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An easy to make bag with sweet apple decorations
This is a fairly easy bag to make, though if you have never sewn before it is probably not ideal - the only part that can be difficult is if you use thick fabric for the lining.

Unfortunatelly, there are no photos of the work in progress, so I'll use horribly drawn diagrams instead. If any of my instructions aren't clear feel free to ask me what I mean/point out errors or mistakes.

Seam alowance is about 0.5 cm unles otherwise specified

Posted by Rose from Roma, Queensland, Australia • Published
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  • How to make a shoulder bag. Apple Bag - Step 1
    Step 1

    From the light fabric cut:
    *2 rectangles 40x15cm
    *4 squares 5x5cm (these are the top peices of the bag where the strap joins on - if you want to you can just not attach them. I rounded the inside edges of mine)

    From the dark fabric cut:
    *2 rectangles 40x25cm
    *1 long strip about 10cm wide, and as long as you would like the strap to be

    From the fabric for the lining cut:
    *4 squares 40x40 cm

  • How to make a shoulder bag. Apple Bag - Step 2
    Step 2

    Choose the fabric you want your apples to be made out of - I made red apples but you can do any colour you think suits.

    From this fabric cut two circles about the size of a small apple

    From a lighter fabric cut one more circle (this will be the half apple)

  • How to make a shoulder bag. Apple Bag - Step 3
    Step 3

    Choose a fabric for the leaves. Draw a leaf, or print off this image and cut it out.

    Cut two leaves, then flip the template over and cut another leaf - you should have two leaves that face one direction, and one that faces the other.

  • Step 4

    Set up your sewing machine (or needle if you're planning on hand sewing things).

  • How to make a shoulder bag. Apple Bag - Step 5
    Step 5

    Take one of the 40x15cm peices of light material, and one of the 40x25cm peices of darker fabric and place them right sides together with the 40cm sides lined up.

    Sew along the edge of the fabric to produce something like this picture.

  • How to make a shoulder bag. Apple Bag - Step 6
    Step 6

    Take two of the 5x5cm squares in the light fabric and attach to the top as shown in the diagram - If you don't want these squares, or if you want to round the edges a little like I did in my bag, do that.

  • Step 7

    Using an iron, press the seams on the material you've made so far - make them all point downward (towards the 40x15cm light piece)

  • How to make a shoulder bag. Apple Bag - Step 8
    Step 8

    sew a few millimeters under the seams on the bag to hold the seams down and to strengthen it.

  • Step 9

    repeat steps 5-8

    You should now have two complete outside peices of the bag.

  • How to make a shoulder bag. Apple Bag - Step 10
    Step 10

    Pin circles and leaves onto the front of the bag - try to have them about 5cm away from the bottom, and at least 2 cm away from the sides

  • How to make a shoulder bag. Apple Bag - Step 11
    Step 11

    Using red thread, sew around the outside of the apples - you can use sewing machines or a needle and thread, and it can be as neat or messy as you want.

    Sew circles through the middle of the two red apples to add more colour.

    On the half apple (the white one) add two pips, and dont sew through the centre

  • How to make a shoulder bag. Apple Bag - Step 12
    Step 12

    Sew around the outside of the leaves - if you want to switch to green thread you can

  • How to make a shoulder bag. Apple Bag - Step 13
    Step 13

    Take your long strip of darker fabric and fold each of the side into the centre (this is easier if you use an iron, but you can just pin if you want). If you are not using an iron you should now sew the fabric into place.

    (the purple bits are the edge)

  • Step 14

    fold your strap in half lengthways and sew a straight line along the length to hold in place.

    Sew up and down the length a few more times to make it stronger.

  • How to make a shoulder bag. Apple Bag - Step 15
    Step 15

    Place the two bag peices you made right sides together with the handle positioned as shown

  • How to make a shoulder bag. Apple Bag - Step 16
    Step 16

    Sew around the bag as shown (yellow lines are where you sew).

    Sew around the bag again, as close to the original line as possible

  • How to make a shoulder bag. Apple Bag - Step 17
    Step 17

    Leave bag still with the right side out.

    This step is to square the bottom of the bag - if you'd rather leave it, you can.

    Pinch corner into a triangle with the seam running through the centre (orange line is seam).

    Sew a straight line across about 5cm from tip of triangle (purple line is where you sew), and go back and forth over this line a few times.

    Cut the triangle off about a cm above the line you have sewn.

    Repeat with the other corner.

  • Step 18

    Turn the bag right side out.

  • How to make a shoulder bag. Apple Bag - Step 19
    Step 19

    Take two of the lining squares and place them right sides together.

    Sew around three of the sides, and about half of the remaining one, then turn the square right side out.

    Sew over both layers of fabric to make it flatter and hold it together.

    Blue lines show the pattern I sewed in.

    (This piece is used to separatate the bag into two sections)

  • Step 20

    Take remaining two lining squares and place them right sides together with the peice you just made sandwiged inbetween them.

    Sew around three sides (makeing sure you are going through all three layers), you can repeat your stiches again if you want to make it a little stronger.

    Make sure one of the sides you sew around is the side which you left open on the separating piece.

  • Step 21

    Takeing outer bag, go around the top and fold the material inside the bag by about half a centimeter, pin in place and then sew around neatly a few millimeters from the top.

  • How to make a shoulder bag. Apple Bag - Step 22
    Step 22

    With the lining still right side inward fold the top half centimeter outward, pin in place, and sew around a few millimeters from the top.

  • Step 23

    Place lining inside outer bag

    Pin the tops together neatly, then sew aroun the bag about about half a centimeter down. If you want to make it a little stronger, sew around twice.

  • How to make a shoulder bag. Apple Bag - Step 24
    Step 24

    Congratulations! You have finished your bag.

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