This months ‘DSM’ magazine features the ‘Japanese Bag’ project, inspired by my recent visit to Barcelona and a visit to the wonderful fabric shop called Nunoya, their web site can be found at www.nunoya.com . They will also ship fabric out to you. They stock the widest range of Japanese fabrics in Europe, what a great excuse for a weekend in Barcelona!

I was inspired to make a number of bags from this beautiful fabric, it is quite expensive but you only need a piece 55cm x 30cm for this bag!

Here is your free bag pattern and also a detailed making guide, and once the weather cools down here a little, I plan to make a video of the bag making process, as I am sure you will all love it!

Sewing Instructions J-Bag

Please send me your bag photos and as always I am happy for you to make as many as you like and sell the items you make from my patterns, it’s only the patterns I like to protect.

Next months free pattern is for my most used pattern, I make myself this smock top all the time, with short sleeves, long sleeves, longer hems, it’s so versatile. Make sure you are subscribed and you won’t miss out. In fact I am just off to make one for a wedding I am going to in August!

Happy sewing!

Nicola

The evening bag sew along.

Download your free pattern by clicking the link below – simply print the pages on your regular printer and stick together to form the bag pattern!

Free pdf evening bag pattern 4 x A4

This is a lovely project, not as simple as it first appears, for the free PDF pattern please download the file from the link above.

You will need to gather together…

Bag main fabric- 55cm in length and 37 cm wide
Bag lining fabric – the same quantity as above
1 zip- minimum 28cm long – you may need to buy a 30cm zip, don’t worry if you have a longer zip as it can be trimmed back.
Matching thread
Contrast or matching fabric for a strap – 4 cm wide and 50cm long
Some wadding if you want to pad the strap a little

Cutting out

The pattern piece can be cut as one whole piece as pictured here on the lining fabric, I chose to have a seam on the main bag piece as I wanted to place the print of the fabric in the best position I could. The main bag pattern piece can be cut in the same way as the lining if you are using a plain fabric.

Cut 1 bag pattern piece in main fabric
Cut 1 bag pattern piece in lining fabric
Cut one strap piece 4 cm x 50 cm – this is variable and depends on your personal choice, the strap can be in a contrast fabric or the self fabric, it can also be padded with piping cord or wadding as I have chosen to do.

Lets sew the bag together

We will start with the lining – place the right sides of the lining together and stitch the side seams taking 1 cm seam allowance.

Pop the lining to the side for now and we will work on the main bag.

The main bag construction – inserting the zip

The first step is to place your zipper foot on the machine.

Pin the zip tape to the seam allowance at the top edge of the bag and sew across. Press the zip in position.
Place the other edge of the zip at the opposite top edge of the bag opening and sew across.
Press.

The loop straps

The straps are very much up to you. You could use cord, or ribbon, or contrast fabric.

I chose to make straps in the bag fabric and pull some wadded filament through to pad the strap.

The straps now need to be attached to the bag each end of the zip

One last step – before the lining in attached to the main bag

The bag opening needs to be completed before attaching the lining to the main bag

Now follow the same steps you took to sew the lining, sew the side seams and the base. You may not be able to sew right to the top of the bag as the straps are quite bulky if you padded them, but this can be completed by hand if you want to.

Lining the bag

Now all that remains is to attach the lining to the bag at the zip seam allowance. Most of this can be done by machine, but you will need to leave a gap to turn the bag through and that can be finished by hand.

Firstly place the lining inside the bag as it would lie when finished, pop a couple of pins there to hold it in place.

My completed bag! – they are ideal as gifts or lovely as a wedding or special occasion bag.

Why not add some design details such as a lovely fabric flower, keep posted and I will show you how!

The Japanese Evening Bag Project- Detailed Making Instructions

Making A Lovely Evening Bag – Great Project For Small Pieces!