Summer Bag Tutorial

This is a fairly quick bag to make and can easily be adapted to different needs.

 Supplies

Orange (outside fabric) Cut 2
17x20 inch rectangles

Blue Paisley (inside fabric) Cut 2
17x24

Straps Cut 2
4x34 or 36 (cut longer if you like longer straps)

Pockets (optional)
6x6 squares--these can be any shape you want and are sewn in the interior of the bag

Magnetic Snap (optional)

Click to read the rest of the tutorial

Cut the fabric-it's all straight lines so use a straight edge

See each strap-wrong sides together, flip right sides out and iron with seam in middle

Top-stitch edges of straps.

Fold outside fabric in half. Press.

Mark the bottom and top middle with a pin. Place on inside fabric.

 Place straps 1 3/4 inch away from middle. (If you make this bag on a smaller proportion move the straps closer together)

Mark the inside fabric outer edge at the middle with a pin.  Mark the strap with a pin below the middle so you won't sew passed this point.

Starting from the bottom of the bag start sewing, follow the top-stitch up to just below the middle (marked with a pin)  Sew across the strap and back down.  Repeat with other strap.

Sew the straps on creates pockets using the outside layer.  I didn't want my cellphone to be lost in the deep pocket.  On one side of the bag I stitched across the middle pocket about 3.5 inches from the outside fabric edge.  On the lower edge I marked two inches from the bottom and stitched a line across all the pockets. (I'll explain why I did it at the end-but this would be the step to do it at)

Add pockets--remember to sew them upside-down.  The fabric will be folded in half.  The pockets openings should be facing each other.  I used the selvage edge as the top of my pocket (one less seam to sew)

For the snaps, fold over the outside fabric and mark the middle.  Mark where the to cut the fabric.  Cut tiny holes.

 Basically follow the directions on the snap package-that's what I did.

Pin both sides of the bag together.  Mark a 5 inch opening at the top of the bag.  Sew around all edges leaving the 5 inch gap open.

*Flip it right side out and you have a basic bag.  If this is what you want simply sew the 5 inch gap closed.
If you want a more dimensional bag don't flip the bag right side out yet.

On each corner pull it to a triangle.  Match the seams on both sides of the triangle.

Mark two inches from point and sew a straight line across.

Trim about .25 inch away from seam
Do this to all four corners, now turn the entire bag right side out.
Sew a topstitch around the top edge of the outside fabric.  I sew over the straps too, to give them extra support.  Sew the 5 inch gap closed too.

And now you have a fun summer bag.

If you were careful in measuring strap placement they should line up on the bottom.

The pockets go all the way down to the bottom seam--annoying if you are searching for something and have to basically empty the bag to get down to the bottom.  That is why I stitched the line two inches from the bottom-it makes the bottom of the pocket on the new edge of the purse. Does that make sense?

Pockets and purses are best friends you know.  Happy sewing!