Dragonfly Bag This mid-sized handbag combines a striking Japanese print fabric with a simple sashiko stitched dragonfly panel. It is a perfect bag for a casual day out and is roomy enough to hold everything you need. This bag features small darts at the bottom corners, and the top and handle are bound in a matching fabric binding. (Please also see our variation at the end if you'd prefer to use a bought handle on the same pattern.)
Bag Dimensions are 10 inches wide x 11 inches high (at the sides), and 2 inches deep. You Will Need: ¼ metre ( ¼ yard) plain olive green fabric for the bag outer centre panels (Outer Fabric (1).) ½ metre (5/8 yard) dragonfly print fabric for the bag outer side panels (Outer Fabric (2).) ½ metre (5/8 yard) lighter olive green fabric for the lining ½ metre ( ½ yard) light weight fusible pellon ½ metre ( ½ yard) light weight fusible interfacing ½ metre ( ½ yard) medium weight fusible interfacing Piece of heavy weight fusible interfacing at least 10 x 12 inches Cream sashiko thread ( or use 4 strands of DMC embroidery thread) Copyright © Bag Making Patterns Club 2009. These patterns and designs remain the intellectual property of Just Sew and are for the exclusive and personal use of the Bag Making Patterns Club Members.
Bag Construction: Please read all instructions fully before beginning. All measurements are in inches, and unless stated otherwise, a ¼ inch seam allowance has been used. Referring to the attached Cutting Guide, and using the templates provided, carefully cut the required bag pieces from the outer bag fabrics, the lining and interfacings and pellon as required. Note- DO NOT cut out the handle shapes on the separate pieces until the bag has been mostly constructed and sewn together. Just mark their positions.
Assembly The first step is to sew the sashiko dragonfly panel on the bag centre front piece. As you are stitching on a dark fabric, you won't be able to use a lightbox or window to trace the Dragonfly design onto the plain olive coloured fabric. You can use either light coloured Tracing Paper, or Mesh Transfer Canvas with a yellow ceramic pencil, which are all readily available from Clover stockists. Carefully mark the dragonfly pattern as well as the handle position, then using a sashiko (running ) stitch, sew the dragonfly design. The dragonfly eyes can be either french or colonial knots. To prepare the bag sides for constructing your bag outer, iron the medium-weight interfacing to the wrong side of all outer fabric panels. Then fuse the pellon layer on top of the interfacing on each. (Note – as directed in the cutting guide, cut out the dart wedge on all interfacings and pellon for the side panels before fusing to the bag outer and lining fabrics.) Iron the light weight interfacing to the wrong sides of the bag lining pieces, and one of the pocket pieces also. Using the cut out dart wedge shapes on the pellon and interfacing as a guide, sew the darts on the four dragonfly print outer bag panels, on the wrong side. With right sides together, match the bottom edges of the outer side panels with the bag centre panel and sew to complete the bag sides. Topstitch a seam down each side of the centre panel to hold down the seam allowance on the back and flatten the seams. Fuse the heavy weight interfacing to each bag side, at the top, on top of the pellon layer to provide more stability and strength for the bag handles. Trim if necessary to fit the curves, once fused in place. With wrong sides together, match the darts and centre panel seams and sew the bag outer together down both side seams and across the bottom. Turn right sides out.
Copyright © Bag Making Patterns Club 2009. These patterns and designs remain the intellectual property of Just Sew and are for the exclusive and personal use of the Bag Making Patterns Club Members.
