A few of us Craftsters have made the free Buttercup Bag Pattern from here:
http://madebyrae.blogspot.com/2009/02/free-buttercup-bag-sewing-pattern.html. I made a bag with quite a few alterations to it, including enlarging the pattern to 125% on the photocopier. Here's the link to the one I made:
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=296978.0.
The alterations I made were:
- Firstly - enlarged to 125%
- Added a mobile phone pocket instead of a flat pocket
- Added a zipper
- Lengthened the strap to 24"
- Interfaced the outer top
A couple of words of advice. If you choose to interface the lining, the outer top and the handle and you sandwich the strap between the lining and outer - make sure your machine can handle thick layers otherwise you'll be breaking lots of needles!!!
OK. Firstly, I'll show you how I added the zipper. You need to start by altering your pattern. Cut the lining an inch or so down from the top, then add 1/4" seam to either piece, like this:
Then cut your pieces for the bag. You need to cut extra pieces. 4 pieces, width of the zipper x probably 2 or more inches (for the ends of the zipper) and another 4 pieces, 2 inches x a bit longer than the length of the outer upper piece of the pattern (for the sides of the zipper). If this is a little confusing now, it may make more sense in the pictures further down. You need to add the little tab bits to the ends of the zipper like this:
Then you need to add the side bits to the zipper, like this:
Then you need to cut the whole piece to 1 3/4" wide x length of outer upper piece, centering the zipper, like this:
Now you need to sandwich the zipper between the lining bottom and top, like so:
Repeat for the other side. This is what it should look like:
Then sew the lining together. With the ends of the zipper, make sure they go 'upwards' when catching in the lining, like this:
Make sure you leave an opening in the lining to turn right sides out:
OK. This ends the tutorial on the zipper. If it seems a little confusing, I've used a couple of tutorials. One of my own:
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=85354.msg805095#msg805095 and another:
http://www.themikkelsens.net/sarah/journal/2008/06/recessed-zipper-how-to.htmlNow onto how I did the mobile phone pocket. I cut two squares of fabric (outer and lining) 5 x 5 inch square with 1" squares cut from the bottom of each fabric, like this:
Put right sides together and sew across the top:
Sew the corners of lining and outer:
Put right sides together. Sew around edge leaving gap for turning:
Turn right sides out. Press and top stitch along top edge:
Pin to lining:
Sew to lining:
Finally, the pleats. I followed the directions of the pleats but somehow, I could not get them to fit. This is how I ended up doing them. I must say, that I do like this way:
I placed a pin in the middle of the fabric. I pinned the other 4 pleats according to the pattern. This is what it looked like:
Start by sewing the pleated edges with the outer top piece on the top towards the centre but stopping before the centre, like this:
Start and the other end and stop before the centre. Create a box pleat and continue to meet the other line of stitching:
You should end up with something that looks like this:
Hope this is helpful. As always, if you have any questions, fire away!!!
