Apple Bag

An easy to make bag with sweet apple decorations

Posted by Rose

About

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

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You Will Need (8 things)

  • Light coloured Fabric about a metre should be plenty
  • Darker or patterned Fabric about a metre should be plenty
  • Fabric Strap In apple colours of your choice
  • Sewing Machine / Needle And Thread
  • Thread that matches the colour of your bag
  • Thread that contrasts with your bag
  • Fabric for lining the bag
  • Ironing Board and iron

Steps (24 steps, 60 minutes)

  1. 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

  2. 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)

  3. 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.

  4. 4

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

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. 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)

  8. 8

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

  9. 9

    repeat steps 5-8

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

  10. 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

  11. 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

  12. 12

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

  13. 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)

  14. 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.

  15. 15

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

  16. 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

  17. 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.

  18. 18

    Turn the bag right side out.

  19. 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)

  20. 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.

  21. 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.

  22. 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.

  23. 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.

  24. 24

    Congratulations! You have finished your bag.