If you have decided to sew yourself a handbag, then maybeMaybe it’s worth trying the popular and fashionable patchwork technique for these purposes? After all, patchwork sewing not only allows you to save money by using old things and fabric scraps, but also to make an exclusive accessory, the likes of which you will definitely not see anywhere else. Bags made using the patchwork technique are charming! And there are so many opportunities to implement the most daring ideas! You can sew a large luggage or beach bag, you can make a small cosmetic bag or a children's handbag, or if you want, sew an elegant clutch or an everyday women's bag. And as a technique, patchwork sewing allows you to experiment with fabrics, stitches and models: it can be traditional English patchwork with geometric patterns, and Japanese patchwork with floral applique, and quilting with its voluminous stitching, and unpredictable crazy patchwork. In general, we take patchwork sewing in any of its interpretations as a basis, stock up on fabrics and tools and get to work. Author's work, mind you!
Beautician in quilting technique
Let's start sewing, as expected, with a littlemodels. To begin with, we will sew a small (or not so small) cosmetic bag - a handbag that every self-respecting lady should have. This model is distinguished by its impressive volume with small dimensions, and it is very easy to sew. Considering the not particularly intricate model of such a cosmetic bag, we will make it using the quilting technique, which combines patchwork and voluminous stitching. For such a cosmetic bag we will need:
- a zipper with a length of twenty centimeters;
- two cuts of multi-colored fabric, for example, plashevki;
- Threads in tone or contrasting with the color of the fabric;
- thin sintepon or batting for the interlayer;
- sewing pins;
- sewing machine.
First, we collect the patchwork fabric.Sewing such a fabric is done as follows. Cut out twelve square patches of one color and twelve of the same patches of another color. The side of the square is five centimeters, plus seam allowances. Take two patches of different colors, fold them with their right sides together and sew along one edge. Unfold and iron. Sew two more multi-colored patches in the same way. Now connect these two blanks into a strip, folding them with their right sides together and sewing the sides of the two outer multi-colored squares on both blanks. The result should be a strip of four alternating squares: two of one color and two of another. Sew five more strips in the same way. Next, make a patchwork fabric, or rather two for both sides of the cosmetic bag. For each fabric, sew three strips, placing the multi-colored squares in a checkerboard pattern, and iron the seams well. Now cut out two pieces of padding polyester to fit the patchwork fabrics. Place the fabric face down on the table, put the padding polyester on it and pin it in the center of the squares. Use a sewing machine to make a “seam in seam” stitch, attaching the padding polyester to the fabric along the connecting seams between the patches. Cut out two more pieces from a single piece of fabric to match the sides of the future cosmetic bag, attach them with the wrong sides to the padding polyester and make a connecting stitch along the edges of the pieces. We get two blanks: patchwork and quilted on one side and smooth and single-colored on the wrong side. Now, on one long side of each piece, make a hem for sewing in the zipper and tighten it. Baste the zipper and sew it on the machine. We now have an almost finished unfolded cosmetic bag. Next, fold both pieces face up and stitch the bottom of the bag. We fold the resulting tube again, aligning the bottom seam with the zipper, and stitch the sides. Pulling the bottom seam and the zipper, we separate the parts, form the corners and pin them, and then make one seam under each of the four corners, laying it perpendicular to the side seams of the cosmetic bag. We cut off the extra corners and overcast the edges. We cut off all the extra threads, turn the cosmetic bag inside out and admire our creation.
Bag of cloth leftovers
Elegant and laconic bag in patchwork style,suitable, rather, for household purposes. However, depending on the fabrics used and decorative seams or tape to mask the seams, the bag can come out either glamorous-romantic or playful. And to make it, we will use the well-known crazy patchwork technique and prepare the following materials:
- flaps of colored fabric of any shape;
- embroidery thread or tape to mask the seams;
- Dense fabric for the base of the bag;
- stripes of thick leather for pens.
