I made this bag mainly from scraps of fabric I had, so I'm not sure of the exact yardage needed. Here are the measurements for the pieces though =)
Front and Back Panels: Cut 2 = 14" x 10 1/2" + cut 2 for lining
Side Panels: Cut 2 = 10 1/2" x 5" + cut 2 for lining
Bottom Panel: Cut 1= 14" x 5" + cut 1 for lining
Cover Flap: Cut 1 = 13 1/2" x 8" Cut 1 = 13 1/2" x 5 3/4"
Cover Flap Lining: Cut 1 = 13 1/2" x 13"
Shoulder Strap: Cut 1 = 43" x 8"
Shoulder Strap Padding: Cut 1 = 8" x 6" + 5 1/2" x 7" piece of felt or batting
Directions:
*The pocket is optional, and you can play around with how you want it to look. I sewed the lining at the top edge, pressed the seam flat, then stitched over it for decoration purposes. Center the pocket on the front panel, and sew down.*
Align bottom panel with bottom of front panel, and sew.
Pin side panels to the sides of front panel, aligning them with them with the top,and sew down
You should have a little overhang on the bottom - this is so you can attach the bottom panel to the sides.
Sew panel corners together.
Pin and sew back panel to sides and bottom.
The outside should look like this when you are finished.
Repeat above steps for lining. Leave lining turned wrong side out.
Sew cover flap pieces together, aligning on long side.
Sew lining to cover.
If you would like rounded edges, Now is the time to add them. I used a coffee cup as a guide. Trace around cup, and cut edges off.
Sew the rounded edges, and cut darts.
Turn right side out, and press down seams. I sewed over the edges for decoration, plus it adds stiffness to the flap.
Fold shoulder strap piece in half lengthwise, and press under raw edges. Sew edges down, and press flat.
Again, I sewed over the edges and down the center for extra stiffness.
Pin strap about 2" from top of side flap (on the inside) and sew down.
Pin cover flap to inside of bag, about 1/2" down. Sew along the edge.
Pin lining to inside of bag. Remember, the lining remains inside out so that there are no seams inside the bag.
Sew lining to bag, careful not to sew the cover flap to the inside of the bag.
You will be sewing over the strap again for added strength
The finished bag should look like this:
| To add shoulder pad, find center of shoulder strap. Fold piece of felt in half, pin and sew to center. Make sure this is on the underside of the strap, where it will be sitting on your shoulder.  |
Pin the fabric over the piece of felt, around the entire strap. |
Sew down the center and sides. You may choose to do extra reinforcement stitching as well. It adds a little more to the finished product.
Your finished bag! Hope you enjoyed this. It was my first attempt at posting a
project of mine. Thanks for stopping by!
