Blue Heaven Handbag
This smart casual over-the-shoulder handbag will be a stylish addition to your selection of bags. This
smaller slimline bag features a two-tone candlewicked design on the front, with a feature inset box
pleat in a contrast fabric. The bag has rolled handles, a small inner pocket and a magnetic clasp
closure.
Bag Dimensions are 7 inches wide x 6 inches high.
You Will Need:
½ metre (½ yard) dark blue fabric for the outer bag.
½ metre (½ yard) contrast fabric for the lining and front box pleat.
¾ metre ( ¾ yard) fusible light-weight interfacing
½ metre ( ½ yard) fusible light-weight pellon / batting
Copyright © Bag Making Patterns Club 2011. 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.
Cotton thread in two colours for candlewicking the design. (We used a soft crochet & knitting cotton
equivalent to a 4 ply thickness in teal blue and lighter pale aqua.) You will need a chenille needle or
other with a large eye to embroider with this thread.
1 x magnetic clasp
Dressmakers carbon paper or alternative to transfer the candlewick design to dark fabric (We used
Clover brand Charcopy paper.)
Small scraps of medium / heavy weight interfacing for inserting the magnetic clasp
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, carefully cut the required bag pieces from the bag fabrics,
pellon and interfacing. Iron the interfacing to the wrong side of all fabric pieces as indicated in the
Cutting Guide. Fuse the pellon on top of the interfacing for the bag outer pieces as required. (Note –
embroider the candlewick design first, then fuse the pellon to the two front panels.)
Candlewick Panels:
Using the design template provided, transfer the
candlewick embroidery design to each of the two
front bag panels.
Refer to the photos for design placement and make
sure it is evenly spaced along each of the straight
edges as shown.
Space the candlewick knots as close together (or as
spaced apart) as you like along the lines of the
design, taking note of where the pattern overlaps
and spacing the knots accordingly.
Copyright © Bag Making Patterns Club 2011. 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.
Following the lines marked on your fabric, make a Colonial Knot at regularly spaced intervals to
complete your design.
To make a Colonial Knot, bring the needle up at point A. Tuck the needle under the thread from the
right hand side and wrap the thread over, under and cross the thread to wrap it over and under
again, to form a figure '8' as illustrated. Put the tip of your needle back into the fabric at point B (as
close as possible to point A without going through the same hole), tighten the thread firmly around
your needle and hold the knot in place as you push the needle through point B to complete your
knot.
Fuse the pellon to the back of each of these panels.
Bag Outer:
Using the cut out darts on the interfacing and pellon as a guide, fold the darts in the bag front and
back panels with right sides together and sew each of the four darts at the bottom corners.
Insert the contrast fabric box pleat
insert between the two front panels.
With right sides together, sew one
panel to one side of the insert piece,
then repeat for the other side and
remaining front panel. Press well,
fold the insert back behind the front
panel and topstitch along that seam.
Repeat for the other side.
Then, as shown, bring in each of the
two front panels to meet on the right
side, and press the box pleat panel so
it sits evenly over that centre line.
Copyright © Bag Making Patterns Club 2011. 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.
Sew across top and bottom of the pleat with a scant seam, to hold the pleat in place.
Handles:
Now make the handles. With wrong sides together, fold the handles in half lengthwise and tuck in
the seam allowances. (You may find it easier to fold and press the seam allowances first.) Pin and
topstitch.
"Roll" the seam to the middle and flatten the handle
strip so it runs down the centre. Fold the handle in
half lengthwise again (over the seam), and starting and
finishing about 1- 1½ inches from each end, topstitch
the rolled handle together, to make a soft, but solid
handle as pictured above. Repeat for the other handle.
Using a scant seam, attach the handles to the right side
of the front and back bag outer, approx. ¾ inch in from
each side seam.
Now with right sides together and taking care to match
the darts, pin and sew the bag front and back panels
together and turn right sides out.
Lining:
Sew the darts on each of the lining
panels as you did for the bag outer.
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.
Copyright © Bag Making Patterns Club 2011. 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.
Position the pocket on one of the bag lining pieces, centred and approximately 3 inches down from
the top. Sew down both sides and across the bottom to secure in place.
The next step is to attach the magnetic clasp near the top of both lining pieces. Fold one lining side
in half vertically to make a crease up the centre. From the top of the bag, measure down 1¼ inches
on that line and mark that point with a lead pencil. Cut a square of heavy interfacing approximately
1-1½ inches square and iron it to the back of the lining piece on top of the light weight lining and
centred over the marked dot. This will help protect the fabric in your bag and stop the clasp from
wearing through with repeated use. (You can use the medium weight interfacing here if you do not
have any heavy weight, although the heavier weight gives better protection.)
Push the two prongs of the top half of the clasp (with the centre part raised) into the right side of
the fabric to create indents, then use your unpicker tool to make two tiny slits in the fabric there, to
push the clasp through. Make the slits smaller than the width of the prongs. Push the clasp prongs
through to the back, turn the lining side piece over, slip on the 'washer' provided with the clasp and
fold the prongs over onto themselves, over the back of the clasp. (If you splay them out, you run the
risk of them eventually piercing through the bag fabric.)
Cut an approximate 1 ½ inch square of the medium weight interfacing and place it over the top of
the folded prongs on the wrong side of your lining side. Use the iron again to fuse it in place, as
another safeguard to protecting your bag fabric. On the right side then, sew a square around the
clasp to finish it neatly, and hold all layers securely together.
Repeat this with the other half of the clasp on the other lining side piece.
With right sides together pin and sew the front and back panels of the lining bag together, making
sure to leave most of the middle of one side open to turn the bag through later.
Place the bag outer into the lining bag (with the handles between the layers) and pin and sew the
top edges together. Turn right sides out through the hole left in the lining bag, then pin and
topstitch that hole closed.
Push the lining into the outer bag and topstitch around the top edge to finish.
Copyright © Bag Making Patterns Club 2011. 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.
Blue Heaven Handbag Cutting Guide
Cut the required number of each
piece according to the
measurements on each diagram.
* Please note – all measurements
are in inches.
Cut 2 outer fabric (Fold fabric and
cut two at once so they are
opposites.)
Cut 2 light-weight interfacing*
Cut 2 pellon*
* cut out dart shape
Cut 1 outer fabric
Cut 2 lining fabric
Cut 3 light-weight interfacing*
Cut 1 pellon*
* cut out dart shape
Cut On Fold.
Cut 1 lining fabric
Cut 1 light-weight interfacing
Cut 2 lining fabric
Cut 1 light-weight interfacing
Cut 2 outer fabric
Cut 2 light-weight interfacing
Cut 2 pellon
Copyright © Bag Making Patterns Club 2011. 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.
Blue Heaven Handbag
Candlewick Design Template
Copyright © Bag Making Patterns Club 2011. 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.
Blue Heaven Handbag
Front Panel
Copyright © Bag Making Patterns Club 2011. 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.
Blue Heaven Handbag
Front Panel
CUT ON FOLD
Copyright © Bag Making Patterns Club 2011. 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.