Craft Project Bag – Part 2

Are you sewing a Craft Project Bag with me? I hope so! This is Part 2 of our free sewing pattern for beautiful bag with pockets all over!

If you are getting started, make sure you start at Part 1 of the free pattern.

If you have just come from Part 1, let’s continue…

Mark the Bag Exterior Pieces

1. Use the fabric marking pen to mark one side of the bag exterior as follows. All of the lines should be at least 7” tall:

• Draw a vertical line in the center of the bag.
• Draw a vertical line 4 1/2” from the left edge.
• Draw a vertical line 2 5/8” from the left edge.
• Draw a vertical line 4 1/2” from the right edge.
• Draw a vertical line 2 5/8” from the right edge.

2. Mark the remaining exterior side piece as follows. Draw these lines at least 7” tall as well:

• Draw a vertical line in the center of the bag.
• Draw a vertical line 4 1/2” from the left edge.
• Draw a vertical line 4 1/2” from the right edge.

Attach the Pockets

1. Place the exterior side piece that has five marked lines on your workspace. Lay one of the pleated pocket pieces on top with the raw edges at the bottom of the pocket lined up with the bottom of the bag.

Line up the center lines on the pocket and the bag piece and pin along the center line on the pocket.

Pin each side edge of the pocket exactly on top of one of the lines that is 4 1/2” from the side edge of the bag.

2. Sew the side edges of the pocket to the bag. Backstitch neatly at the top of the pocket on both sides.

3. Divide the pocket into two compartments by sewing along the center line on the pocket. Backstitch neatly at the top.

4. Fold the extra fabric in each pocket compartment to make two pleats that meet in the center. Pin the pleats in place.

5. Sew across the bottom of the pocket 1/4” from the edge, securing the pleats at the same time.

6. Place the flat pocket pieces so that they overlap the sides of the bag with one pocket edge exactly on top of a line that is 2 5/8” from the edge.

7. Pin and stitch one side edge of each flat pocket to the bag.

Repeat steps 1-5 above to sew a pleated pocket to the remaining bag exterior piece that has 3 lines marked on it.

Fold the side flat pockets on the first bag exterior piece toward the middle of the bag and pin them in place to keep them away from the side seams for now.

Sew the Side Seams and Finish the Flat Pockets

1. Place the two bag exterior pieces right sides together and pin the sides.

Sew the side seams with a 3/8” seam allowance. Press the seams open.

2. Turn the bag exterior right side out. Lay it on your workspace with one of the side seams up.

Unpin a flat pocket and let it lay flat over the side seam. Pin the remaining side edge of the flat pocket in place.

3. Sew the remaining side edge of the flat pocket.

Check to make sure that you do not catch the opposite side of the bag underneath. This part is a bit fiddly but it is not difficult if you work slowly.

Repeat to finish sewing the remaining flat pocket over the other side seam.

4. Sew across the bottom edge of the flat pockets 1/4” from the edge.

Sew Together the Bag Exterior and Lining

1. Turn the bag lining with the wrong side out so that the pockets and drawstring top are on the inside.

Place the bag exterior over the lining so that the wrong side of the bag exterior is against the wrong side of the lining.

Match up all of the side seams and raw edges and pin together.

Use lots of pins – especially around the top!

2. Baste around the bottom of the bag 1/4” from the edge.

3. Baste all around the top of the bag 1/8” from the edge.

Attach the Bottom of the Bag

1. On the lining side, use the fabric marking pen to mark the center of each side of the bag bottom piece.

2. Turn the bag inside side out and place it on top of the bag bottom with right sides together.

Use wonderclips to clip the side seams to the marks on the short sides of the bag bottom. Clip the pocket centers over the marks on the long sides of the bag bottom.

Use sharp scissors to cut 3/8” clips into the bag piece at the corners to help it fit the bag bottom.

Use lots of wonderclips to secure the bag to the bag bottom all the way around.

