Tutorial: Jordy Bag - Square Bottomed Lined Bag

[Ainadaliel]

Ainadaliel and qazicat, thank you so much for your tips on the interfacing. I had been obsessing on this of late and your info really helps me out.

Of course, sewing in my head is not resulting in finished projects, so I better get around to cutting out the pieces. 

I totally believe practice makes perfect. Before I use my really nice fabrics for a bag, I try the pattern out on cheesecloth or any cheap fabric. It may be a bit more costly, but I'm such a paranoid woman, I'd rather be safe than sorry! LOL!

Qazicat, I have yet to perfect your A-line Magenta purse! LOL! The zipper is killing me! I ended up with a different kind of purse! LOL!

[Ainadaliel]

Qazicat, I have yet to perfect your A-line Magenta purse! LOL! The zipper is killing me! I ended up with a different kind of purse! LOL!

Ainadaliel.

Getting the zipper in is the hardest part.  Even I,  (and I would call myself a very experienced seamstress), have to re pin the zipper several times before I am happy with it. Use lots of pins and curve the zipper as you are pinning.  Does that make sense?  Hand bast the zipper in then machine sew.  I am planning to do another a-line purse soon and I will take lots photos of me putting in the zipper.  I will post them on my original post.

Yep, I baste it but it still comes out wrong. Grrr. As I said, practice makes perfect! 

[Beck.the.Speck]

what is a jordy bag?  sorry....
is it defined by being a "Square Bottomed Lined Bag"?
who is jordy?  did she make it up?
is jordy even a person?
a llama?
why all the llamas?

[Beck.the.Speck]

ohhh!  jordy is indeed a person!  i just realized that jordy started this thread.
heh.  silly me.
sorry jordy.  i'm just easily confuzzled.  did you invent the jordy bag?

[Bee_U_Tiffle]

Hi  , this is my first post AND my first Jordy bag completed!   It was fun to make.  I used a thrifted baby tee shirt (with Cat in the Hat design) and denim.  I tried sewing red piping for the first time on the bag handle and top of the bag.  I am really happy with the final look especially the piping.  I used iron on interfacing to stabilise the t-shirt fabric.

This is the T-shirt before:


and after:


I used magnetic closures for the first time - so easy!


I am now planning my next bag.  I want to try a zip closure and interior zipped pocket next time.   This one is a library book bag for a 5 year old.  She loves it.

Bee

[Kayceeann]

Welcome to Craftster! That bag is perfect for a bookbag for a child! I love it!

[mediadiva]

totally adorable bag, it would look store bought if it had something to keep the bottom sturdy in shape. You could take some cardboard and glue some jean fabric around it!

[Elby]

That bag is so great!  Could you walk me through using piping?  I think I understand how to put it together, but I have such a hard time pinning and then sewing a straight line, I know, sounds lame, but I'm really struggling with it.  I put some decorative trim in the middle of a "jordy" bag, but it's so not even and I took a long time pinning it correctly (so I thought).   Any one with tips would help so much! Thanks! ~Elby

[Sewer Rat]

That's wonderful!  You did a fantastic job!  I love piping and have never tried it.  Please say it's easy to use!

[Bee_U_Tiffle]

Thanks for the comments   I really like the idea of putting a denim covered base in the bottom - will try this tomorrow.  Better find the glue gun!  I am now eyeing up all t-shirts for their bag potential.

The piping was VERY easy and really makes the handle and top look more professional. It just adds one more step to the process.  I now want to do piping on everything! I used the zipper foot attachment for my sewing machine so you can sew right hard up to the edge of the piping - I think piping would be much harder without this. I NEVER pin anything! (just unpick a lot....)  For the handle I had the denim upper and spotty liner fabric pieces. I sewed the piping to the right side of the denim first on both edges then put the spotty part good side facing in over the piping and sewed all three layers together using those first stitching lines as a guide.  If you sew right on those lines you get a really perfect finish when it is all turned back the right way.  A picture would be better - I will try and take some when I make another.  For the top of the bag you sew the piping right around the inner edge of the bag outer before you sew the bag liner part on, use the first line of sewing as a guide and it comes out great when all done.  Good luck   I hope that made some sense, it is hard describing what I did.

Bee