Quick & Easy Bags!

Quick and Easy Bags!

I have a small bag that I use for my scriptures and everyone asks where I got it,(Which was at a yard sale for $0.25) so after seeing a way tiny version at a craft boutique I thought I could make one. It works best with patio fabric, upholstery or stiffer material, but you can make it out of any kind of fabric, and just add a stiff fabric to the inside, or layers. My daughters have gone crazy trying to figure out which bag they want to use. It’s really inexpensive to make and super easy! Hey I made it! With the help of Tyce Jensen (my sweet hubby) I figured out how easy it actually is. Tyce is the one that helped me with the corners of the bag! It doesn’t take much time once you figure it all out! You could use it for your Kindle, Scriptures, diaper bag, exercise bag, laptop, the sky is the limit so get sewing! I sure had fun with this one! Feel free to repost on Facebook, and share with family and friends!

Step 1:

Cut your exterior bag material. Mine is cut so the fold is at the bottom of the bag. You won’t want a seam on the bottom…SO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A FOLD! I did the bag 14” wide and 14” tall. So cut main material 10" tall by 14" wide. Fold at bottom. This will need to be doubled. Or of material is laid out flat measurement will be 20" x 14"  (I made several different sizes…Everyone of them turned out well!)

Step 2:

Cut the top of bag 4” tall by 14” wide. (You need two pieces, one for both sides) This will bring your total bag height to 14” tall!

Step 3: 

Sew the Top of material on to the top of main material, faced together. You can pin it. But by using the upholstery material or stiffer fabric, its easy to line up.

Step 4: 

This is how it should look, Make sure you do both sides!

Step 5: 

So this is how your bag should look at this point.

Step 6:

Now take it and fold it inside out with the fold at the bottom of the bag.

Step 7:

Sew down edges (both edges) give it about a ½” seam allowance. I did a close straight stitch (on my machine it was a number 3).

Step 8:

Now is the part that makes it have the bag look. So at the bottom of the bag, where the fold is, fan it out and sew it across…giving it a triangle effect. I make my bags corner 1 ½” from the tip of the corner to the  inside. Make sure it is nice and straight, I turn mine right side out to make sure it has the look I want, before moving on. Do this to both sides.

Step 9:

This is how the bag looks inside out.

Step 10:

Now time to work on the straps. This length all depends on your liking. I cut mine 4” wide by 18” long, doubled for each strap. (4 total)~ (you will need two, for each strap. (Or you can do just one and give it a different look). You could cut material so it's 8" x 18" and this will make less sewing for you!

Step 11:

Take two pieces of your strap material and sew it right sides together, down both sides of strap, leaving the ends open to turn them, I gave very little seam allowances, but enough that is wont fray. Once again I did a nice close stitch. If you cut your strap 8" wide, stitch down just the one side needing to make it a tube. The 8" one will give you a fold on the left, so only the right will need to be sewn.

Step 12:

Turn the straps, right side out!

Step 13:

Now press (Iron) the straps, so stitch is on the sides, and its nice and flat. Do this to both straps

Step 14:

Now stitch the edges of the straps to give it that finished look. I did this on both sides of each of the straps.

Step 15:

This is how it should looked finished, before being sewn in the bag.

Step 16:

This is the interior of your bag; you sew it just like in steps 1 through 9! You will want it measured 14” tall by 14” wide. Remember the fold at the bottom, and sew inside out, down both sides, and sew the corners as triangles, don't turn it right side out. Then you place it inside the exterior part of the bag, there shouldn't be any seams seen looking down in the bag.

Step 17:

This is how your bag looks now. The inside should be in the bag as well.

Step 18:

Take your straps and decide where you want them placed, pin them down low so they don’t shift when you’re doing the rest of your pinning. The straps will go in between both bags, so you do not see them on the outside or the inside.

Step 19:

After placing your straps, turn the top of the bag on the exterior in and the interior out, to make a folded seam together, this is where your pins come in handy! 

Step 20:

This is how the top should look, all pinned. Do as many pins or as little as you need!

Step 21:

Sew the top with the two folds together…Now look close at my picture, I have my straps wrong, this causes you to have to move the straps…which is not fun. You want to sew the top of it with the straps facing the machine as if you were hanging the bag from your arm, or fingers. Both ways work, the straps out of the way is better! Match thread to exterior color of bag!

 

Final step, cut all loose threads, and time to put it to use! Here is what it should look similar to…

They are so addicting and easy to make! I have about 20 more in the works. You can add any material and as many layers as you want. The thinner the material, I added stiff material to the inside, or sections of felt in between the interior and exterior of the bag...works great. 

This is one that I added felt in between the sections!  

Here is a smaller bag and with only one strap!