Thanks for stopping by! We're two cousins who love to craft on the cheap and share our ideas. We'd love for you to stay awhile, pull up your Pin it! button, sewing machine, and let us know what you think!

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Flouncy Bag

Don't forget!  Today is the last day to enter the giveaway!!  :)
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Hi there!  I just wanted to share with you this fun guest post I wrote for Family Ever After.  It's a good 'un, and I've even got a fun Kindle Fire (or other tablet) pouch to match!  That tutorial is coming soon!  Anyway, enjoy!!  :)

As the mom to 5 boys, I have a few girly things, and crafting/sewing is one of those outlets. 
I love bags. And shoes, but bags are much easier to make!
I bought a book a while back that had several different purse and bag patterns in it. I took what I liked from about three of the patterns and came up with this:
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial
For this bag you’ll need:
  • one fat quarter bundle (or 1/2 a yard of your choice of fabric)
  • fabric to line the bag (about 1/2 yard)
  • one package of fusible interfacing
  • buckle or other embellishments
  • two D-rings
  • 12-16 inches of 1/4 inch elastic
  • thread, scissors, sewing machine, etc…
I didn’t use specific measurements for this bag. You can make it as big or as small as you’d like. Mine is big. At one point, I had a tub of wipes, seven diapers, three pairs of toddler shoes, a bottle of lotion, a Kindle Fire, my cell phone, wallet, and the book Harry Potter 7 all in my bag at one time.
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (2)
Decide which fabrics you want on the outside of the bag and sew them together with the right sides facing each other.
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (3)
On the back side, press the seams open.
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (5)
You’ll notice in the picture above, that I have a horizontal seam in the leaf fabric. I did that so that the printed leaves would be going up on both sides of the bag. So, if your fabric has a print on it where the direction will be an issue, do the same thing. Otherwise you’ll have the print (leaves in my case) going up on one side of the bag, but pointing down on the other.
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (7)
Cut a piece of interfacing the same size as the outside of the bag. Iron down the interfacing with the bumpy side of the interfacing on the WRONG side of the fabric.
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (8)
Once the interfacing is adhered to the fabric, fold it all in half with the interfacing facing itself and press. This is going to be your guide for the bottom of the bag.
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (9)
See? It’s so easy to see where the bottom of the bag is going to be now!
Now take the fabric that you’ll be lining the bag with and cut it the same size as the outside of the bag.
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (10)
The fabric that I am using as the lining is part of a sheet set that I got on sale for $5.00. I made a skirt out of it, too!
Iron some interfacing to the wrong side of the lining. Once that’s done, put the two pieces of the bag together with the right sides facing out. Sew the pieces together around the edges using a basting stitch--a lengthened stitch that will be easy to pick out later.
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (12)
Use a decorative stitch (if you want to) and sew the seams where the different fabrics connect. This is going to keep your bag from shifting.
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (13)
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (14)
Now let’s make a pocket for the inside of the bag.
*Note* I made mine too short. We will be adding to the top of the bag, so feel free to make your pocket taller!!
Cut some fabric (the same as the lining, or not. I won’t tell!) the same width of the bag, and probably the same height. Like I said, this one was too short. I mean, it works and all, but I would have liked it taller.
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (15)
Serge and hem the raw edges on the top and bottom of the pocket. Don’t worry about the sides.
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (16)
Lay the pocket on the inside center of the bag. Be sure the top and bottom of the pocket are going the same direction as the top and bottom of the main piece. See where the arrows are pointing? That is the center of the pocket lined up with the bottom of the bag--that line we pressed into it earlier. Remember?!
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (18.5)
See? I know my fabrics are going opposite directions. I …ummm…meant to do that! No worries. It makes it easier for you to see what I am talking about in these next few steps!
Pin the pocket into place. You need that ironed in guide again. Flip the bag over so that the outside of the bag is facing up. Now sew a straight line right down the pressed line.
Now you’ll have pockets on both sides of the bag.
Now it’s time to sew the actual pockets. We’re going to make six.
Sew the pockets down to the edges of the bag. Now sew two straight lines down the pockets using the stitching we used to keep the bag from shifting as a guide. I’ll point to the pocket seams.
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (18.6)
See how I lined up the pocket seam with the decorative stitching?
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (19)
Now we have six pockets. Yay!
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (18.7)
This is a really long tutorial, and we’re still not finished. Go get a snack and come back. I’m in no hurry. I’ll wait! :)
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (21)
Cut a piece of 1/4 inch elastic to about 12-16 inches long. Line it up with that center seam that is going to be the bottom of the bag.
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (22)
