Amy Butler's Style Stitches: 12 Easy Ways to 26 Wonderful Bags (3 page)

• Cut 2 main panels on the fold* from the 13″ (33 cm) folded side

• Cut 2 side panels on the fold from the 4″ (10.3 cm) folded side

b. Fold the side pocket lining panel pattern piece back at the dashed line to use for the side pocket panel pattern piece.

• Cut 2 side pocket panels on the fold

c. Open the fabric. Using a ruler and fabric marker, measure and mark the dimensions for the bottom panel directly onto the
Right
side of a single layer of fabric. Cut along the marked lines.

• Cut 1 bottom panel: 6″ (15.2 cm) wide × 15¼″ (38.7 cm) long

d. Fold the fabric in half lengthwise,
Wrong
sides together, matching the selvage edges.

• Cut 2 bands on the fold

• Cut 2 side pocket lining panels on the fold

• Cut 8 handles: for long handles, use the entire pattern piece; for short handles, fold the pattern piece back at the dashed line

e. Open the fabric. Measure and mark the dimensions directly onto the
Right
side of a single layer of fabric. Cut along the marked lines.

• Cut 1 button loop: 5″ (12.7 cm) wide × 12″ (30.5 cm) long

• Cut 1 circle [2½″ (6.4 cm) diameter] to cover the button

f. Fold the fabric in half lengthwise,
Wrong
sides together, matching the selvage edges, and gently press a crease. Open the fabric. Fold the selvage edges in to meet the crease with the
Wrong
sides together. This will give you enough folded edges to cut out the lining panels, side panels, and pocket panels.

• Cut 2 lining panels on the fold

• Cut 2 side panels on the fold

• Cut 4 inside pocket panels on the fold (fold the lining panel pattern piece back at the dashed line)

g. Open the fabric. Measure and mark the dimensions for the bottom panel directly onto the
Right
side of a single layer of fabric. Cut along the marked lines.

• Cut 1 bottom panel: 6″ (15.2 cm) wide × 15¼″ (38.7 cm) long

h. Use the panels you have cut as full-size pattern pieces to cut out the fusible interfacing.

• Cut 2 main panels

• Cut 4 side panels

• Cut 2 side pocket lining panels

• Cut 2 side pocket panels

• Cut 2 lining panels

• Cut 2 inside pockets panels

• Cut 2 bands

• Cut 8 handles

• Cut 2 bottom panels

• Cut 1 bottom insert: 5″ (12.7 cm) wide × 14¼″ (36.2 cm) long

a. Place the
Wrong
side of the first exterior main panel onto the fusible side of the coordinating 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. Repeat step 3a to apply the corresponding interfacing pieces to the second main panel, both exterior and lining side panels, side pockets and pocket lining panels, bands, lining panels, lining bottom panel, 2 inside pocket panels, and all 8 handles.

c. Center the fusible side of the fleece bottom panel insert on the
Wrong
side of the exterior bottom panel. There will be ½″ (1.3 cm) of the bottom panel showing around all edges. Place the fusible side of the interfacing over the fleece and fuse it to the
Wrong
side of the bottom panel, sealing the edges and enclosing the fleece. Turn the panel over and press it again, making sure there are no puckers.

a. Fold the first main panel in half lengthwise,
Wrong
sides together, and place a pin at the top and bottom on the folded edge to mark the center. Then, open the panel.

b. Use tracing paper, pencil, and the pattern piece as a guide, and transfer* the pleat marks onto the
Wrong
side of the fabric. Mark along the top edge of the pattern piece onto each side of the center on the main panel.

c. Starting on the left side of the main panel, fold the panel,
Right
sides together, matching the first two pleat marks, and pin them in place. Stitch following the pleat marks, ½″ (1.3 cm) in length. Backstitch* at each end.

d. Open the panel. Press the pleat that forms on the
interfaced
side flat, centering the fabric evenly over the stitching line. Pin and then machine baste* a ¼″ (0.6 cm) seam across the top of the pinned pleat.

e. Repeat steps 4c and 4d to make the other 3 pleats on this main panel and all 4 pleats on the second main panel.

a. Place the first band and main panel
Right
sides together, matching the bottom edge of the band with the top edge of the main panel. Pin the panels in place easing the band around the curve on the main panel. Stitch a ½″ (1.3 cm) seam along the pinned edges. Backstitch at each end.

