Bag it up

Well Hello there dear friends. I've been busy with my new passion, bag making. Wilbear bought me a sewing machine back in May, and I've been learning how to use it by sewing various stuffed toys and so on. I searched Youtube for tutorials on any easy makes and found a fabulous sewing lady, Debbie Shore. I particularly like one of her simple lined bag makes, so much so that I've now made it 8 times in various sizes and patterns. Here are just a few of my makes using her tutorial.














I think I'm a little addicted. Check out her Youtube account here, or, for the tutorial I followed to make my bags, look Right here.
I had a little fabric left over from one of my bag makes, so cut it into two little tote sized shapes, with lining fabric of the same size.


To make the handles, I followed Debbie's instructions to cut two lengths of fabric to 19" long by 3 1/2" wide...


I folded these in half, unfolded, then folded into the crease.


To create a handle


Which I pressed, in my own, inimitable style!! You won't see this on the original tutorial!


I then sewed a zigzag stitch along the side of the handles


Next, I attached the handles to the right sides of the outer fabric, using my tape measure to make sure the handles were even.


I then attached the lining fabric


And stitched along the tops of the bag, sewing the handles into place.


Like so, or should that be sew??


Now I needed to sew the bag together, I made sure the seams matched,


then sewed my bags up, leaving a small gap so that they could be turned right way out at the end. To make a more boxy shape, I followed Debbie's advice to cut a 2" triangle to each corner and then cut across. Debbie explains this so much better than I can!


Next, I turned my bag right way out


I stitched up my lining where I'd left the gap for turning. I did this by machine as my paw sewing is less than perfect!


Voila, my latest mini tote makes.


Complete with neat lining





I'm planning on gifting my makes to friends for birthdays and Christmas, hopefully they'll like them, or at least pretend to!

I'm off to watch more Youtube video from Debbie. What fun.
With love from the bears