Start at one edge and stretch and zig-zag stitch it into place so that it ends at the other side.
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (23)
(I have the other side folded over.) This elastic really scrunches it up. Now, fold the bag so that the pockets and the lining are facing out with the elastic at the BOTTOM.
Sew the sides together and round off the bottom corners. Serge or zig-zag the raw edges along the sides and along the opening.
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (24)
It should look like this now…except with taller pockets! ;)
Now let’s gather the top opening of the bag. I did this with pleats. Like so:
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (26)
Pinch about an inch of fabric, fold it over, and pin into place. Repeat around the opening of the bag.
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (28)
Once everything is pinned, sew it into place with a straight stitch.
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (29)
Hooray! The bag is starting to take form!
It’s time to add the band to the top of the bag. Take another piece of fabric from the fat quarter bundle (or your other fabric) and measure it so it’s the same width as the opening of the bag. x2, because you need a back piece! Make it twice as tall as you want it. You’ll see why in a bit.
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (31)
Iron interfacing to the wrong sides of both pieces. Once you’ve done that, sew down the sides of the pieces with the right sides together.
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (33)
Press the seams open. Now turn it right side out and fold it down inside itself so you have a short tube of fabric.
Like this:
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (34)
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (35)
Serge or zig-zag around the raw edge. This is the bottom of the band. Match it up with the top of the bag (with the right sides together) and sew them together.
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (37)
Now turn the band right side up so that the serged edge is inside the bag. Top stitch around the top of the band. If you want to embellish this part with a little “belt” this is how:
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (38)
Take two strips of fabric that are the same width of the bag where the band and bag meet up. Sew the pieces together on ONE of the short sides with the right sides together. Then sew the long sides together so you have one long, inside out tube.
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (40)
Turn it right side out by using a safety pin to turn it in on itself. Thread the pin through to the other side and pull the tube right side out. Now thread the belt buckle (or whatever other embellishment you have) onto the strip of fabric.
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (42)
Line it up where you want it:
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (47)
…and sew it into place.
I secured it to the back and sides of the bag with these little gathered seams:
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (44)
That is a terrible picture taken at my sewing table. Sorry. I sewed them over the decorative stitch so it would match up better.
Okay. Last step. The strap.
Make the strap the same way you did the belt--but without the buckle. Serge the raw edges. My strap is 24 inches long. Somehow, I didn’t get a picture of that. Sorry.
Now take two shorter pieces of fabric (same width as the strap) and do the same thing:
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (48)
Once the tubes are turned right side out, thread the D-rings over them, fold them in half, and sew the top and bottom of the tube together. Do this for both short tubes.
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (43)
Sew the short D-ring tubes onto the sides of the bag. Thread the strap through the top of the D-rings and sew them into place. Like so:
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial (65)
Ewww…clip your threads better than I did. Don’t worry. I fixed that later!
Now that you’ve endured this super long tutorial, you’ve got a super cute bag to make it all worth it!
Crafty Cousins' Flouncy Bag Tutorial .5
Congratulations!
Be prepared to accept lots of compliments when you take this bag with you on your outings!
Pin It!

8 comments:

  1. Amazing bag and tutorial. I love the fabric that you've matched up for it too. Thanks for sharing!

    Agy of Green Issues

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  2. This is so cute! I think it's something that my granddaughter would like to make together. I love the fabrics that you combined together. I'm your 200th GFC follower!

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  3. this is terrific. Darn I wish I had an overlock machine. But can do the edges with zig zag. Hugs and happy weekend wishes!

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  4. Thank you for this. Please would you tell methe measurements that you used?

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    Replies
    1. I agree...I think she should have included the measurements... I do not like guessing the width and length when creating something... The instructions are very good, but without knowing the measurements its just pointless...ugh!

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  5. Luv it ! And your instructions and pics are GRRREAT!!!! I HAVE been wanting to make a purse like this since my purse I bought needs a rest. (and it looks so similar to this ) THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

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  6. I made mine today and I just love it!! Thank you for sharing.I wish I could show you how nice mine came out!!!

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  7. Love your bags,especially this one.Thank you so much for sharing.Sheila

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