Trapezoid Purse Tutorial ~ Link to complete pattern and template!

Back in August 2012 I shared the below Trapezoid Purse with you.  I've updated some things on the site to link you to the PDF version with great step by step directions and tons of pictures as well as the pattern template.  Both are now free and on Google docs.
If you download both files the images turn out awesome and clear but for some reason they look fuzzy in the google doc viewer.  Anyway, here are the two links and happy sewing!

Trapezoid Purse Tutorial ~ PDF file
Trapezoid Purse Pattern Template



Original Post from August 2012:
Hello Hello!  I'm very excited to show you my latest creation.  I've created a vintage throwback purse with a trapezoid shape to it.   Here are some of the pictures of the cutest purse ever!

 Purse is fully lined and no seams are showing.  Has a zippered pocket on one side and regular pocket on the other.

I had so much fun designing and making this purse! Miss K has already claimed it so I have to make another one for myself.

Interested in making your own?  Well you are in luck!
I have a very helpful PDF version of the tutorial with 34 amazing and detailed pictures every step of the way to help you with making the purse. Also provided are the pattern pieces allowing you to  get right to cutting!

Thanks!

~ Happy Sewing! ~ Kristin ~

Cute Coin Purses or Holiday Gift Card Holders~ Tutorial ~ Scrap Buster!

Coin Purse or Gift Card Holder Tutorial

Step 1:
Cut out 2 pieces of fabric and 1 piece of fleece to the dimensions below
(Fleece will be inside fabrics and will not show on finished coin purse)

Step 2:

Place pieces in order of:  1. fabric with right side up. 2. fabric with right side down. 3. fleece on top and centered. Pin together. 

 Step 3: Sew around all fabrics with 1/2 inch seam allowance and leaving a 2 inch opening on the side as shown below.  Clip seams to 1/8 inch and clip corners.

Step 4: Turn inside out from hole in side so that fleece is in the inside and both right sides of fabric are now showing.  Push out all corners (*Hint* I use a bic clicker pencil, with no lead out, to easily push out the small corners).

  Be careful to fold the "hole" together correctly and press entire piece.

 Step 5: Fold like an envelope bringing bottom to the middle and top flap over.  This will show you where you need to place the button on the piece below the flap.  For me it was about 2 inches above the bottom as shown in 3rd picture.

 Mark spot for button and attach it to the piece.  (*Hint* I like to put a toothpick under the button so there is some "give" to the button and is easier for little hands to use within the button hole)

Step 6: After sewing on the button re-fold the envelope and begin to top stitch around all layers of the outside.

(Ignore that there is no button on the bottom here. Oops, forgot to attach first on this one!)

WHEN YOU RETURN TO THE START POINT PIVOT THE NEEDLE TO SEW ACROSS THE TOP FLAP ONLY *** DO NOT SEW ACROSS THE OPENING FOR THE PURSE! *** Follow the green line as shown below.  I used the edge of my sewing foot as a guide along the top opening of the purse to sew across here.

Step 7: Add button hole to top flap. 

And you are done! Here is the inside:

And here are your pouches!

Fabric used:

                  
Boys will be Boys                      Kaufman Owls Corduroy

Need some fabric? Want to save some money?  Head to Fabric.com Wednesday for some great sales!



~ Happy Sewing! ~ Kristin ~

Buttercup bag and a day at the fair!

Today I sold the last buttercup bag I had in my etsy shop! YAY!  I was thrilled but then I realized I really, really need to be making stuff for the shop.  It's so hard when either I or my daughter wants to keep everything that I make!

I finished this beautiful navy floral buttercup bag just now and remembered that I really love sewing them up!

My baby also had a dance recital today so we went out for that.  The carnival was a blast!

Me and my baby girl right before the recital, Miss K was so nervous. 

My baby doing her dance number 

 This is Mr. T on the purple and Miss K on the pink!  Love the faces :-)  (Mr. Sunny is at the top of the pink one - he took Miss K up)

The green arrow on the top right shows Mr. Sunny's head, Mr. T is with him.  They were both sorta sick after this ride. LOL

I hope you all had a great Saturday
~ Happy Sewing! ~ Kristin ~

Trapezoid Purse Free Tutorial

Here are the free instructions for my Trapezoid Purse.  If you would like very detailed pictures (34!) and the pattern pieces already made to help you with the purse, feel free to purchase the paid PDF Trapezoid Purse pattern for only $5.00!  The paid PDF is a much better version; Thanks and happy sewing!

Trapezoid Handbag

By SunnySewing

Supplies Needed:

Ø  Fabric 1 for middle of each side outer and strap: ¼ to ½ yard

Ø  Fabric 2 for lining, snap strap, pockets, and outer sides: ½ yard

Ø  1 Magnetic snap

Ø  Interfacing, medium weight: ½ yard

Ø  One 7 inch zipper

Ø  Ruler

Ø  Paper

Ø  Scissors

Ø  Sewing machine and thread

Instructions:

1.       On paper, make 2 vertical lines 11 inches long, parallel to each other and 6 inches apart (I used dashed lines for this part so I could keep things straight).

2.       Then you will make a mark on the bottom 1.5 inches from each side of the 6 inches as shown below.  And then draw a line from each end of the bottom to the top to make a trapezoid.  So the bottom should be 9 inches long and the top 6 inches long.