3. Sew the bag to the bag bottom all the way around with a 3/8” seam allowance.

Tip: Sew with the bag bottom flat against your sewing machine. This is the easiest way.

Check to make sure your seams looks good – then you can sew the binding!

Bind all of the Raw Edges

1. From the long strip of bias binding that you made at the beginning, cut one piece 36” long and four pieces that are 17” long.

Fold all of the binding pieces in half lengthwise (wrong sides together) and press.

2. Sew the 36” long piece of binding to the bottom of the bag, starting on one of the longer sides.

Use a 1/4” seam allowance.

Leave a 4” tail of binding free at the start.

Stop sewing when you are 6-8” away from where you started.

3. Bring the ends of the binding together and fold them back where they meet.

Trim away the extra binding 1/4” past each fold.

Place the ends of the binding right sides together and sew with a 1/4” seam allowance.

Finger press the seam open and re-fold the binding in half, wrong sides together.

Finish sewing the binding to the bottom of the bag.

4. Flip the binding over to the other side of the seam and sew it in place close to the fold.

A sewing stiletto is very helpful for sewing binding!

5. The top of the bag has 4 equally sized ‘U’ shapes.

Sew one of the 17” pieces of bias binding to one of the ‘U’ shapes on the inside of the bag.

Use a 1/4” seam allowance.

Tip: Stretch the binding slightly to help smooth it around the curves. You will have about 1” of extra binding so don’t worry about stretching too much or too little.

6. Flip the binding over to the outside of the bag and stitch it down close to the fold.

Trim away any extra binding at the ends of the ‘U’ shape.

Repeat to bind the edges of the other 3 ‘U’ shapes.

Attach the Rectangle Ring Hardware

1. Fold one of the short ends at the top of the bag to the inside by 1/4” and press. Then turn it over about 1” and press again.

Tip: If you pound this thick folded end with a hammer (after pressing), it will soften up the fabric and make it easier to sew.

I know it’s crazy, but it works!

2. Place one of the rectangle rings inside the fold and secure with clips.

3. Make sure you have a heavy duty needle in your sewing machine.

Sew across the folded edge, going back and forth to make sure it is secure.

Repeat to sew a rectangle ring to each short ends at the top of the bag.

Tip: Make sure that each end folds inward toward the inside of the bag, not the outside.

Make the Straps

1. Fold the 5” x 22” strap pieces in half lengthwise (wrong sides together) and press. Open and fold the long edges to the center and press. Fold in half again and press to make two 1 1/4” wide by 22” long straps.

2. Topstitch along each side of the straps 1/8” from the edge.

Tip: A walking foot (or even feed foot) works great for this step.

3. Fold and press the ends of the straps the same way that you folded and pressed the short ends at the top of the bag.

Use a hammer to pound the ends too, if desired. 🙂

Insert one end of a strap through a rectangle ring on the bag and secure with clips.

4. Sew close to the turned-under edge to secure. I like to sew back and forth at least twice so my stitching won’t come out.

Repeat to sew one strap to both rings on one side of the bag. Then sew the second strap to both rings on the other side of the bag.

Insert the Drawstring and Add a Cord Lock

1. Cut a piece of drawstring that is 54” long. Wrap tape around the ends if they are fraying.

2. Use a bodkin or safety pin to pull the drawstring through the top of the drawstring casing on the bag.

3. Even out the drawstring so that both ends are around 10” long. Push the ends through the opening on a cord lock. Tie the ends together in a knot. Cut off the tape (if you used it).

And now your Craft Project Bag is done! What are you going to use it for? Or to whom will you gift it? Make sure you tell me in the comments.

This was a really long sewing tutorial! Don’t forget that I also prepared it in PDF format that has been optimized for printing.

As always, I’d love to see the projects you sew from my patterns and tutorials. Please post a picture to Instagram and tag me @sewcanshe or #sewcanshe so I can take a look!

xoxo,