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Tuesday 3 January 2012

Flower bag

One of my bags. This one is very simple.
I cut 6 strips of denim 3" wide and as long as I could make them (I used adult male jeans for this one - longer leg length).  I sewed these together along the long sides. The resulting piece was pressed and the short edges neatened up with a rotary cutter.
The top strips are 4" wide and 9.5" long  .  One of these was sewn to each short end of the stripe piece.  I then folded the resulting piece in half vertically and sewed along the bottom end.  At this point I measured the bag to find the size for the lining.  Then the bottom of the bag was squared off; see method here (step 6).

I sewed the two lining pieces together along one short side and two long sides, then squared the base as I had for the outer piece.  
Next I made the handles.  Two pieces of denim 6" wide.  Press in half lengthwise.  Fold the edges to the centre and press again, then fold in half down the original crease and press.  Stitch along both long sides.  
I put the lining inside the bag, wrong sides together, pinning the handles to the outside of the bag.  To cover the raw edges at the top I attached a binding 2" wide.  Start sewing about 2 inches after the start of your binding piece.  Stitch from the right side of the bag all the way round, sewing reinforcement over the straps (I usually reverse sew once I reach the end of the handle piece, then forwards again).  When you get near to the starting point, fold your binding piece back on top of itself before continuing a bit further than your binding raw edge. 
There are various tutorials online for fabric flowers.  I like this one.  Mine was made from a petal shape; I cut 6 out of each of two colours of fabric.  For the centre I used a self cover button.  I gathered the petals together, using alternate sides, then sewed them on to the button and then sewed the resulting flower onto the bag.
There you go.  Flower bag.  Enjoy!



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