Fat quarter bag
My two-year old daughter seems to have inherited my love of bags. All shapes, sizes, colours...and if she can somehow wrangle the handles across her shoulders so it looks like a backpack, then that's even better! Her little friend M also seems to have a love of bags...is it a girl thing?!
Today is M's birthday, and I've already made her the oliver + s popover sundress in the same organic cotton butterfly print from Cloud 9 fabrics that I've used before. But I thought a little bag to put it in would be fun. The bag takes just one fat quarter of fabric (or two if you want a contrasting lining) and a bit of webbing (or you can make your own handles).
Step 1: Cut each fat quarter in half lengthways. I straightened my edges so each piece was about 22" long and 9" wide. The picture shows the selvedge still on, but I ended up trimming it off. The webbing was leftover from a Christmas tote bag project. Using my 2-year old as my size guide, I cut each handle 17" long (allowing for 1/2" seam allowance at each end). The webbing I used is 1-inch wide, but slightly narrower would be fine.
Today is M's birthday, and I've already made her the oliver + s popover sundress in the same organic cotton butterfly print from Cloud 9 fabrics that I've used before. But I thought a little bag to put it in would be fun. The bag takes just one fat quarter of fabric (or two if you want a contrasting lining) and a bit of webbing (or you can make your own handles).
Step 1: Cut each fat quarter in half lengthways. I straightened my edges so each piece was about 22" long and 9" wide. The picture shows the selvedge still on, but I ended up trimming it off. The webbing was leftover from a Christmas tote bag project. Using my 2-year old as my size guide, I cut each handle 17" long (allowing for 1/2" seam allowance at each end). The webbing I used is 1-inch wide, but slightly narrower would be fine.
Step 2: Pin the raw edge of one handle approximately 1" away from the long edge of the right side of the outer piece. Making sure it's not twisted, pin the other end of the strap 1" away from the other long edge. Place the lining fabric right-side down to sandwich the straps between the layers and readjust your pins. Sew across the top using a 1/2" seam allowance. Repeat at the other end.
Step 3: Press the seam allowances towards the lining. Fold the bag in half with the right side out, matching the top edges and press to create a crease on the bottom of the bag.
Step 4: Fold one half of the bag back over itself, creating a 1" fold at the bottom. Press and repeat with the other half. The lining should be showing now and you should have a small pleat at the bottom.
Step 5: Sew the long edges using a 1/2" seam allowance. Trim and finish using a zig-zag stitch or a serger (still on my wish list!!).
Turn your bag right side out, et voila! A cute little bag made from just 1 fat quarter (or two half pieces). Just big enough for a little girl to carry her worldly possessions. You could get pretty creative with ribbons and different fabrics...but my sewing window today wasn't long enough to get too crazy!
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