Eight hours of purse fun!

[natushke.livejournal.com]

Edit: Pattern added. :)













Edit: Here's some sort of a pattern.

What I wanted the purse to measure when it was finished:
Strap: 3x55in
Sides: 3x6in
Outside: 31x10in
Lining: 15x10in

What I cut out:
Strap
Lining fabric-- (2) 27x4in, (1) 4x4in
Outer fabric-- (2) 27x4in, (1) 4x4in



Outside
Outer fabric-- (1) 33x12in, (2) 5x8in (sides)



Lining
Lining fabric-- (1) 16x12in, (2) 5x8in (sides)



My process:
*I used heavy iron-on interfacing on all of my outer fabric pieces.

1. The strap.
2. The lining. Should have made it slightly smaller because it bunches a tad. If you want pencil pouches on your sides, take a third fabric (about 3x5in for a 2x4in pocket) and sew the good sides (3) together; turn it inside out and sew it up. Then, sew it onto your lining sides before you sew them onto the larger fabric. When sewing the sides on the larger fabric, make sure to line everything up right and measure like crazy. I allowed myself 1/2in to an inch and then just cut off the excess because my sewing skills aren't too keen. ;)
3. The outside. Remembering to iron on my interfacing was the hardest part! After that, sew the top three sides of the flap and turn it inside out. There's no need to sew the fourth (bottom) side. If you want a velcro or button closure, sew this on first. Then, sew the sides together, measuring lots to make sure that they do indeed turn out to be 3in so that they correspond with the bottom of the bag and everything's nice and even.
4. Putting it all together. Stick the lining into the outside of the bag. Fold and pin the tops carefully so it's all smooth and even. Don't forget to stick the strap into the sides. I hand-sewed the three front sides, zig-zagged the back, and sewed squares onto my straps to make them sturdier. And you're done!

I hope that was detailed enough. I will entertain questions, if there are any. :) Happy purse-making.

end Edit.

Rarr to blurriness and bad lighting :/

;;a happy natalie