Corduroy circular purse -Tutorial

Hey All.................when I started the blog I had promised to make a tutorial for a bag & FINALLY here I am!!!!
I made this purse from left overs of a corduroy skirt..........here's the genesis of this purse:)

Well let me WARN you before you start this,corduroy especially velvet corduroy is by no means an easy fabric to work with..............if you do not have experience of working with corduroy I would strongly recommend you make this with a regular bag making fabric.

For this you will need

1 yard  corduroy,if you want straps too of corduroy then 1.25 yards

0.25 yard coordinating decorative fabric(optional)
1.5 yard lining
1 yard medium weight woven fusible interface
1.5 yard fusible fleece
1 button
1 - 1/4" wide elastic 5" long
 matching thread

Now we begin with cutting the fabric.

I am sorry I do not have a template for the shape,I did it free hand!
Take a tracing paper sheet 19"wide by 16 " high &  then fold it matching the 16" edges.Draw the main pattern freehand & then cut the pattern  & use it to cut the fabric !

For the Strap too I made the pattern free hand.............To make the strap  pattern cut a tracing paper sheet 29" long & 4.25" wide.Curve both the ends so they gently taper to 2.25" in the center like  the pic below.Use the template to make the straps.

Once you have a pattern ready cut

  
From  Exterior fabric 

• Two pattern pieces
•  Two  17" by 7" pieces for  pocket 
•  Two 6.5" by 2.5"  for pen slip 
• 1 strip 2" by 7" for button loop 
• Two straps (or from decorative fabric if you wish)

 From Lining fabric

• Two main pattern pieces

From woven fusible interfacing

• Two main pattern pieces for the exterior

From fusible fleece

• Two from main pattern for the lining
• Two 16" by 6"  for  pocket 
•  One 5.5" by 2"  for pen slip
• Two from strap pattern

 If using a decorative fabric

• Two 3.5" by 20" strips

I have this lovely printed fabric with BIIIIIG holes in it which set off the red of the corduroy perfectly.I cut 2 pieces 3.5" by 20" from this fabric.You can skip this step if you do not want it.This is how all the cut pieces will look like.

 

1. Fuse the woven interfacing to the exterior & the fleece to the lining,pocket,pen slips & the strap.The fleece for the pockets is an inch smaller than the pocket piece,this is to reduce bulk in seam allowance.Place the fleece in the center so that 1/2" is poking out from all 4 sides for the pocket & the pen slip .

   2. Sew the decorative strips in the center of the two exterior pieces horizontally.You can play around with the placing of the strips here.Do it as per your imagination.This is how the two pieces look

3.Now its time to sew the outer pieces together.Keep one exterior panel on another right sides facing together.Pin the corners so they don't move & sew with 1/2" seam allowance. Turn right side out & iron.

4. Now its time to make the gusseted base.Fold the purse into half matching the curves. From the center line draw two dart marks at  5.5" & 6.5".Mark a point 2" up from the dart marks & draw straight lines at an angle of 45 degrees..This will make it clearer

Repeat this on both the sides from the center mark like this

5. Now move on to actually sewing the darts.Fold the fabric on the darts in such a way that the seams are joined ,pin it securely,extend the dart to the other side of the seam & sew it.Remember to back stitch it on both the ends.Repeat with the other dart too.

This is how the base looks after gusseting,it makes the purse really roomy:)

6. Make the pockets &LINING - You have already fused the fleece to the wrong side of the lining,right!......so keep it aside & we move on to making & attaching the pockets.

Put both the pocket pieces right side facing together.Sew three sides.Turn the right side out & sew the fourth side shut.Top stitch on all four sides for a neater look.I really do not like flat pockets.This is how to make 3D pockets.

Make the pen slip similarly.Place them on the lining like the pic below,pin all sides & sew them in place with  a 1/4" seam allowance.

7. Now we will assemble the lining.Keep the two lining pieces right sides facing together & sew the sides with a 1/2" seam allowance but remember to keep 6" unsewn on one side to turn the bag inside out!

8.Gusset the lining as you did for the outer pieces.

9. Make the button loop- fold the 2" x 7" strip  in half lengthwise , this will make a 1" x 7" rectangle. Press and then unfold so that you can see the crease down the center of the piece. Fold the outside edges to the center crease and press. You should now have a 1" x 7" piece. Fold in half and press again.

The piece should now measure 1/2" x 7".Sew the long side shut.

10. Pin a safety pin to the 5” piece of elastic, and insert it through the small ½” x 7” strap, making sure the elastic sticks out of both ends of the strap.Sew or pin the ends to keep the elastic from going back into the strap.

11.Measure & mark the center at the top edge of the exterior. Match both end of the small strap with the center mark at the top of the back of the exterior, so it forms a loop. The edges of the loop should align with the top edge of the exterior and stick out towards the bottom of the bag. Make sure the loop is not twisted.Sew to the exterior ¼” from the top edge.

12.On the front side of the bag, securely sew the button at the center, 2 ¼” down from the top.

13.Make the strap- Take the two interfaced strap pieces & pin them right sides together.Sew both the curves with 1/2" seam allowance.Turn the strap right side out.Fold both the long edges1/2 " inside & iron.Pin them & sew the strap shut. Top stitch all over to give a neat look

14.With right sides together, pin the strap to the outside of the purse and sew both short sides together, using a ½” seam allowance .Repeat with the other end of the handle .Don't top stitch it!!(Make sure the strap is not twisted!)

 15. Now we are ready to sew the lining and exterior together!!!!!!!!!
Phew.................finally.

Put the outer purse inside the lining fabric carefully.Remember to line the pockets side with the side of your exterior bag which has the button loop.I didn't:( The strap will be between the 2 layers inside .Match side seams & pin .

16.Sew all around the top joining the exterior & interior with a 1/2" seam allowance.Cut any excess fabric.Using the opening left in the lining ,turn the bag right side out.Sew the gap in the lining shut.Top stitch if you want.

And TaDaaaaaaaaaaaa..............

One of my friends has already claimed this as a gift so I couldn't take more pictures.............but I am happy with how it turned out:)

If you make this please link back & post some pics in my flickr group:)