Handbag tutorial

I've made a couple of these handbags now, one for my sister and one for my sister-in-law. My other sister-in-law saw my sister's bag this holidays and now she wants one too - and I would quite like one! This bag was a commission for my sister's friend.

I've been playing around with my iPad and I made a little video tutorial with instruction on how to make this bag front.

 And this is what is looks like after quilting.

 Here's a tip, when lining the front flap, cut the lining an eighth of an inch to quarter of an inch smaller and then match the edges when you sew it up. The interfacing in the front is very rigid but the lining fabric is soft so making it smaller means that the lining turns under and doesn't show when you press it. You can see a sliver of the lining on the bottom edge of the flap in the photo above. I should have cut it a little smaller.

Each piece of the bag is cut out in denim and fusible interfacing. Then cotton batting is cut out an inch shorter in length and width and ironed under the interfacing to make half inch seam allowances on each side. All the cutting and fusing is time-consuming but it gives the bag more body.

The magnetic clasp only has a layer of lining between the contents of your bag and the metal prongs that hold it in place. I felt that could be a problem so I made this little bandage to go over the it. Usually I sew something over it but this time I decided to use this product that is designed to "glue" batting together. It's a web with a fusible side and it made a neat and quick bandage.

The clasp from the front

This was meant to be a photo of my next innovation, a rigid plastic base for the bag. I forgot to take a photo of it. Basically, the feet of the bag and like brads or paper fasteners I think we call them in UK. I've lived in New Zealand for 18 years now so I'm forgetting how to speak proper, like what I did in Scotland! That's a joke, folks!!  I wonder what google translate will do with that.

But back to my feet, the prongs went through a plastic mesh designed for making bags and then fold down and hold it in place. It makes a great base and the bag stands up nicely.

Feet with plastic mesh. Looks like my other bags but is a big improvement.

Pocket for an iPad

Inside I made a pocket for a Kindle

So I'm going to make two more of these bags and that's it! No more. I've got too many quilts I want to make!!