Foldable Multi-Purpose Bag

So now I need a bag to put all my other pouches in.
I carry lots of things to work daily and when I go out to run an errand or just for lunch, I don't want to be carrying my huge bag with me, just my essentials.
So I made a bag that is formal, informal and foldable. I can bring it along with me everywhere and for any occasion!






Here's how it looks when it's folded up. I keep it in my work bag like an umbrella. Haha.

Here's what you need:
paper template of the shape of your bag
pin
2 different fabrics


Here's how to prepare:

For the top borders of the bag, cut out a rectangular piece, 4 cm shorter than the body of your bag.
Cut out 2 outside pieces and 2 inside pieces.


I use the same template to cut out the cloth for my ribbon. I believe the length and twice that of the border piece.

2 outside pieces. They are the size of an A4 paper.

Using the same A4 paper, measure 2 cm from the top 2 corners. Draw a line down to the bottom edge so you get a trapezium.


Draw 2 trapezium bottom to bottom, the 2 longer end touching each other. Cut out 2 pieces. This will made the inside pieces. (The one in the left of the picture.)


If you want more pockets in the future: draw 2 trapezium, top to top, shorter end touching each other and cut out one for each extra pocket.

Using the same rectangle piece, cut out the strap. I believe it is 3 times that of the template.




Now you can start to sew.
First, sew up all the ribbons and straps like this.

Then turn it inside out.

For the strap, leave 2 openings at the top and bottom.
For the ribbon, first sew one bottom and the length before turning it inside out. Then, sew the other end.

Now you can sew the inside pieces. Sew the border piece to the 2 separate inside pieces.

If you have an Extra pocket, fold down the top and sew it in. (refer to next 3 pictures)

Back to the bag.

Now sew the 2 inside pieces together.

Fold the end product this way by pulling up the centre.

If you have a pocket it should go here. (look to the right of the picture)

Now you can sew along the left and right edges. It should look like that on the inside.

Now to do the folds on the outside piece.

From the top 2 corners of the piece, mark the 8th and 9th cm from the corner.

Now you can fold it and pin it up.

Then, pin the border on top of the folds and sew it together.

Now you can sew the back and front pieces together.

Place the inside piece inside.

Pin them together neatly, with the top folded slightly down and the strap in position.

Then sew.

Almost done. Now for the ribbon. Sew the pin onto the centre, perpendicular of the ribbon piece.

Tie it into a ribbon and pin it wherever you want! 

Roll it up to keep; hide the strap in and fold the border down to use the bag as a formal pouch; anything you want!

Whew! Thank you for having the patience to read through that. :)

Dr. Elephant To The Rescue

In the last of my four bags, I'm going to make an elephant medicine bag. As a girl, I keep a lot of junk in my bag and my medicine bag is one of the most important. It has plasters, pills, lip balm...

Ok, I shall not bother you with them anymore.

Ta-dah! Here it is!


If you can't see it, the heart is the ear, which also is the lock for the bag.
Do scroll down to see what I mean.
The hole separates the trunk from the rest of the body.

Here's what you need:
2 kinds of fabric
1 tag

Here's how to prepare them:

First you need to prepare our template.
Remember to make them symmetrical.
Clockwise: the body (which also doubles as the flap), the ear heart and the base.









The body:
2 pieces of the inside without the hole
2 pieces of the outside without the hole
2 pieces of the flap, with the hole
1 piece for the pocket (the size of this is from the body, traced from the top of the elephant to the pencil line)

The ear:
2 pieces, sewn pack to pack with a blanket stitch

The base:
my cloth was not long enough for me to cut one full piece, so I had to cut it in 2 and sew it together.
You can cut one long piece.
What I did was use a string to measure the length of the body to know how long a piece I needed for the base.

Here's a picture of all the pieces.

















Here's how to do it:

First, sew the base pieces together, if you are like me and your cloth isn't long enough to make one single long piece.

Next, draw the holes onto the 2 flap pieces. Make sure the holes are opposite each other, like in the picture.

Sew them together alone the top of the elephant. This is just to have the two pieces in place. Later you will dew it up on the outside with a running stitch. That will be 4 steps down.

Leave the the bottom straight line open.

Turn it inside out. Take note of the 2 holes you've drawn.

Cut a hole in the 2 fabrics and cut slits along the holes.

Sew the hole up, both pieces together. You can choose to use the blanket stitch.

Next, sew along the perimeter of the elephant, except the bottom. (remember this step 4 steps up?)

Now for the pocket. Simply sew the top down.

Now, sew the base and the 2 body pieces together along the insides. When sewing the inside pieces, don't forget the pocket piece (see next picture).

Remember to leave the top open so you can turn the outside piece outside in.

Remember to leave the top open.
Remember the pocket too.

The inside piece, which is this piece for me, does not need to be turned outside in. I turned it this way for you to see the pocket.

Place the inside piece inside and place the flap into position.

Fold down the top neatly and pin them up.

Don't forget your tag. I don't want it to be seen from the outside so I placed it there.

Now you can sew it up.

Place the heart in the position you think is suitable as an ear.

Sew down the middle of the heart.

Notice the arrow. Do not sew until the end. Leave at least the length of one single stitch away from the tip of the heart.

Now put the flap down and trace the line of the centre of the heart where you have just sewn.

Cut a slit through the 2 pieces of the flap.

Now sew the slits up. You can choose to use blanket stitch too.

Here's the fun part - putting the heart through the slits. 

And Ta-dah!

What's this? #2

This animal is coming up next. Can you guess what it is? I think this one is a no brainer. :)

Japanese Fabric Pouch

To continue my sewing craze, my third pouch in line is one for the tissues. I am not much of a clean freak but i do carry 1 packet of wet wipes and 1 packet of tissues with me wherever I go. Or at least I try to. Sometimes I forget. Here's to hoping the pouches will help me remember.

This is the easiest pouch to make! And it is even reversible!



Here's what you need:
your template of the pouch
2 pieces of fabic
1 tag

Here's how to prepare:
cut out 2 pieces of fabric in the shape of your template.

The shape of the fabric is that of the template plus another body. So it consists of the flap (the curved part), the body and the body again.











Here's how to do it:
First, sew the 2 bodies together, from the inside, along the perimeter.
Remember to sew in the tag as well.

Then, place the inside piece into the outside piece and sew along the opening of the pouch and the flap.

And it's done!
If you want, you can add a little design. I made a flower using the clay and made it into a pin.