Modern Sewing Starts Here Edition 5

Requirements:
Main fabric - 60 x140cm
wide faux leather
Lining fabric - 85
x115cm wide cotton
1 magnetic clasp (sewon
or push-through)
Light weight iron-on
interfacing, approx 7.5 x
3.5cm (3 x 1½in)
Matching thread and
contrasting thread for
topstitching
Quilting clips
Paper for pattern at
least 85 x 70cm (34 x 24in)
To sew the bag:
1. Place bag pieces in main
fabric right sides together,
and sew the centre front and
back seams. Open out the
seams, and topstitch from the
right side of the fabric – I did
two rows on both sides of the
seam in a contrasting colour.
2. Repeat this process for the
lining. Sew centre back seam
on lining, right sides together.
3. Make pocket by folding
the square in half, and with
right sides together make a
rectangle 25 x 11cm (9¾ x
4½in), sew along both the
short edges. Trim corners and
turn right way out.
4. Using a quilting ruler mark
the placement for the internal
pocket on the right side of the
bag lining. Mark a line at right
angles to the centre back
seam 16cm (6¼in) down from
the top edge, 12cm (4½in) to
each side of the centre seam.
5. Place the pocket with the
raw edge to the line you’ve
marked with the pocket
facing downwards. Sew from
one side of the pocket to
the other with a 1cm seam,
backstitching at each end to
secure the seam.
Fold and press the pocket
upwards. Stitch up both sides
of the pocket to secure in
place – you may also wish
to sew a divider to make two
smaller pockets.
To make the pattern:
Visit www.modernsewingstartshere.com/slouchy-bag to download the template.
Fold paper in half to make 85 x 30cm (34 x 12in)
Draw the pattern out as per diagram measurements with the long straight side against
the fold. Cut out and open up to make the pattern.
Cut out two from both the faux leather and the cotton lining fabric. No need to worry
about right or wrong sides as both pattern pieces are the same. You’ll also need to cut
out a pocket in the lining fabric 25 x 22cm (9¾ x 8 ¾in).
Seam allowance is 1cm
There is enough fabric left to make a matching pouch (see instructions in the next issue).
6. With right sides together
sew the centre front seam of
the bag lining. Fold the main
bag right sides together with
the centre front and back
seams matching. Sew the
bottom of the bag. Repeat
for the bag lining leaving a
gap open on one side of the
centre seam of around 10cm
(4in) to turn the bag.
7. You now need to ‘bag’
the bag bottom to make the
shaping. To do this take the
bag outer and firstly trim
the corner off both ends of
the bottom seam. Fold the
corner right sides together so
that the seam on the bottom
matches the side of the bag,
this should make a triangle
with the bottom seam.
8. Using a quilting ruler make
a line across the triangle at
right angles to the bottom
seam 3.5cm (1½in) on either
side of the seam and stitch
securing the stitching at both
ends. Trim the triangle off
leaving a seam allowance of
1cm. Repeat for all corners of
the leather and lining.
9. Cut the iron-on interfacing
in half to make two small
squares, and fuse these to
the wrong side of the lining
across the centre front and
back seams approx 2cm (¾in)
down from the top edge.
This will provide support for
the magnetic clasps. Fix the
clasps onto the lining right
side over the interfaced
square making sure they are
an equal distance from the
top edge of the bag.
10. Turn bag inside out
and place the lining inside
it with right side facing.
Matching centre front and
back seams, clip edges
together and sew the bag
and lining together. Always
use clips rather than pins for
faux leather as pins can mark
the fabric.
11. Clip seam allowances
around the curves and turn
the bag to the right sides
through the lining opening.
Topstitch edges.
12. Sew the handles together
by sewing them right
sides together about 4cm
(1½in) from the ends of the
handles. Trim one handle
seam allowance to approx
1cm. Fold the other seam
allowance in half and put
the raw edge inside, then
topstitch across the handle to
secure. Slip stitch the gap in
the bottom of the lining. Your
bag is now finished...enjoy!
Sewing with faux leather:
The Modelo faux leather used
here is available in a great
range of colours including
metallic and pearl finishes. It
has a woven fabric backing,
which sews really well with a
normal machine foot.
Depending on faux leather
fabric you choose you might
find it easier to sew with a
teflon foot or walking foot
(the Modelo is easy to sew
with so I didn’t need either),
also make sure you increase
your stitch length a little to
around as this avoids stressing
the faux leather at the seams.
To view everything used in
this project – click here