First, we cut out two pieces from the main fabric.according to the shape of the future bag: rectangles, slightly tapered at the top and with rounded lower corners. Now we proceed to assembling the crazy canvas. To do this, lay the large piece on the table face up. Then take one piece and place it, slightly offset from the center of the one-piece piece and also lay it face up. Put another piece on it (it is not necessary to match the edges) with the wrong side up. Pin the pieces together and stitch, sewing both pieces to the base along the edge of the top piece. Unfold and straighten the top piece and iron the seam. Cut off the excess fabric of the bottom piece (which freely protrudes beyond the seam). Next, put another piece on the first two - also face down. Again, sew it to the canvas and to the pieces, unfold, iron the seam, cut off the excess fabric. Thus, fill the entire pattern base with pieces. The second part of the bag can be made in one color and one-piece, or it can be assembled from separate scraps using the crazy patchwork technique. We trim the patchwork parts of the bag and decorate the seams with braid or decorative embroidery. We fold both parts with the right sides together and stitch along the bottom and sides. We iron the seams and turn the resulting bag inside out. Now we cut out two parts for the lining (the size of the bag parts plus seam allowances), fold them with the right sides together and sew along the bottom and sides. We iron the seams, but do not turn them inside out. We put the lining into the bag and baste the edges of both parts (along the top of the future bag). Next, we cut out a strip of fabric for edging or use regular beanie for this. We process the upper edge of the bag with a bias tape. We finish sewing by making and attaching the handles. Cut two handles of the required length from thick leather and sew one handle to the front wall of the bag and the second to the back. That's it, actually. The crazy patchwork bag is ready. If you are good enough at cutting and sewing, you can sew a lining with pockets and sew a zipper into the bag. Instead of leather handles, you can stitch handles from several layers of fabric.
Bag of leather pieces
If you have a stale one hanging somewhere in your closet,mod leather jacket, then try to make a bag out of it, combining patchwork and knitted patchwork. And if you use leather of different colors for these purposes, then the bag will be even more interesting than from single-color leather scraps. So, to make such a bag you will need:
- square skin flaps (with a side about seven centimeters) - 32 pieces
- lining fabric;
- yarn for joining flaps and wringing the handle;
- Crochet hook;
- fastener.
Prepare leather scraps for work by makingaround the perimeter of each puncture for joining: using an awl, at an equal distance from the edge and from each other, puncture holes. Now tie all the patches with yarn in the tone of the skin color or a contrasting color (this will be even more interesting). After that, collect two canvases (sixteen squares in each), connecting the patches with yarn and a crochet hook. Fold both canvases together (wrong sides) and connect them along the bottom edge and sides, also using a hook and thread. Cut out two pieces from the lining fabric (the size of the sides of the bag plus seam allowances), fold them with the right sides together and stitch along the sides and along the bottom edge. Put (without turning) the resulting pouch into the bag and baste the edges of the bag and lining, and then stitch them together. Crochet the edges of the bag, using any decorative but dense pattern for this. Knit a handle (or handles) of the desired length and attach them to the bag. If desired, sew in a zipper and decorate the bag with crocheted or leather flowers. By the way, instead of leather, you can use pieces of felt (this material does not crumble at the edges) or knit patchwork pieces. As you can see, to make patchwork bags, you do not have to use only patchwork in the traditional sense. Such bags can be knitted, and then you will get a knitted patchwork. Or even combine different techniques: patchwork and quilting, knitting and applique. The most suitable fabrics for single-layer bags are considered to be dense fabrics: denim, tarpaulin, raincoat fabric, tapestry, drape. If you are planning to sew a quilted bag, use less dense fabrics, and for a bag in the style of crazy patchwork you can combine almost any fabric, lace, leather and hand knitwear. Patchwork sewing, like any other handicraft, gives almost unlimited possibilities for creativity. And even if not everything will turn out perfectly right away, do not despair and do not stop halfway - skill comes with experience. Someone wise noted that the meaning of life is in creation. But isn't sewing, knitting, weaving, modeling creation? So create, create and enjoy the process and the result. Good luck! We recommend reading:
