Graphic Bag Finish Up
Are you ready for the big finale? Here it goes!
Decide how long you want your strap. I held the bag and measured over my shoulder, but dear daughter is quite a bit shorter and smaller than I am. Use 505 to put batting on the wrong side keeping inside the strip 1/2" from sides. I used a scrap, and even pieced it together here. No one will know.
Add your inside backing-muslin again here, on top of the batting, 505 again here, and then machine quilt it. The quilting is going to give it strength so keep that in mind. Back and forth worked well for me.
Lay your backing fabric and strap RIGHT sides together. Sew down the sides with 1/2" seams keeping the ends open for turning.
Trim off excess seam allowance. I went to about 1/4" here.
Top stitch down the sides. I used a straight stitch and went in a little more than 1/4" for each side.
This looks like a great guitar strap right now. Hmmmm. It's 4" wide finished.
Smash the bag flat. Yep, this will work! Measure width and length up to the unfinished edge.
Write your measurements down.
Measure each side of the gusset that sticks up above the upper edge. Make them the same length by trimming off excess.
Using your measurements now, cut a piece of lining fabric. If you are serging, use the same measurements. If you are machine sewing, add 1" and use 1/2" seams. I had a bolt of black handy so I cut my fabric so there would be no seam in the bottom of the bag. I serged up the sides, but straight sewing works equally as well.
TEST the bag fit by placing it in your bag. This is too big.
I had given it several extra inches so I marked it 1/2" past the top edge with a pin, pulled the bag out, and cut it on the rotary mat with a ruler. You want this to be straight all the way around so your lining fits well.
Important step not to be missed! On each side of the 4 sides of the gusset where it connects to your 2 quilt blocks, open your seam down 1/2". Fold down, and reinforce by sewing. You need to have the rim of the bag away from your strap by that 1/2" so you can sew the lining straight around the rim.
Cut a piece of fabric the size of the gusset sticking about the rim plus an inch or so. Sew right sides together with 1/2" seams leaving 1/2" free from the upper edges, and do not sew farther down than the edge of the rim.
It should look something like this. Trim seam allowances frugally her as shown.
Turn the piece so you have right sides out.
Looks like this.
Below the gusset, on the inside of the bag, turn the seam allowances toward each other, and pin the lining flap over them.
Top stitch just like the strap. Keep the upper part free 1/2" from edge.
If you've never made a bag before, this step will make you crazy, but put your bag inside your liner with right sides together. Pin from inside of gusset to inside of gusset on ONE side. You will sew that shut. The other side, like the picture, sew just over half. You will need a large enough opening to turn the bag right side out. I always, always use the signal of a set of double pins to let me know where to stop. Baste with a 4mm stitch and turn to make sure you have it right.
If everything looks good, flip everything back, and sew with a regular stitch. 2.5mm or less.
It should look like this. Exciting!
It's getting close! I'll show you tomorrow how to finish it off.
Come on, Doxie girls.
The day awaits.
Let's go sew.
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Julie
Pink Doxie Mama