Amy Butler's Style Stitches: 12 Easy Ways to 26 Wonderful Bags (21 page)

• Main panel

• Side panel

• Petal A

• Petal B

• Petal C

• Petal D

Tip: Using a piece of masking tape and a marker, write the name of each panel on the tape and place it on the individual fabric pieces to identify them
.

a. Use a single layer of fabric and fold each selvage edge* 9″ (22.9 cm) in toward the
Wrong
side.

• Cut 2 main panels on the fold*

• Cut 4 side panels on the fold

b. Open the fabric. Using a ruler and fabric marker, measure and mark the dimensions below directly onto the
Right
side of a single layer of fabric. Then, cut along the marked lines.

• Cut 4 top panels: 2⅝″ (6.7 cm) wide × 21″ (53.3 cm) long

• Cut 2 bottom panels: 5″ (12.7 cm) wide × 18″ (45.7 cm) long

• Cut 2 pocket panels: 13″ (33 cm) wide × 9½″ (24.1 cm) long

• Cut 2 short handles to make the handbag: 4½″ (11.4 cm) wide × 15½″ (39.4 cm) long

OR

• Cut 2 long handles to make the shoulder bag: 4½″ (11.4 cm) wide × 19½″ (49.5 cm) long

• Cut 2 main panels on the fold

c. Fold the petal fabrics in half lengthwise,
Wrong
sides together, matching the selvage edges.

• Cut 2 petal A’s

• Cut 4 petal C’s

• Cut 4 petal B’s

• Cut 4 petal D’s

d. Set aside the fabric. You will cut and attach the bias* strips in step 4a.

e. Open the cut exterior and lining fabric panels. Use the panels as full-size pattern pieces to cut out the interfacing and Peltex.

• Cut 2 main panels

• Cut 2 side panels

• Cut 2 top panels

• Cut 2 bottom panels

• Cut 2 handles

• Cut 1 pocket panel

f. To cut the petals from the Interfacing, fold the cut edge of the Interfacing 6″ (15.2 cm) over with the fusible sides together.

• Cut 2 petal A’s

• Cut 2 petal B’s

• Cut 2 petal C’s

• Cut 2 petal B’s

• Cut 2 petal C’s

• Cut 4 petal D’s

• Cut 2 main panels

• Cut 2 side panels

g. Using your ruler and marker, measure and mark the following dimensions directly onto a single layer of Peltex. Then, cut along the marked lines.

• Cut 2 bottom panels: 4″ (10.2 cm) wide × 17″ (43.2 cm) long

h. On each of the Peltex main and side panels, measure and mark ½″ (1.3 cm) in around all the edges. Draw a line connecting the marks. Use your scissors and cut along the marked lines. This will help reduce bulk in the seam allowances*.

• Cut 2 top panels: 1½″ (3.8 cm) wide × 20″ (50.8 cm) long

• Cut 2 short handle inserts: 1⅛″ (2.9 cm) wide × 15½″ (39.4 cm) long

OR

• Cut 2 long handle inserts: 1⅛″ (2.9 cm) wide × 19½″ (49.5 cm) long

a. Place the
Wrong
side of each petal onto the fusible side of each corresponding interfacing piece. Using a damp pressing cloth,* fuse the interfacing in place. Turn the panel over and press it again, making sure there are no puckers.

b. Center the Peltex panel on the
Wrong
side of the first exterior main panel leaving ½″ (1.3 cm) of the main panel exposed around the edges. Then, place the fusible side of the interfacing onto the Peltex and fuse it in place, sealing the edges and securing the Peltex. Repeat to attach the Peltex and interfacing to the second main panel. Set aside.

c. Repeat step 3b to attach the Peltex and interfacing on the
Wrong
side of two of the side panels. They will now be referred to as exterior side panels.

d. Place the 2 Peltex bottom panels with the fusible sides together. Match the edges and fuse in place.

e. Repeat step 3b to attach the Peltex and interfacing to one of the bottom panels. This will be referred to as the exterior bottom panel.

f. Repeat step 3b to attach the fusible fleece and interfacing to two of the top panel pieces, and set aside. These will now be referred to as the exterior top panels.

g. Place the fusible side of the interfacing on the
Wrong
side of both handles and one of the bottom and pocket panels. Fuse in place and set aside.

a. Follow the instructions in Glossary & Techniques
(page 171)
to cut 10 to 15 bias strips [1″ (2.6 cm) wide] and attach them to make 270″ (6.86 m) of bias trim.

