Amy Butler's Style Stitches: 12 Easy Ways to 26 Wonderful Bags (11 page)

c. Turn the hip
Right
side out and use a turning tool to gently round out the edges. Press it flat.

d. Fold the hip in half, matching the side edges, and gently press a crease on the fold. Open the hip.

e. Place the exterior of the bag with one of the side seams facing up. Center the crease on the hip over the side seam, matching the top edges, and pin in place.

Figure 2

f. Edge stitch along the curved edges of the hip. Backstitch at each end. Then, machine baste a ¼″ (0.6 cm) seam across the top edge.

g. Repeat steps 7a through 7f to make and attach the other hip to the opposite side of the exterior.

a. Place the two handles
Right
sides together, matching the long edges, and pin in place.

b. Stitch a ½″ (1.3 cm) seam along the pinned edges, leaving a 6″ (15.2 cm) opening centered on one side of the handle for turning it
Right
side out. Backstitch at each end.

c. Clip into the seam allowances every ½″ to ¾″ (1.3 cm to 1.9 cm) at the curves on both ends of the handle, being careful not to clip your stitching.

d. Attach a safety pin to a single layer of the handle at one end. Using the safety pin as a guide, push the pin through the end of the handle and out the center opening. Then, move the pin to the other end and repeat the process to turn the remainder of the handle
Right
side out. Remove the safety pin.

Figure 3

e. Use a turning tool to gently push out the edges and press the handle flat. Fold each side of the opening under ½″ (1.3 cm) toward the
Wrong
side, and press. Pin the edges together.

f. Edge stitch down both long sides of the handle. This will close the opening and give the handle a smooth finish.

g. Fold the wide ends of the handle in half across the width and gently press a crease on each fold.

h. Place one end of the handle on the left side edge of the exterior, matching the crease on the handle to the crease on the hip, and the ends of the handle to the top edges of the exterior band. Pin in place.

i. Place the other end of the handle on the right side of the exterior, matching the creases and edges. Be careful not to twist the handle. Pin in place. Then, machine baste a ¼″ (0.6 cm) seam across both pinned ends.

a. Fold the first lining main panel in half,
Right
sides together, matching the side edges. Gently press a crease on the fold at the top and bottom of the panel. Pin along the folded edges.

b. Repeat steps 4b and 4c to make a 1″ (2.5 cm) pleat. Make this pleat at both the top and the bottom edges of the panel. Press the pleats flat, centering the fabric evenly over the stitching lines.

c. Repeat steps 9a and 9b to pleat the second lining main panel.

a. Place the pocket panels
Right
sides together, matching the edges. Pin along the top edge. Stitch a ½″ (1.3 cm) seam across the pinned edge. Backstitch at each end.

b. Turn the pocket panels
Right
side out and press along the top edge. Then topstitch* ¼″ (0.6 cm) from this edge. Backstitch at each end.

c. Match the outer curved edges of the pocket panel and pin. Machine baste a ¼″ (0.6 cm) seam across the pinned edges.

d. Place the pocket onto the
Right
side of one lining main panel, matching the outer and curved edges, and pin in place. Machine baste a ¼″ (0.6 cm) seam to hold the pocket in place.

a. Fold one lining band in half, matching the short ends, and gently press a crease on the fold.

b. Open the band. Refold it, matching the long edges, and gently press a crease on the fold.

c. Open the band again. On the
Right
side, center the male half of the magnetic snap over the point where the creases cross. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to install the snap.

d. Repeat steps 11a through 11c to install the female half of the snap on the second lining band.

a. Repeat step 5 to attach the lining bands to the lining main panels.

b. Repeat steps 6a through 6c to attach the lining panels, leaving a 4″ (10.2 cm) opening centered at the bottom for turning the bag
Right
side out. Leave the lining
Wrong
side out.

a. With the exterior
Right
side out and the lining
Wrong
side out, slide the lining over the exterior, tucking the handle down between the two layers.

b. Match the top edges, side seams, and handle edges and pin in place. Stitch a ½″ (1.3 cm) seam completely around the top edges. Backstitch at each end.

c. Turn the bag
Right
side out by pulling it through the opening on the bottom of the lining. Push the lining down inside the exterior, pulling out the handle.

d. Press the top edge and pin. Edge stitch completely around the top edge and backstitch at each end.

e. Pin the exterior and lining bands together at the center of each main panel. Follow the previous edge stitching on the band and sew 1½″ (3.8 cm) across the center to secure the lining. Backstitch at each end.

f. Pull the bottom of the lining out of the bag. Fold each side of the opening under ½″ (1.3 cm) toward the
Wrong
side, and press. Pin and then edge stitch to close the opening. Backstitch at each end. Push the lining back down inside the bag. Press.

Your Teardrop Bag is complete! Take it with you for a fun night out, a quick day trip, or anything in between. Go forth and flaunt your personal style!

5¾″ (14.6 cm) wide × 5½″ (14 cm) tall

• ¼ yd (0.23 m) of one print for the exterior main panels

• ⅛ yd (0.11 m) of a coordinating print for the exterior bands and tab

• ⅜ yd (0.34 m) of a second coordinating print for the lining

• ⅜ yd (0.34 m) of 20″ (50.8 cm) wide fusible woven interfacing (I use Shape Flex SF-101 by Pellon)

• One 7″ (17.9 cm) coordinating zipper (I use Coats brand)

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

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

• Zipper foot for your sewing machine

• Main panel

• Pocket panel

a. Fold the first exterior print and lining fabrics in half lengthwise,
Wrong
sides together, matching the selvage edges.* Gently press a crease on each of the folded edges. Open the fabrics. Fold each selvage edge in 5″ (12.7 cm) toward the
Wrong
side. This will give you enough folded edges to cut out the main panels and pocket panels.