Hey,
Recipe
Ingredients
1 IKEA-bag
felt at least 65cm x 75cm
pins, sewing machine, paper, set square, paper shears, tailor shears and pen
Pattern
first you have to think about what size of bag you want, I wanted a normal book size but as a square, so I used a book to draw a square to to have something to start with.
so after I got the size, I added 1 cm all around, since I drew it to the edge of the paper I added that 1cm to the opposite side, considering in a square the result would be the same. Then cut that part, this will be your model for the pattern
draw your model twice on a new paper, with 5 cm (or more considering how much space you need, 5 cm give you for handbags mostly enough space without looking bulky, but it really depends on what you want to carry in it) in between both, this 5cm will be you later bag-top
draw a line to cut off one corner of the flap, add seam allowance (1cm) all around and cut the part that is made of back, top and flap
draw you model one more time on paper and add seam allowance, before you cut it, that is your front part.
next measure around three sides of your model, 2 sides and the bottom, add 2 cm seam allowance to that and make a strip with that length and 5 cm width+2cm seam allowance (if your picked another measurement for the top, that is your width, also +2cm)
your finished pattern-partsCutting
un-do all the seam of the IKEA-bag, I used a marker to draw the pattern onto the material, so I wont have to use pins, since its woven plastic the holes would stay visible
and cut all parts out of the fabric
draw the pattern on the felt as well
and cut the partsSewing
remember to secure your seams at beginning and end
pin the three parts together, the IKEA-fabric has 2 slightly different sides, look out for that
cut the strip in at the corners of the bag to make it fit
do the same with the felt
make sure the both bag-parts are mirror images of each other, and sew both
at the felt you need to cut the seam allowance, at the IKEA you should leave it normal, the fabric is a little loose and the seams could rip
draw on some piece of felt three hearts, or any other form you like
and cut them
turn the blue bag with the right side out and pin the hearts as you like to the flap, but keep enough space to the edges, twice the seam allowance is a good measurement, so in my case I kept a distance of 2 cm
and sew them on, I used zigzag and like the look, but since felt does not fray its really up to you how you want to sew it to the flap
put the blue bag with the right side out into the yellow with false side out and pin them together
and sew both bag-parts together, leave the front open
cut the seam allowance short at the flap
turn the bag with the right side out through the hole you left in the front
starts looking like a really bag huh? 🙂 pin the fabric, so the seam is straight at the edge, because the felt is stronger then the IKEA and keeps pulling it if you don’t force it the way you want it, also fold the seam allowance at the hole inside and pin
and sew it
by sewing this, you also close the hole at the front
next you add the strap, I used the fold that already was used at the IKEA-bag, control 3 times that the strap is not turned when pinning it to the other side 😉
and I used also the lines that were used before for the seams, I sewed each line 3 or 4 times, to make sure it wont rip if I put some heavier stuff in it
last I cut off the bag the strip with the top of a press fastener, I folded some fabric under and pinned it to the seam at the diagonal part of the flap
and sew it, then hold the bag closed the way you want it and mark where the bottom of the press fastener need to be
cut one bottom of a press fastener of the IKEA-bag, leave some fabric around it, I had about 5 layers of fabric at the press fastener so I cut the lowest 3 off and only kept the top 2 layers to make it easier to sew and also more flat
then place it right at the mark you made and sew it on with handstitching
Finished!
Isn’t it nice? 😀
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Suggestions, ideas, wishes for tutorials are most welcome!
All the best
Love it! Thanks for the tutorial; this is getting bookmarked so that I can make one for myself when I get the right materials!
thank you! I would love to see yours when you finished it!
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