As I was
short of time this week, I decided to use last week’s sequin fabric again to
make a zip bag. It is very quick to make
because it’s just like making a pencil case, but I raised the fabric around the
zip to conceal it.
The sequins
were attached to a see-through net fabric, so I used a cheap cotton poplin backing
fabric between the sequins and the wadding.
If you are using a more solid sequin fabric, this won’t be necessary.
Be prepared
for a mess – you will be picking up bits of sequins for weeks to come. Luckily, this bag only has 2 sequin pieces. I have heard that sequins often break and
that you should wear eye protection and use a leather needle. I did both of these and sewed much more
slowly than normal and my needle didn’t break at all.
I included
one internal pocket which was quite large and used a contrasting fabric. It doesn’t do up and isn’t quite big enough
for a phone. I intend to slip my credit
cards in there and a mirror. You could
re-size the pocket to suit your needs and add a closure if you wanted more security. For example, you could add a pleat at each side for something bulking or
make it smaller or add a magnetic clasp. I think if I were
making it again, I would make the pocket a bit smaller. However, I’ve left the measurements the same
and you can make your own choice. It’s
added once the bag is ready for assembly, so you’ll be able to judge what it
will look like.
This bag is slightly
too large for fat quarters (unless they are generously cut – I think it depends
whether they are imperial or metric?? When I buy them, they often come up small
than the measurements on the packaging), but if you made it fractionally
smaller, you would need a fat quarter of each fabric. If you stick with my measurements, you would
need a 10”/25.5 cm strip of each fabric.
The finished
size is 9” x 7”/23 cm x 18 cm.
Skill level:
Intermediate because concealing a zip without using a separate piece of fabric
for the zip area requires some sewing experience.
I used a
leather needle (it’s strong and less likely to break if it hits a sequin) and
my normal stitch length (2.5) throughout but increased it to 4 for top stitching
over the sequins. I used ¼”/6mm seams
for the outer bag and slighter wider seams for the lining.
I have
included metric and imperial measurements but they are not exactly
interchangeable, so you should stick to either one or the other.
Skills used in this project:
- Using sequin fabric
- Creating a concealed zip by manipulating the side panel
Step 1: Cutting out
Cut out the
following:
10” x 9½”/25.5
cm x 24 cm Outer Bag sides (cut 2 sequin fabric, 2 backing fabric, 2 wadding)
10” x 7½/25.5.cm
x 19 cm Inner Bag sides (cut 2 lining, 2 medium weight interfacing)
10” x 6”/25.5.cm
x 15 cm Internal Pocket (cut 1 lining) but note my comments above
5” x 6”/12.5
cm x 15 cm Internal Pocket (cut 1 interfacing)
9”/23 cm zip
(I used an N5 zip from a continuous roll)
2” x 2”
handle tabs
2 x ½”/12 mm
D or O ring for the handle tabs (optional)
45”/114 cm
Chain (but measure and adjust for your height/preference)
Step 2: Attaching the zip
Attach the
interfacing to the wrong side of the bag lining.
Join the
wadding, backing and sequin fabrics to make the outer bag body (I used iron-on
wadding which I attached to the wrong side of the black backing fabric and then placed the sequin
fabric over the top and sewed all round the edges).
If using a zip from a continuous roll, sew a couple
of stitches across each end of the zip to ensure the slider doesn’t come off
during the sewing process.
Place one outer
bag body and one lining, right sides together. Slip the zip between them so that the slider
faces the outer fabric. Sew to one side
of the zip using a zip foot.
Do the same for the other lining piece and the outer fabric when
sewing them to the other side of the zip.
 |
| My zip was a bit too short so I have amended the instructions - yours will be a bit longer but won't be as wide as the bag sides. |
Top stitch along each side of the zip for a professional appearance
and to prevent the fabric getting caught in the zip. Do not sew as close to the edge of
the fabric as you normally would or the sequins will not lay flat.
Step 3: Shaping the top
Measure 1”/2.5
cm from the fabric edge where it joins the zip.
This will form the top of the bag as the zip is concealed. Fold the
outer (sequin) fabric along this line on both sides of the bag with the sequins facing out and top
stitch along (as shown in the photo). Keep the lining out of the way - that isn't involved at all.
 |
| Follow the line of the pin to sew a diagonal line from the zip (pin head) to the top edge (pin tip). |
On the wrong
side of the fabric, sew a diagonal line from the zip to the top edge of the
bag.
Overlap the zip by about ½”/12 mm. This will create shape within the zip area
and hold the ends of the zip firmly in place.
Step 4: Making the internal pocket
Attach the
interfacing to the wrong side of the pocket fabric at one end (it is half the
size of the pocket).
Fold the
fabric over, right sides together and sew around the open sides, leaving a gap
for turning.
Turn through
and press.
Place the
pocket on the right side of one of the bag lining pieces just below the zip
with the turning edge at the bottom. Sew
around the sides and bottom, closing up the turning hole as you sew over it.
Step 5: Making the handle tabs
(I made my
tabs longer than needed – 3” x 2”/ 7.5 cm x 5 cm – but I ended up cutting them
shorter, so I have amended cutting instructions to make them 2” x 2”/ 5 cm x 5 cm).
Fold the
handle tabs in half to find the centre. Fold each side in so that the edge is against
the fold line. It will now look like
bias binding. Fold in half and top
stitch close to the edge along
both long sides. This will hold it together
and make it look professional.
Fold in half
so that the raw edges meet. If you plan to add a D ring or any other hardware
to hold your bag handle, attach it now.
Sew the tabs
onto the right side of one of the sequin bag sides, near the top with the raw
edges facing out.
Step 6: Assembling the bag
Make sure the
zip is open.
With the
outer bag sides together and the lining pieces together (right sides together),
sew all round leaving a gap in the bottom of the lining for turning.
Turn through
and sew up the turning gap.
Attach the
chain to handle tabs. You can buy bag chains with swivel hooks attached which you can just clip onto the tabs. (I have just ordered a bag chain from ebay, but until it arrives I'm using a chain from the local hardware store secured with a couple of jewellery split rings).
Well
done! Your glamorous sequin bag is ready
for the Christmas party season. There just room in there for a small sprig of
mistletoe – you don’t want to miss an opportunity, do you?
In this project I learnt:
- This sequin fabric was easy to use due to the small sequins (as I found when I made the sequin clutch last week). Without the thickness of the bag foam, it was even easier to sew. This time I sewed the sequin fabric to the wadding as it was trying to make a getaway. That made assembling the bag much easier as I didn’t have to keep checking that I had sewn through all the layers. It took a bit longer but saved time in the process.
- Rather than use separate strips of fabric around the zip, I decided to make the bag sides slightly longer and add a fold. I didn’t want to cut the sequin fabric any more than necessary because it makes such a mess. It worked on this fabric because it was quite pliable, but I doubt if it would work with more rigid fabric or if using bag foam.
- If I had gold D rings, I would have attached them to the tabs. It doesn't matter because a swivel or lobster clasp will hold on to the tabs just fine. As I mentioned above, I used a length of chain from a DIY store but I will replace that when the chain handle I have ordered arrives.
- My zip was a bit short so I have increased the size of the zip and decreased the length of the handle tabs as they were too long. The pocket was probably a bit of an odd size – too small for a phone, too big for just credit cards. I haven’t changed its measurements, but as its added right near the end, it can easily be altered if its not a good size for you.
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