RATHER THAN REMOVE THIS POST, LET ME RECOMMEND A NEW AND IMPROVED VERSION OF THE FAT QUARTER BAG TUTORIAL HERE.
This project is a really quick and easy one creating the perfect little girl-bag. (Or maybe even a grown-up girl bag.) The possibilities are endless. I’ll demo the basic assembly technique and then a couple of embellishing options and you can let your creativity go from there!
To start all you’ll need is a Fat Quarter. If you want your bag to have a contrasting lining, get a second fat quarter and you’ll have enough for two cute bags!
First of all, what is a Fat Quarter? Craft stores and fabric stores often carry pre-cut pieces of yardage called Fat Quarters. They are pieces of fabric measuring 18” x 22”. I chose to use two different FQ’s and make two bags.
Begin by cutting your FQ’s in half creating 2 pieces 11” x 18”. Cut 2 16” pieces of ribbon for the handles. (I used 1 ½” wide grosgrain.)
Match-up your outer fabric and your lining fabric right sides together and pin at the two 11”ends.
Pin the ribbon for the handles between the two pieces of fabric, 2” from the outside edges. Sew ¼” seam.
Now take it to your ironing board. Bring the two seams to the center and match them up. Press seams open. You will now have your lining-piece folded in half on one side of the seam and your outside piece folded in half on the other.
Match up the two seams and pin in place. Pin open sides together, leaving a 3″ opening on one side of the lining fabric for turning right side out. Sew ¼” seams on both sides. Turn bag right-side out and top-stitch opening closed. It will look like a flat, empty pillow.
Tuck lining fabric inside the outside bag fabric. Now it’s starting to look like an actual bag!
Press the top edge of the bag and top stitch around the edge of the bag. I also topstitch again ¼” from the top. (This will help secure the handles a little as well.) This is easy, and it will give the bag a nice, finished edge.
For a decorative ribbon trim, cut the ribbon length you need (about 23”). Pin the ribbon in place, folding the end of the ribbon underneath itself. Topstitch ribbon edges to the bag.
To make the bag have a squared-off bottom edge -or gusset – turn the bag inside out, tucking the bottom corners inside each other. Flatten the side seam lined up parallel with the bottom crease, creating a pointed/triangle.
Measure 1” down from the top of the point/triangle and make a mark. Then draw a line at that point, perpendicular to the seam. Sew a straight line right on top of the line that you marked, backstitching at the beginning and end. Clip threads. Repeat with other bottom corner. This will give you two little, flappy triangles in each corner.
Pull the bag right-sides out and you have a nice little boxed bottom. You can tack-down the little triangles inside if you want. (Depends who I’m giving the bag to – if it’s a 5-year-old, I won’t take the time to tailor the inside of the bag!)
Voila. A finished bag!
To make the second bag, I sewed the 11” edges right sides together without putting the ribbon handles in.
Repeat bag process. (Bring seams to the center, press, seams open, sew open ends, leaving 3” opening for turning bag right side out, sew ¼” seams, pull right-side out, topstitch opening, tuck lining inside, press top of bag.) To make a band of trim around the top of the bag, roll the lining fabric above the bag about ¼″. Pin to hold fabrics in place and press.
Top stitch around the edge of the bag at the top of the outer fabric AND at the top of the lining fabric. This is easy, and gives the bag a nice, decorative edge.
This time, sew the ribbon handles to the top of the bag itself using two 15” pieces of ribbon.
Once again, you could leave the bag as it is now or add the tucks at the bottom. (It’s slightly trickier to put in a gusset at the bottom edge of the bag since the lining is shorter because you’ve used it as a decorative edge, but the process still works.)
The possibilities for embellishing the bag are endless: Trims, button closures, fabric handles instead of ribbon . . . Use your creativity.
And there you go – two really easy little bags – for the price of 2 Fat Quarters (about $2.50 each) and about 2 ½” yards of grosgrain ribbon.
Irina
nice tutorial!
Gaertegang
Thanks for the tutorial! I had actually printed this off last week. I made one for my daughter yesterday! She LOVES it!! I plan to show pics of it on my blog next week. I will try to remember to send you the link…Have a great weekend!
Michelle@Somedaycrafts
I love this! I will feature this at somedaycrafts.blogspot.com! Grab my 'featured' button.
Pati @ A Crafty Escape
These are SO cute… thanks for the tutorial!!! I can't wait to make some.<br /><br />P.S. So excited to now be your follower!
MomBrose
Wow! Thanks! That was so clear! I think I have to try it now 😀
Pati @ A Crafty Escape
Quick question: What's the finished size for these?
Sylvia
Thanks for this tutorial!! I just finished making my daughter one and plan on doing a few for upcoming birthdays. Very cute!
celebi74
veryy nice
DJ Rose
Hi, I'm a primary pres. Do you mind if we use this to make scripture bags for our kids? They would love them SO much. (Plus a few for a humanitariam project?)
nicky
Thank you for a great, fun tutorial! I linked back to you from<br /><br />http://bluebirdandtheboy.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-can-do-too.html
Marie
I just made this for my daughter with my new sewing machine! My second project ever! 🙂 Thanks so much for the clear tutorial!
Anonymous
OK so I got lost when you said to cut the Fat Quarter which is already suppose to be 18"X22". So how big are the two pieces you are sewing together, are they the 18"X22" or 9"X11"? Or did you buy 4- 18" X22"?
amy smart
Hi Anon – The two pieces you are sewing together are going to be 18" x 11". Fat Quarters are pre-cut pieces of fabric that are 18" x 22". Cut the Fat Quarter in half length-wise so that you now have 2 pieces that are 18" x 11".<br /><br />You only need one Fat Quarter per bag, but since I wanted contrasting fabrics, I bought 2 different Fat Quarters. This way I
Canadian Kristin
Okay, that looks easy enough for even ME to figure out!!!! And instructions usually confoozle me, so good job on your tutorial! Thanks for sharing!
Anonymous
i am so happeee! i managed to make one! my first project! <br />but i took 5 hours cos i dun have a sewing machine. i handstitched the whole thing. <br />I LOVE MY BAG!
mary
I did it. The handle part was confusing too me because I have never made a bag before. It made more sense when I sewed it together. It turned out really cute.<br /><br />Mary
Dolores
I'm trying to get my head around whether you can sew the gusset on the wrong side before you turn it through, just to make it neater? I plan to make these bags for my nieces for Xmas.
Jenny
Thanks for this I’m a just learning how to sew with a machine and this was my first project that really looked good and sharp
Amy Smart
Awesome! I’m so glad!
Debbie
Is tere a printable pattern for this?