Lining Firstly, prepare the lining pocket. Press under the ¼ inch seam allowance along the bottom edge of the pocket tab. Align the top raw edge with the right side top edge of the interfaced pocket piece, and topstitch the decorative tab to the top of the pocket along the pressed seam line. Lay the second pocket piece over the first, and with right sides together, sew up both side seams and across the top. Clip the corners and turn right sides out. Press and topstitch along the very top of the pocket tab. Press under the bottom seam allowance also. Make the lining in the same way as you did the bag outer. First sew the darts, then join the panels. Position the pocket on one of the bag lining sides, centred and approximately 7 ½ inches down from the top. Sew down both sides and across the bottom to secure in place. With right sides together, then join the two lining sides with seams down each side and across the bottom. Do not turn the lining bag. Finishing Place the lining bag into the bag outer, with wrong sides together. Pin carefully around the top edge, matching side seams, and sew a scant seam to hold the two layers together. Also sew a stitched line just outside the marked handle oval shapes to hold those pieces together when you cut out the marked handle shape. Cut out the two handle shapes with a rotary cutter, or sharp scissors. From the dragonfly print fabric, cut sufficient 2 inch strips to make binding for the top of the bag, and around the inside of each handle. If you have enough fabric, you may choose to cut this on the bias, although it really doesn't matter for this bag. Join the strips on a 45 degree angle, press, and fold in half lengthwise with wrong sides together and press again, to make the binding. Attach the binding as you would for a quilt. Open out the end and fold in the top left corner down to make a 45 degree angle, before refolding the binding strip in half. Matching raw edges, sew in place on the right side of the bag, around the top edge, with a ¼ inch seam. To finish, cut the length of binding so the overlap is about 1 inch, then tuck that last piece into the middle of the angled edge you started with, before folding the binding over to the back and slip stitching it in place on the lining side. Repeat for both handles too, to finish your bag.
** Version 2 – with bought handles Make the bag and lining as above, leaving the centre panels as a rectangle shape, and leaving most of one of the lining side seams open to turn the bag through. You will not need the heavy interfacing either. Put the bag outer into the lining bag with right sides together. Sew around the top of the bag and turn through the lining hole. Topstitch the hole closed and push the lining into the bag outer. Place a handle over the top of the centre panel rectangle and fold the rectangle top of the bag centre panel over to the lining side, before securely topstitching in place with matching thread. Repeat for the other handle. Copyright © Bag Making Patterns Club 2009. These patterns and designs remain the intellectual property of Just Sew and are for the exclusive and personal use of the Bag Making Patterns Club Members.
Dragonfly Bag Cutting Guide Cut the required number of each piece according to the measurements on each diagram. * Please note – all measurements are in inches.
Read pattern through fully before cutting, as you will need to cut binding from Outer Fabric (2) also. Cut 2 Outer fabric (1) Cut 2 Medium Weight Interfacing Cut 2 Lining fabric Cut 2 Light Interfacing Cut 2 Pellon (Use template provided) Cut 4 Outer fabric (2) Cut 4 Medium Weight Interfacing Cut 4 Lining fabric Cut 4 Light Interfacing Cut 4 Pellon (Use template provided and cut out the dart wedge shape on all interfacings and pellon.) Cut 2 Heavy Interfacing (Use template provided)
Cut 2 Lining fabric Cut 1 Light Interfacing
Cut 1 Outer fabric (2)
Copyright © Bag Making Patterns Club 2009. These patterns and designs remain the intellectual property of Just Sew and are for the exclusive and personal use of the Bag Making Patterns Club Members.
Copyright © Bag Making Patterns Club 2009. These patterns and designs remain the intellectual property of Just Sew and are for the exclusive and personal use of the Bag Making Patterns Club Members.
Copyright © Bag Making Patterns Club 2009. These patterns and designs remain the intellectual property of Just Sew and are for the exclusive and personal use of the Bag Making Patterns Club Members.
Copyright © Bag Making Patterns Club 2009. These patterns and designs remain the intellectual property of Just Sew and are for the exclusive and personal use of the Bag Making Patterns Club Members.
Copyright © Bag Making Patterns Club 2009. These patterns and designs remain the intellectual property of Just Sew and are for the exclusive and personal use of the Bag Making Patterns Club Members.
Copyright © Bag Making Patterns Club 2009. These patterns and designs remain the intellectual property of Just Sew and are for the exclusive and personal use of the Bag Making Patterns Club Members.
