A Large Color-Blocked Bag
I've had this gorgeous, friend-dyed fabric for several years.
It had always been sort of ear-marked for this bag pattern. I finally got around to actually sewing this bag but used the pattern as a guide rather than following it super faithfully. As I didn't really want to cut this fabric into pieces and I also wanted a rather large drawstring bag. Which I achieved! It sits about 15" high and about 17" or so across one side panel.
I had four pieces of around 19"x19" fabric - purple, green, blue/green, and blue/purple. I decided I wanted the two darker ones as the 'outside' and the two lighter ones as the 'inside' of the bag.
I cut the 3" corner square in the two 'outside' fabrics, per the pattern, then seamed up the area again per the pattern and continued seaming up the sides. Then I repeated this for the 'inner' fabrics. Next I turned the 'inner' fabric pouch inside out, put the 'outside' pouch inside it, and pinned then seamed an inch below the top, leaving a gap. I pulled the 'outside' pouch through the gap, and then sewed 3/4" below the (new) top of the bag all the way around including over the gap. (After asking for help) the drawstring (which I made, see pictures below) got run through the channel. Then I finished the gap that I left- simply closing it in a little more and reinforcing the area where the drawstring rubs a bit.
I made the drawstring myself as well, from scraps that someone in the corset class let me have when they were finished. The fabric is gorgeous, and I believe I have just enough to make a corset of my own with the remnants!
I folded the edges of the 2 long strips over and back stitched down the length, sewing the two together in the middle (it's a little messy, but it's hidden inside the drawstring casing of the bag). I love how this drawstring looks with the colors of the bag! It's a little stiff, as it's small and essentially 4 layers of fabric, but it looks fantastic when it's tied up all stylishly.
This bag was very easy to assemble (once I figured out what the instructions wanted from me). I am very pleased with how much this bag holds! I have an embroidery project for a pair of 18th-century style pockets and everything I need for the project (all the fabric, the embroidery floss, the pattern, etc) fit inside with a lot of room to spare. I like that it sits relatively upright, some of which is due to the squared bottom and some is due to the heavier cotton fabric (it feels a little heavier than a quilting cotton, but I'm not sure exactly what it is).
What I learned: how to thread a drawstring, how to make a squared bottom, how to make and finish a self-drawstring casing (which would probably be nicer with a machine)
It had always been sort of ear-marked for this bag pattern. I finally got around to actually sewing this bag but used the pattern as a guide rather than following it super faithfully. As I didn't really want to cut this fabric into pieces and I also wanted a rather large drawstring bag. Which I achieved! It sits about 15" high and about 17" or so across one side panel.
I had four pieces of around 19"x19" fabric - purple, green, blue/green, and blue/purple. I decided I wanted the two darker ones as the 'outside' and the two lighter ones as the 'inside' of the bag.
I cut the 3" corner square in the two 'outside' fabrics, per the pattern, then seamed up the area again per the pattern and continued seaming up the sides. Then I repeated this for the 'inner' fabrics. Next I turned the 'inner' fabric pouch inside out, put the 'outside' pouch inside it, and pinned then seamed an inch below the top, leaving a gap. I pulled the 'outside' pouch through the gap, and then sewed 3/4" below the (new) top of the bag all the way around including over the gap. (After asking for help) the drawstring (which I made, see pictures below) got run through the channel. Then I finished the gap that I left- simply closing it in a little more and reinforcing the area where the drawstring rubs a bit.
I made the drawstring myself as well, from scraps that someone in the corset class let me have when they were finished. The fabric is gorgeous, and I believe I have just enough to make a corset of my own with the remnants!
I folded the edges of the 2 long strips over and back stitched down the length, sewing the two together in the middle (it's a little messy, but it's hidden inside the drawstring casing of the bag). I love how this drawstring looks with the colors of the bag! It's a little stiff, as it's small and essentially 4 layers of fabric, but it looks fantastic when it's tied up all stylishly.
This bag was very easy to assemble (once I figured out what the instructions wanted from me). I am very pleased with how much this bag holds! I have an embroidery project for a pair of 18th-century style pockets and everything I need for the project (all the fabric, the embroidery floss, the pattern, etc) fit inside with a lot of room to spare. I like that it sits relatively upright, some of which is due to the squared bottom and some is due to the heavier cotton fabric (it feels a little heavier than a quilting cotton, but I'm not sure exactly what it is).
What I learned: how to thread a drawstring, how to make a squared bottom, how to make and finish a self-drawstring casing (which would probably be nicer with a machine)
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