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• • • •
Time
8h00

bag tote messenger painting embroidery sew dots gold ribbon black square
Here's my messenger bag I've made!

I've bought the embroidery of women on the countryside in the recycle shop(I was very lucky that day, it costed me 7 dollars/5 euros with the gold frame)

I cut the shoulder strap out of an old sportbag, the two zippers as well.

I've used interlining for the bag, cos I'm going to use this bag for school(heavy books, yousee).

I'm very happy with the result, it is exactly how I wanted it to become.
Here's a howto, so you can make it as well.

Enjoy -hard work, but its worth it!

If you have any questions 'bout the howto, ask me!

Posted by Boebba from Helmond, North Brabant, The Netherlands • Published See Boebba's 47 projects »
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  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 1
    Step 1

    The begining:

    Here are some tools I used
    Pins, a fabric scissor, sewing machine, pencils, etc.

    < There's the fabric
    Blue&yellow dots for the inside and Black for the outside.

    And the interlining, but I believe you know what it looks like.

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 2
    Step 2

    And here's the painting
    with the size.

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 3
    Step 3

    Cut 2 square pieces out of the black fabric. Make the size about 40x40cm(16x16 inch).
    Then draw a square on the two pieces of fabric, about 35x35 cm(14x14inch). Draw the bottomsides round with a triangle, like in the picture
    <

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 4
    Step 4

    Like this
    <<<

    Don't forget: Cut this shape twice!

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 5
    Step 5

    Then cut the same shape out of the interlining twice. Iron the interlining on the wrong side of the black fabric.

    The right interlining is ironed and the left one is not attached yet.

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 6
    Step 6

    Now cut 2 pieces of the dot-fabric in the same shape as the black fabric and the interlining
    (40x40 cm/16x16inch)

    This fabric will become the lining of the bag.

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 7
    Step 7

    Now you make the zipper-bag in the dot-fabric.

    My howto:
    http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/zipper_in_a_bag

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 8
    Step 8

    If you like, you can make a zipper in the black fabric too(the inside of the zipper-bag is dot-fabric :D)

    Check the howto:
    http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/zipper_in_a_bag

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 9
    Step 9

    Then you sew the upperside of the 2 pieces of dot-fabric(take a blue-coloured thread, cos if you use black you'll see all the little mistakes you've made with the sewing machine)

    Right is my 4hour snack(snack bits crisps), didn't know I photographed it)

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 10
    Step 10

    Now we are going to make the flap of the bag. Cut the embroidery(or something else you like)the same shape as the piece of fabric in step 4(except from the 2 triangles)

    Cut a piece of interlining in the same shape and size.

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 11
    Step 11

    Now iron the interlining on the other side of the embroidery-painting. It takes a while to iron this, cos the wrong side of the painting is a little chaotic.

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 12
    Step 12

    Cut a piece of the dot-fabric in the same shape we use the whole time, but then a little bit bigger than the painting.
    (4cm/1.5inch on each side)

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 13
    Step 13

    Stitch the piece of dot-fabric(you just cutted) on the painting.
    Use blue and beige thread in the sewing machine so you won't see the thread that much.

    Iron this if you want to

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 14
    Step 14

    Now pin the dot-fabric on the good side of the fabric.

    If you look at step 15, you see how I pinned it. Fold the dot-fabric twice, so it looks really neat.

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 15
    Step 15

    Like this
    <<

    Then stitch this with blue thread.

    (Be carefull with the sewing machine, you have to stitch trough a lot of fabrics now: the painting, 3 times the dot-fabric and the interlining)

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 16
    Step 16

    Cos the dot-fabric frame is probably a little disordely, you can stitch a gold ribbon on it.

    (by hand, use a strong thick needle for this)

    Then the flap of the bag is finished!

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 17
    Step 17

    This is an extra accesoire:
    Cut 3 circles out of some the fabric that's left from the painting. Stitch them above in the right corner.

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 18
    Step 18

    Now stitch the gold ribbon on it like this

    (can try the sewing machine, if the fabric's the thick, stitch by hand)

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 19
    Step 19

    I also made an accesoire for the zipper.
    I've made this the same as the circles in step 18, but after that, cut the circles out and stitch a gold ribbon on it for the zipper.

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 20
    Step 20

    Now stitch the triangles you've drawn on the black fabric.

    Check step 21 to see details

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 21
    Step 21

    That's what it looks like. If you stitch this the fabric gets volume.

    Stitch two triangles on each piece of black fabric. Eventually you've stitched 4 triangles.

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 22
    Step 22

    Now pin the dot-fabric for the inside to each other(and pin the triangles).

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 23
    Step 23

    Cut two small pieces of interlining and iron these on the dot-fabric,
    in the middle
    (on the wrong side of the fabric ffcourse)

    That's where the magnetic button's going te be.

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 24
    Step 24

    Voila! There's the magnetic button.
    The wrapping of the button tells you how to attach the button.

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 25
    Step 25

    Pin the two black sides to each other, like you did with the dot-fabric. Then fold it inside out. Now you can see if the dot-fabric fits in the black bag.
    If it doesn't, pin it another way.

    Now fold the black bag inside out again, so you can stitch it. You can stitch it more than once, so it's stronger.

    Fold and pin the upper sides of the black fabric like in the picture
    <<<
    Then stitch this

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 26
    Step 26

    Cut two small pieces of black fabric

    3cm/1inch
    ------
    [ ]
    [ ] 6cm/2inch
    [ ]
    [ ]
    ------

    And stitch these on the sides of the black fabric

    !Look at step 27 and 28 for details!

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 27
    Step 27

    This is the bag inside out, so you can see the interlining.

    Stitch the piece of black fabric on the wrong side of the bag, exactly in the middle.

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 28
    Step 28

    Now stitch the piece of fabric double, with the ring of the shoulder strap in it.

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 29
    Step 29

    Stitch the painting-flap on the backside of the bag.

    Not with white thread offcourse(duh, with black), but that was to make it clear.

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 30
    Step 30

    Almost finished!

    Now stitch the dot-fabric in the bag like this
    <

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 31
    Step 31

    Click the shoulder strap on the ring on both sides.

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 32
    Step 32

    Glue one piece of velcro on the inside of the flap of the bag, in the middle

    <

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 33
    Step 33

    Now glue the other piece of velcro on the outside of the bag, in the middle

  • How to make a messenger bag. Messengerbag With Painting - Step 34
    Step 34

    Finished!!!!

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Comments

DonnaRae
DonnaRae
Wow, how did I missed this one a long time ago? Great Work. Never realy wanted to make a messenger bag until today. Definitly going to give it a try!
Reply
Govinda L.
Govinda L. · U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado, US
That's beautiful!
Reply
Bloemigspookje
Bloemigspookje · Amsterdam-Zuidoost, North Holland, NL · 40 projects
great job!!! great how-to!
thanks ;)
Reply
Lori B.
Lori B. · Tennessee, Illinois, US
This is a beautiful use of a found object. I hate to see needlework abandoned. I particularly like your accessory circles. Fantastic instructions too, you're one talented gal!
Reply
Riechan
Riechan · Limbourg, Walloon Region, BE · 21 projects
wow, nice!!!! Need to try that one !
Reply

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