I’ve designed this bag with some interesting details, but kept the construction simple enough for a new sewist. This is the perfect project if you are ready to move beyond pillowcases and aprons, or if you want to experiment with quilt piecing.
Materials:
Exterior fabric: fat quarter
Lining fabric: fat quarter
Stripe: about 12 strips 5″ x 2″ from 4 to 6 fabric scraps
Strap tabs: 1/4 yd. or scraps
Strap: 4 ft. of 1″ cotton webbing
Interfacing: fat quarter (I used Pellon 809)
2 D-rings, size 1″
1 Button (or 1 magnetic snap, if preferred)
Rotary Cutter + Mat
Needle + thread
Finished Size: 8″ x 11″
Notes:
All seam allowances are 1/2″, unless otherwise noted.
Interfacing provides some structure to the bag, but you could also add a layer of quilt batting at step 16 if you want to add another layer of protection for your electronic device.
Cutting:
Exterior:
– Cut 1 of fabric and 2 of interfacing, 15″ x 9″
– Cut 2 or fabric, 15″ x 4″
Lining:
– Cut 2, 15″ x 9″
Strap Tabs:
– Cut 4 of fabric and 4 of interfacing, 1 1/2″ x 6″
Button Tab:
– Cut 1 of fabric, 3″ x 5″
Stripe Pieces:
– Cut 12, 5″ x 2″ (These do not have to be exact. Feel free to experiment with other pieced designs!)
Assemble the Strap Tabs:
1. Apply fusible interfacing to the 4 strap tabs (1 1/2″ x 6″).
2. Place 2 of the strap tab pieces right sides together. Stitch around them, with a 1/2″ seam allowance, leaving a 2″ opening on one of the long sides. Trim seams to 1/4″ and clip off the corners.
3. Turn the strap tab right side out. Use a knitting needle to push the corners out. Press, tucking in the open edges.
4. Topstitch around the strap tab with a 1/8″ seam allowance.
5. Repeat Steps 2-4 for the other strap tab.
Assemble the Stripe:
6. Lay out your 5″ x 2″ strips in the order that you would like. Start at one end and begin sewing them right sides together, alternating angles. Trim each seam to 1/4″. This is improvisational piecing and the finished look is entirely up to you. You may choose to sew them together with straight lines and even spacing, or at angles with uneven spacing.
7. Press the pieced stripe and trim to 15″ by 3″.
Assemble the Button Tab:
8. First, apply interfacing to the wrong side of the button tab. Fold in half, wrong sides together, across the width. Stitch the sides with a 1/2″ seam allowance.
9. Trim the seams to 1/4″ and turn right side out. Use a knitting needle to push the corners out.
10. Mark the buttonhole with chalk or water-soluble pen. Leave space for the 1/2″ seam allowance on the side with the raw edges, then center the button in the remaining area. Make a buttonhole, using your preferred method. (You may also choose to use a magnetic snap.)
Assemble the striped exterior panel.
11. Place one 15″ x 4″ exterior fabric strip, right sides together, with the pieced stripe. Stitch together with 1/2″ seam allowance. Press seam to the solid side.
12. Repeat on the other side of the pieced stripe. Topstitch along the solid fabric, 1/8″ away from the pieced stripe.
13. Apply fusible interfacing to the wrong side of both exterior pieces.
14. Align the button tab with the stripe, right sides together, and baste in place. Leave it folded up against the fabric for now.
Attach the Strap Tabs:
15. Slide each tab through a D-ring and fold in half. Find the exterior piece with the stripe and button tab, fold the end with the tab over by 4″ and press. Use this line to put your strap tabs in place. The bottom of the tab should go 1″ below the pressed line (with the bottom of the strap tab toward the side without the button tab). Leave about 3/4″ on each side for the side seams. (My seam allowances are tucked under in the photo, but don’t forget to leave that space!) Stitch the tabs in place by sewing a square with an “x” across it.
Assemble the Bag:
16. Place the exterior pieces right sides together and sew around three sides (1/2″ seams), leaving the side with the button tab open. You may need to use a zipper foot to get around the strap tabs. Be careful not to catch them in the seams.
17. Place the lining pieces right sides together. Sew the two long side seams and around the corners on one end. Leave one short end completely open and leave a 3″ opening on the other end.
18. Turn the bag exterior right side out. Place it inside the lining, so that the right sides are together and the button tab is tucked inside. Match the side seams and stitch around the top of the bag with a 1/2″ seam allowance.
19. Turn the bag right side out through the small opening in the bottom of the lining.
20. Push the lining into the bag and press the top edge of the bag. Topstitch around the top of the bag.
21. Fold the top of the bag down 3 1/2″ and press. Mark the button placement and stitch the button into place. (If you use a snap, you will have to reach through the small hole in the lining to attach it.) Hand stitch the lining closed using a hidden stitch.
22. Attach the strap. Adjust the strap length to fit the way you want it to. (You could choose to make it longer and adjustable by adding a strap slide.) Slide each strap end through the D-ring, fold the raw edge under 1/4″, and stitch in place.
23. Almost done! Close up that hole in the lining with an invisible hand stitch.
Your bag is finished!
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