Figure 1

b. Fold the bias trim in half lengthwise,
Wrong
sides together, and press along the folded edge. Machine baste* ¼″ (0.6 cm) from the matched edges.

c. On the
Right
side of the first petal, place the matched edges of the bias trim even with the cut edge of the petal and pin it in place. Stitch the trim ¼″ (0.6 cm) from the cut edge, easing it around the curved edge of the petal. Backstitch* at each end.

d. Clip* V-shaped notches every ½″ to ¾″ (1.3 cm to 1.9 cm) around the curved edges Into the seam allowance. Be careful not to clip the stitching.

e. Fold the clipped edges under toward the
interfaced
side of the petal, and press. Cut off the excess bias binding even with the bottom edge of the petal.

f. Repeat steps 4c through 4e to attach the trim to the other 13 petals.

a. Divide the petals into 2 sets. On each exterior main panel, there are 2 petal D’s, C’s, and B’s, and 1 petal A centered in the middle.

b. Place the first main panel
Right
side up. Use a fabric marker and make a mark 2¾″ (7 cm) in from each corner along the bottom edge.

c. Using the first set of petals, place a petal D on the inside of each mark and match the bottom edge of the petals with the bottom edge of the main panel. Pin them in place.

d. Stitch-in-the-ditch* all the way around the petals on the seam between the petal and bias trim. Backstitch at each end.

e. Repeat steps 5b through 5d using the following placement measurements, measuring in from the bottom corners.

• Petal C’s: 5¾″ (15 cm)

• Petal B’s: 6⅞″ (17 cm)

• Petal A: centered on the main panel

f. Repeat steps 5b through 5e to attach the second set of petals to the second main panel.

Please set aside for now.

a. Fold the first handle in half lengthwise,
interfaced
sides together, and press a crease along the folded edge.

b. Open up the handle. Fold the long edges in to meet the center crease, and press.

c. Slip the fleece handle insert under one of the folded edges, fusible side up.

d. Fold the handle in half again at the center crease, enclosing the raw edges. Pin and press the handle to secure the fleece.

e. Edge stitch* along both folded edges and backstitch at each end.

f. Topstitch* ¼″ (0.6 cm) from the edge, stitching on each side of the handle for detail. Backstitch at each end.

g. Repeat steps 6a through 6f to make the second handle.

a. On the first exterior main panel, measure and mark 4″ (10.2 cm) in from each corner along the top edge.

b. Place the inside edge of the end of one handle to the outside of the first mark, matching the raw edges. Pin it in place.

c. Machine baste a ¼″ (0.6 cm) seam across the end of the handle to secure it in place on the main panel.

d. Place the other end of the handle to the outside of the second mark, being careful not to twist the handle. Pin and machine baste it in place.

e. Repeat steps 7a through 7d to attach the second handle to the second main panel.

Please set the main panels aside for now.

a. Place the exterior top panels
Right
sides together, matching the edges, and pin across one long edge. Measure 1″ (2.5 cm) in from each side edge along the pinned edge and make a mark. Then, stitch a ⅝″ (1.6 cm) seam from each side edge, stopping at the 1″ (2.5 cm) marks. Backstitch at each end.

b. Machine baste a ⅝″ (1.6 cm) seam across the rest of the long edge, from the end of one stitching line to the other. Press the seam allowance open.

c. Place the top of the zipper at the beginning of the basting stitch, centering the coils over the seam. Pin it in place.

d. Using the zipper foot on your machine, start at the top of one side of the zipper and stitch ⅜″ (1 cm) from the zipper coils down one long side of the tape. Pivot* and stitch ¾″ (1.9 cm) across the end of the zipper; pivot again, stitch down the other long side. Then, pivot and stitch across the top of the zipper. Backstitch at each end.

e. Using your seam ripper, remove the basting stitches to open the seam so your zipper can function.

a. Place the exterior side and top panels
Right
sides together, matching the short ends on each side of the top panel. Pin each end in place. Stitch a ½″ (1.3 cm) seam across each pinned edge. Backstitch at each end. Press the seam allowances toward the side panels.

b. Topstitch ¼″ (0.6 cm) from the seam that attaches the side panel to the top panel, catching the seam allowances underneath.

Figure 2

a. Fold the top panel in half, matching the short ends. Place a straight pin at the top of the folded edge on each side of the top panel to mark the center. Repeat to mark the top center of each main panel.

b. Place the first main and top panels
Right
sides together, matching the marked center of each panel. Pin the panels together across the top edge of the main panel.

c. Stitch a ½″ (1.3 cm) seam across the pinned edge, starting and stopping ½″ (1.3 cm) in from each side edge of the main panel. Backstitch at each end.

d. Clip Into the seam allowance at each end of the stitching on the top panel only.

e. Turn the top panel at the first clip and match it to the side edges on the main panel, pinning them in place. Repeat to pin the other side edges together.

f. Starting at the clip on the top panel, stitch a ½″ (1.3 cm) seam down both sides, stopping ½″ (1.3 cm) up from the bottom edges. Backstitch at each end.

g. Repeat steps 10b through 10f to attach the second main panel to the other side of the top panel.

h. Trim* the corners in the seam allowance. Make sure not to clip the stitching.