that both sides match exactly…. But if they don’t it isn’t going to make the bag any less useful!

For the straps, you can use a finished belt webbing in a color to match, cover the belt webbing with a matching fabric or make straps from leftover batting with fabric strips wrapped around it and sewn for reinforcement.  A full width strip (4” or so) with a 1” strip of batting in it will make a nice set of straps.

The straps are usually cut about 20” long.  Some like them shorter, some longer – cut your straps short or longer to your taste.  Make sure they are both the same length.

Straps:  Cut 2 strips 4" x 20".
Fold and iron the strips in this way – tucking the webbing or fleece into the first fold– it doesn’t show in these pics…Sew the edges and make sure the handles are the same length. Fancy stitches are optional.

 Mark the center of each top bag piece with a straight pin, then measure 3” to each side and put pins there also.  The inside edges of the straps will be alongside those pins, which are 6” apart.  Go ahead and sew (baste) the straps to both sides of the bag now (with the straps hanging toward the outside bottom of the bag.  Again, use a zigzag stitch along the edge so the strap edge does not ravel, then sew again with a straight stitch so the straps are secure.  Back stitch if you feel inclined…

Pin the straps to the outside body of the bag until after the side seams and bottom are sewn. 

***Top Edge Facing:

Turn your bag right side up in front of you – leave the straps pinned for now – pin the pressed facing strip(s) to the top edge of the bag – raw edges together, fold toward the bottom, on the OUTSIDE of the bag, OVER the raw edges of the straps.  Sew this facing to the top edge of the bag using your walking foot with a ½” seam allowance.  Press the facing up away from the body of the bag.   

Now sew the side seams – top to bottom – fold the facing seams in opposite directions to make the side seam less bulky and easier to turn…then sew across the bottom – use a ½” seam allowance (or more).

Press all seams open – use steam and/or starch.

Turn the facing to the inside of the bag.  The fold is now on the inside, ready to cover that unsightly raw edge at the top.  Pull the now unpinned straps up into ‘carry position’ – pin the facing with the pins on the outside of the bag – be sure to tuck in those facing/side seam allowances or trim them so they don’t show.  With facing side down, topstitch ¾” and ½” from the top edge.  Use a decorative or matching thread.  Again, FANCY stitches are optional!

Press side and bottom seams open.  You may need to ‘unstitch’ the corners to get them to lay flat.

Form box bottom.

With bag still wrong side out, align side and bottom seam of one corner – flatten the point with seams together, steam press the points open, mark a sewing line about 2” in from the corner/point.
 Note – the further you sew from the point, the wider your bag will be – you decide how ‘flat’ you want your bag!  I make mine about 4” wide.  Just make sure that BOTH of your corners are the same distance from the point! Repeat the operation for the other corner.

You are almost done!

Clip all threads, trim any straggles, and your bag is finished! 

Bring your bag to next guild meeting for show & tell

 Note:  This bag can be adapted to a much smaller bag for gift size bags or children’s totes.  Send me pictures!