Everyday Bag

This bag is easy to make and a quite interesting design.

It was featured on the same pattern as the silk bag in two colours that some of us were making at the last Bredon Crafters.
 
I have made mine in cotton using three different prints.  Apart from the cotton fabric only a small piece of interfacing is needed.

I added buttons along the pointed edging to give it a little extra something, but also to give more stability as the folds on the top layer can bulge open when not being carried on the shoulder - the buttons stopped this happening.  Beads could be used as well or just some simple embroidery stitches on each of the prairie points.

There are only 3 pieces to this pattern and the main piece is cut out four times on single layer fabric right side up. 

First cut four pieces with the pattern right side up.  Then cut another four from contrast fabric with the pattern piece wrong side up.

You now have eight main pieces.

These pieces are then joined together giving four two-colour pieces of a triangular shape.

The pointed trims are made of a double layer and then added to each side edge of one of the triangular pieces.

The pointed strip is trimmed and clipped and pressed open before placing at the side edges.

One important thing about this pattern is to transfer all the markings i.e. notches and circles as they are used to get the placement correct which is important for this design.

A handle is double layer too and this is added to the top of the same triangular piece.

Next a second triangular piece is joined to the first, right sides together, by sewing around the sides and top and trapping the handle and trims between.  This is not shown here.

Now the other end of the handle is sewn to a third triangular piece (at the top) and the fourth triangle is then joined as before capturing the handle in between. (Again, not shown here).

The bottom of the sewn pieces is tacked together and then the front edges with the trim attached are crossed over and joined at the bottom.  A little hand stitching of the loose edges inside the bag secures the shape.

Finally a binding is attached at the bottom and Hey Presto an unusually shaped bag.

As mentioned above I decided to add buttons to the pointed trims but this is not strictly necessary.

I will be writing up a proper worksheet with photos for those who may want to try this bag pattern.

It is a simple tote of medium size that carries very nicely on the shoulder.  It is shown below on the shoulder of my dressmaker's model. 


Quite fun to make and doesn't take too long.  Some of it is done by hand but mostly on the machine.

A strong needle is a good idea for the base as there are several layers of material joined at the bottom and I broke my needle by trying to be too clever and add some fancy stitching along the bottom.