Amy Butler's Style Stitches: 12 Easy Ways to 26 Wonderful Bags (20 page)

a. Find the center of the tab to mark the placement for the magnetic snap. Fold the tab closure in half with the
interfaced
sides together, matching the long [5″ (12.7cm)] edges. Gently press a crease and open up the tab.

b. On the
Right
side of the tab closure, using your ruler and fabric marker, measure 1¾″ (4.4 cm) down on the center crease from one short edge and make a mark.

c. Center the female half of the magnetic snap over the 1¾″ (4.4 cm) mark and install the snap following the manufacturer’s instructions.

d. Fold the tab closure in half,
Right
sides together, matching the short edges. Pin in place. Stitch a ½″ (1.3 cm) seam along each side edge, leaving the top edges unstitched. Backstitch at each end.

e. Trim the two corners, being careful not to cut the stitching. Turn the tab closure
Right
side out. Use a turning tool to gently push out the corners, and press the tab flat.

f. Fold each side of the opening under ½″ (1.3 cm) toward the
Wrong
side and pin the edges together. You will sew this edge closed when you attach the tab closure in step 11n.

g. Starting at the top, edge stitch down both sides and across the bottom of the tab. Backstitch at each end.

h. Repeat steps 10a through 10g to make the other tab closure with the male half of the magnetic snap.

a. Place the pinned bottom edges of the first handle
Right
sides together with the center clipped curve of one exterior main panel. Ease the edges around the curve and pin them in place. (See
Figure 6
on next page.)

b. Machine baste a ⅜″ (1 cm) seam along the pinned edges.

c. Repeat steps 11a and 11b to baste the second handle to the other exterior main panel.

d. With the lining
Wrong
side out and the exterior
Right
side out, slip the lining over the exterior, sandwiching the handles between the panels. Ease and pin the lining to the first handle.

e. Stitch a ½″ (1.3 cm) seam along the pinned edges, starting and stopping ½″ (1.3 cm) from each end. Backstitch at each end. You will be stitching through the exterior main panel, two layers of the handle fabric (not the Peltex), and the lining main panel. Use the edge of the Peltex as a guide for your stitching. There will be ½″ (1.3 cm) of the main panels extending from each end of the finished handles.

Figure 6

f. Repeat steps 11d and lie to attach the second handle to the other side of the exterior and lining panels.

g. Pull out the remaining top edges of the exterior and lining main panels on each side of both handles. Match the top edges, including the ½″ (1.3 cm) that extends past each side of the handles, and pin the edges together.

Figure 7

h. Starting at the stitching line that attaches the first handle, sew a ½″ (1.3 cm) seam along the pinned edges and across the side seam, stopping at the second handle on the other side. Backstitch at each end. Repeat this step to sew the pinned edges across the other side seam.

i. Clip Into the seam allowance every ½″ (1.3 cm) on all the curved edges, being careful not to clip your stitching.

j. Turn the bag
Right
side out through the 8″ (20.3 cm) opening in the bottom of the lining. Push the lining down inside the exterior, and press.

k. Edge stitch around the top finished edge of the bag, including the top curved edges of the handles. Backstitch at each end.

l. Measure and mark 6¼″ (15.9 cm) in along the bottom edge of the handle lining to mark the center for the tab placement.

m. Center the top pinned end of the first tab closure over the mark and allow the tab to overlap the first handle by ¼″ (0.6 cm). Make sure the magnetic snap faces out and pin the tab in place. Repeat to attach the second tab.
Note: The tab closure snaps together as it hangs down inside the bag.

n. Edge stitch both handles along the bottom curved edges, catching the tops of both tab closures, securing them in place. Backstitch at each end.

o. Pull the bottom of the lining out from the exterior. Fold each edge of the opening under ½″ (1.3 cm), and press. Pin and then edge stitch the opening closed. Push the lining back inside the exterior of the bag and press.

a. Place the false bottom panels
Right
sides together, matching the raw edges, and pin in place.

b. Stitch a ½″ (1.3 cm) seam down both long edges and across one short end. Backstitch at each end.

c. Trim the corners in the seam allowance, being careful not to clip your stitching.

d. Turn the false bottom
Right
side out. Use a turning tool to gently push out the corners, and press.

e. Remove the protective film from the Peltex inserts and place them together, matching the edges. Machine baste ¼″ (0.6 cm) from the edges completely around the inserts.

f. Place the Peltex inserts inside the false bottom. You may need to gently bow the inserts when tucking them inside the fabric.

g. Fold each side on the open end of the false bottom under ½″ (1.3 cm). Pin the edges and then slipstitch* the opening closed. Use your iron to fuse the panels together.

h. Topstitch ¼″ (0.6 cm) from the edges completely around the false bottom. Place the false bottom inside your bag to lend added support.

Your Miss Maven Ruffled Handbag is complete! Now show off your flirtatious side by going out and stealing all the attention.

13″ (33 cm) wide across the top [17″ (43.2 cm) wide across the bottom] × 11″ (27.9 cm) tall [or 16½″ (42 cm) tall with the handles] × 4″ (10.2 cm) deep

13″ (33 cm) wide across the top [17″ (43.2 cm) wide across the bottom] × 11″ (27.9 cm) tall [or 18½″ (47 cm) tall with long handles] × 4″ (10.2 cm) deep

• 1½ yd (1.37 m) of 54″ (137 cm) wide mid-weight Home Dec solid for the exterior side panels, top panels, handles, and lining

• ½ yd (46 m) of 54″ (137 cm) wide second mid-weight Home Dec solid for the exterior main panels

• ⅜ yd (0.34 m) of 44″ (112 cm) wide light- to mid-weight print for 6 petals

• ⅜ yd (0.34 m) of 44″ (112 cm) wide light- to mid-weight coordinating print for 8 petals

• ½ yd (0.46 m) of 44″ (112 cm) wide light- to mid-weight solid fabric for the bias trim

• 2¾ yd (2.51 m) of 20″ (50.8 cm) wide fusible woven interfacing (I use Shape Flex SF-101 by Pellon)

• 1¼ yd (1.14 m) of 20″ (50.8 cm) wide single-sided fusible Peltex by Pellon or a similar extra-heavy stabilizer

• ⅛ yd (0.11 m) of 44″ (112 cm) wide fusible fleece (I use fusible Thermolam Plus by Pellon)

• One 22″ (55.9 cm) coordinating zipper (I use Coats brand)

• 1 spool coordinating all-purpose thread (I use Coats Dual Duty XP)

See Basic Tools Needed for Each Project
(page 14)
.

• Masking tape

• Marker

• Seam ripper

• Zipper foot for your sewing machine

• Hand sewing needle