b. Clip a small V-shape in the seam allowance* every ½″ (1.3 cm) around the curved edge of the band to allow it to lay flat. Be careful not to clip the stitching.

c. Open the panels. On the
Wrong
side, press the seam allowances toward the band.

d. Turn the panels over to the
Right
side. Topstitch* on the band, ⅛″ (0.3 cm) away from the seam that attaches it to the main panel. Backstitch at each end.

e. Repeat steps 5a through 5d to attach the second band to the second main panel.

a. Place the left handle from the first set of handles and the main panel
Right
sides together. Match the top left edge on the main panel to the bottom edge on the handle and pin along the matched edges.

b. Stitch a ½″ (1.3 cm) seam across the pinned edge, easing the edges around the slight curve. Backstitch at each end.

c. Open the panels. On the
Wrong
side, press the seam allowances toward the handle.

Figure 1

d. Turn the panels over to the
Right
side again. Topstitch on the handle ⅛″ (0.3 cm) away from the seam that attaches it to the main panel. Backstitch at each end.

e. Repeat steps 6a through 6d to attach a second handle (one facing the opposite direction) to the top right edge of the first main panel.

f. Place the two handles
Right
sides together, matching the short top ends; make sure not to twist them. Pin them in place. Stitch a ½″ (1.3 cm) seam across the ends. Backstitch at each end.

g. Repeat steps 6a through 6f to attach a second set of handles to the second main panel.

h. Stay stitch* ⅜″ (1 cm) from the edge completely around the inside edges on both main panels with the bands and handles attached.

i. Clip* into the seam allowance every ½″ to ¾″ (1.3 cm to 1.9 cm) around the curved edges of the handles and bands. Be careful not to clip the stitching.

j. Fold the clipped edges in toward the
Wrong
side on the inside edge of each handle and the top of the band, then press.

k. Set the main panels (with handles and bands attached) aside.

a. Place the first side pocket and side pocket lining panel
Right
sides, together, matching the top edges, and pin them in place. Stitch a ½″ (1.3 cm) seam across the pinned edge. Backstitch at each end. Press the seam allowance toward the lining.

b. Flip the lining over the side pocket panel, folding it back at the top edge of the seam allowance toward the
Wrong
side. Match the bottom edges of the lining and side pocket panels, leaving ½″ (1.3 cm) of the lining showing across the top of the pocket. Press and pin the edges together. Then, machine baste a ¼″ (0.6 cm) seam down both sides and across the bottom edges.

c. Place the lining side of the side pocket onto the
Right
side of the first exterior side panel, matching the side and bottom edges. Pin and then machine baste a ¼″ (0.6 cm) seam down the sides and across the bottom edges.

d. Repeat steps 7a through 7c to make and attach the second side pocket to the second side panel.

a. Place the first main and side panels
Right
sides together, matching the long side edges, and pin in place. Stitch a ½″ (1.3 cm) seam down the pinned edges, beginning at the top and stopping ½″ (1.3 cm) from the bottom edge. Backstitch at each end.

b. Clip into the seam allowance around the curved edge every ½″ to ¾″ (1.3 cm to 1.9 cm) to allow the seam to lay flat when turned
Right
side out. Be careful not to clip your stitching.

c. Repeat steps 8a and 8b to attach the second side panel to the opposite side edge of the main panel.

d. Repeat steps 8a through 8c to attach the second main panel to the opposite sides on the side panels.

e. Press all seam allowances open.

a. Place one long edge of the exterior bottom panel and the bottom edge of one main panel
Right
sides together, matching the raw edges. Pin in place.

b. Stitch a ½″ (1.3 cm) seam along the pinned edge, starting and stopping ½″ (1.3 cm) from each end of the bottom panel. Backstitch at each end.

c. Turn the main panel at one of the unstitched bottom corners, matching the bottom edge of the side panel with the short edge of the bottom panel, and pin in place. Repeat step 9b to stitch them together.

d. Repeat step 9c to turn the panel at the other corners, sewing the bottom edges on the main and side panels to the other long and short side edges on the bottom panel.

e. Trim the bottom corners in the seam allowance, making sure not to clip the stitching.

f. Turn the exterior of the bag
Right
side out. Use a turning tool* to gently push out the corners, and press.

Figure 3