Method Monday, The Cross-Body Handbag

Want to make a bag that's the perfect size for everyday wear?  Well here you go ... the Cross-Body Handbag tutorial!!




Let’s get organized….

I recommend that you use a thicker fabric for this bag like a Home Dec Fabric, Tapestry, Denim, or as used in this example Pendleton Wool, you know that kind that they make their blankets.  You will also need pleather or vinyl.  I will have my Cross-Body pleather/ hardware kits for sale on the Facebook Storefront that are perfect for this bag!!

Required Materials:

1 yard of exterior fabric (see * note if using cotton/quilting wovens)

1 yard of fabric for the lining

1 yard of muslin

1/3 yard of 1.5” silk ribbon for pocket trim

½ yard of pleather/vinyl (for sale on our Facebook page)

2 metal swivel hooks (for sale on our Facebook page)

2- 1” metal rings (for sale on our Facebook page)

1 rivet button for closure

Thread to match and/or contrast

* If the cotton quilting woven is directional (the fabric cannot be used upside down), then the exterior piece can be cut in 2 pieces (take the length of the of the pattern exterior piece, divide by 2 and add ½” for the seam allowance), = to ½ yard material quilting cotton required.

There must be an addition piece for the exterior cut from headliner for stability, = to 3/8 of a yard of headliner is required.

A piece of muslin must be used too…same size of the headliner, = to 3/8 of a yard of muslin required.

The 2 pieces of the cotton exterior needs to be sewn at the bottom with a ½” sa.

Then layer the exterior fabric, next the headliner, and then the muslin.  This will act like one piece, and continue on in the pattern. 

Step 1:

Cut out the exterior bag as seen above.  The size is 11” x 13”, on the fold s that it is actually 26” long.

Cut one piece of pleather 8” x 11”.  Find the center of the bag material and the pleather as seen above…the pins mark the center.  In the next photo, you will see the pleather centered on top of the fabric, and it is held in place by the “Getta Grip Clips”.  These clips are the best and make working with pleather/vinyl/leather easy.  These are for sale on my Facebook page!!  Stitch down the pleather onto the fabric with a 1/8”seam allowance form the edge of the pleather, and then again at ¼” sa.  Do this on both edges of the pleather/vinyl.  Next, fold the bag in half making sure that the edges of the pleather match…I pinned the bag in place so that the pleather edges matched up perfectly, and sew with 3/8” sa.  Sew from the two edges of the fabric towards the fold.

Line up pleather on exterior material, and then sew fabric and pleather/vinyl together with stitching along the edge of the pleather/vinyl

Sew the bag edges with a 3/8” sa towards the fold, then iron the seams open.

Step  2:  Go to my strap tutorial to sew the strap using a 4.5” wide piece of pleather/vinyl, cut the entire length of the pleather/vinyl…usually around 57”-60”.  This will give you a strap is 1.5” wide.  Cut two 5” long tabs for the rings, and see if you have enough for your long strap.  I used 44” for the long strap.  And you will still need 4” more for the tab closure, and a 1” piece for the closure tab reinforcement.  If your strap needs to be more than 44”, then you will need to make the 5” for the tab and the reinforcement from another piece of pleather/vinyl, using a 4.5”x6” piece of pleather/vinyl, and follow the strap tutorial to make.

Curl the strap to get through the swivel hook.

Pull the strap through the swivel hook 1.75”, and sew with 1/8”sa, and then again at ¼”sa.  I make sure that I sew this at least twice, and back stitch.

Cut the lining and the pocket, I used two different fabrics because I like to, and then you can see inside your pockets. 

Cut 2 pieces for the lining at 11” wide x 13” tall with no fold, and cut 2 pieces of muslin the same size.

Cut 2 pieces of fabric for the lining pocket at 11” wide and 8” tall.

Cut 12” of 1.5” silk ribbon.

The muslin will back the fabric lining, so pin together as one piece.

The pocket pieces stay together with right sides (rs) together, and the ribbon is to be the trim at the top of the pocket.

Sew the silk to the top of the 2 pockets with a 3/8” sa.

Iron the seam.

Then iron the ribbon up, and then down the other side of the pocket…note the fabric is NOT folded.  The ribbon wraps around it.

Sew the edge of the ribbon with a 1/16”-1/8” top stitch.

Fold the pocket in half to find the middle of if at the top where the ribbon is, and about an inch from the bottom.  Lay the pocket on top of one side of the lining, and pin in place.  Starting stitching at the bottom of the pocket in the middle, and stitch up towards the pocket top.  At the top of the pocket on the ribbon, I like to do a satin stitch (widest zigzag on a .05 stitch length) until I am 1/8” from the top, then turn around, satin stitch to the bottom of the ribbon trim, then stitch back to the bottom of the pocket.

Pin one side of the lining, rs together and sew with a 3/8” sa.

Then topstitch with a 1/8” sa, which will tack the back sa in place too.

Stitch the other side of the lining with a 3/8” sa, then topstitch.

Now sew the bottom closed with a ½” sa.

Last on the lining, flatten the corners, and make a line that is 2” with it even and 1” on either side of the seam.  Sew on the line back stitching at the beginning and end of the seam.

Repeat this on the exterior bag too!

Next, take the 5” tabs, and slip a ring on, and fold in half on an angle, lay the tabs on either edge of the side seam, sew in place with a ¼” sa, repeat for the other side.  Take the 4” tab for the closure, and satin stitch over one edge to finish (there is a close up picture of this a few photos down from here).  Sew a button hole ½” from the edge that will fit the rivet button.   Sew the unfinished end of the tab in the middle of one side of the top of the exterior bag w/ a 1/4'”sa.

Slide the exterior bag into the lining…matching up the side seams.

Then ease pin the lining and the exterior bag together.  Make sure the closure tab is on the same side as the pockets.

Sew the top seam with a 5/8” sa, leaving a 5” opening to turn it all out on the right side.  Careful on turning so that the fabric does not stretch!!

top so that the seam lays flat, and the opening is pinned closed.  Top stitch the bag top with a 1/8” sa.  Sew again with a ¼” sa.

This is how it should look!  Check out the topstitching.  The thread is variegated, and is by Wonderfil.

I love it!

Find the middle of one side of the top of the bag without the tab by folding in half, 

and mark with a pin.

Pull the tab over to the front of the bag, and find the placement for the rivet button.

Take a 1” piece of the strap and cut a hole in the middle of it.

Put the rivet back through it.  This is the silver piece here.

Now, put this through the point of the where the rivet button is to go, from inside the bag.  

Lay it so the rivet button is on the board, and hit the silver rivet back carefully so that it will lock into place into the rivet.

Here is the rivet in place!!  Gently use a hammer to tap it into place!

Here is the view inside The Paradiso Designs© Cross-Body Handbag!!

Some shots of the finished bag.

Here is the whole look…I am in Love with this!!

I hope you are too!!

Xoxox,

Cheryl