3.       Now you will draw another line 3 inches from each slanted line on the sides of the trapezoid

4.       Cut out the whole trapezoid (no middle sections just yet). 

5.       Now to cut out the fabric and interfacing!

Ø  Using the whole trapezoid cut out 2 lining pieces

Ø  The very middle trapezoid piece we cut 2 of fabric 1 and 2 interfacing

Ø  The left side 3 inch slanted piece we cut 4 of fabric 2 and 4 interfacing

Ø  Cut a rectangle 5 inches x 6 inches out of 2 interfacing pieces and 4 of fabric 2 (for pockets)

Ø  Cut a rectangle 2 inches x 6 inches out of interfacing (for zipper in pocket)

Ø  Cut a rectangle 2.5 inches x 4 inches out of 2 of fabric 2 (for button strap)

Ø  Cut a rectangle 2 inches x 3.5 inches out of interfacing (for button strap)

Ø  Cut Two  1 inch by 1 inch squares of interfacing (for button strap magnetic snap)

Ø  Cut a rectangle 3 inches x 18.5 inches out of fabric 1 (for handle)

Ø  Cut a rectangle 2 inches x 18.5 inches out of interfacing (for handle)

Whew! 

6.       Attach interfacing to their counterparts.  Lining does not have interfacing.  2 inch x 6 inch rectangle out of interfacing (for zipper in pocket) can be left alone for now as well as 1 inch by 1 inch square of interfacing (for button strap magnetic snap) and button strap pieces.

7.       Let’s start with the handle.  Place right sides together and pin.  Stitch just the long sides. Then trim seam allowance short to about 1/8^th an inch.

Flip handle right side out, press, and then top stitch on both long sides.

Set handle aside for now.

8.       Assembling outside of bag.  Take one middle piece and 2 side pieces.  Make sure the slants are matching up right so both top and bottom are straight across.  Flip each side one at a time over like below and stitch right sides together to middle panel.  Trim seam allowance to 1/8” and press seams to outer sides.

Do this for the other outside panel as well. Take one of the panels and attach 1”x1” square of interfacing in the middle.  I went 1.5 inches down from top and then the middle.  Attach magnetic snap to here.

9.       Assemble the button strap:  Apply Interfacing as shown below and also 1”x1” square of interfacing on one piece.  Put in magnetic snap as shown below 1.5 inches from the one end.

Place right sides together and sew on the 3 sides (not on the bottom where interfacing touches edge.

Trim seam allowances to 1/8” again. Then flip to right side and press.  How cute! Put aside for now.

10.   Assemble the pocket in the lining: Take the two 5”x6” rectangles that do not have interfacing.  Place them right side together and sew ~ leaving a 2 inch gap on one side for flipping.  Flip and press. 

Pin pocket to middle of one lining piece and top stitch all the way around 3 sides making sure to catch the 2 inch gap in the top stitch to close it.  Set this piece aside.

11.   Assemble the zippered pocket: For this part I need to point you to a GREAT sewing helper with tons of awesome pictures. I cannot explain how to put in the zipper pocket any better than this incredible lady.  Lisa Lam of U-handbag provides the best step-by-step tutorial on putting in a zipper in a handbag.  Head here to follow these steps for this next part. (Using the other side of the lining that doesn’t have pocket from above). 

Put lining pieces right sides together, pin, and sew. 

12.   Take both outer panels and place right side together, sew, trim seams to 1/8” and flip right side out.

13.   The home stretch!

Put the outer part of purse inside the lining with RIGHT sides touching. 

Pin button strap to RIGHT side of outer purse on side opposite of snap and snap facing out on strap (this will sandwich in lining and purse)

The same is done for the handles.  Carefully pin to middle of each side of outer shell of purse.  Carefully have handle flip inside the purse and around to the other side making sure it does not twist. This is also sandwiched between the lining and outer shell of purse.

Stitch around the top leaving a 3-4 inch gap on opposite side of button snap strap. (middle of outer shell on side with snap on shell).

14.   Pull right sides of purse out through the hole (it looks like a jumbled mess for a bit).

Keep pulling until lining is out and on top and outer shell is out and on bottom.

Next, stuff lining into purse and do your best to press around top edge making sure 3-4 inch gap is pressed down too.

Topstitch carefully and slowly around outer shell of purse making sure to catch the hole in the lining.

15.   That’s it!  You’ve done it!  Now enjoy your cute Trapezoid purse!  And Thanks!

~ Happy Sewing! ~ Kristin ~

Another cute Buttercup Bag for the shop!

Awesome Buttercup Bag! Victorian Romance light blue design with an amazing pink mural-like lining. The mural-like pictures are of children playing in a long ago era. Bag has pink stitching and pink piping that really compliments the light blue! I really love this purse and I loved seeing how it came together! (this one has a zipper inside too).

check it out in the Etsy shop by going to the "Etsy" tab at the top of the page. Or click here

New item in the shop!

I wanted to fully participate in the KCWC over at elsie marley but I also wanted to finally get something in my Etsy shop.  I have all these creative juices flowing in my head, tons of fabric flowing all over my spare room, and I needed to have it all come together.  Well I settled down and got focused!  I have 3 medium Buttercup bags that I wanted to finish and get into my Etsy shop.  I finished one today and added it!  You can see how cute it turned out!  I can't wait to get the other two done!

Interested in purchasing this little beauty?  Click on the "Etsy Shop" tab on top of the page and head over there :-)

Now I'm off to start a 20 page paper on Ethics :( boo and bake some cookies for my daughter's school bake sale. 

Buttercup Bag!

I initially printed off the free pattern (at made by rae) for this amazing purse but then fell so much in love with it and how fun it was to make that I went back and bought the pattern and license to sell them!  I'm super pumped about making my mom one for mother's day!!  I plan on having some piping on it though.

I really dig this fabric, it is so cute and spring-like!  This was made with the free pattern so it is the smaller version (my 6 yr old, Miss K. claimed it already).  I'm excited to make the large one now!
I was very happy with the medium weight interfacing that I used for the outer shell.  It makes the purse so much more durable and less floppy :-)

Thanks so much Made by Rae!!! I LOVE THIS!