Bag #7: Make up Bag

I wanted a heart theme for this week’s bag as it was Valentine’s weekend.  I found this fabric in my local fabric store and thought it would make a pretty make up bag. 

It was originally planned to be a simple bag and started making it, then I succumbed to a virus and had to abandon it for a week.  When I resumed, I got carried away, adapting the shape, adding piping, until it became a more challenging task.  I don’t like making small bags (too fiddly) and I don’t like using piping, so I felt that they would make it into a suitable challenge.

I used the narrowest piping cord I could get which was no.3.  I find it quite hard buying piping cord because sometimes it’s sold by numbers and other times its sold by millimetre width, so I’m never really sure what I’m buying. I just asked for the narrowest they had, but I have seen narrower in other stores.

This bag is just the right size for a couple of lipsticks and a small compact and easily fits in a handbag or tote bag. I have some job interviews lined up so this will be perfect for making sure that I look presentable!

Skills used in this project:

• Using piping cord
• Working on a small scale

Step 1: Cutting out

Cut out the following pieces from the outer fabric:

3” x 1 ½” zip tabs (cut 2)

7 ¼" x  (2" wide at ends, tapering to 1½" wide at middle) bag top (cut 2)

Half a 4” diameter circle with extra ¼” seam allowance all around for the bag sides (cut 2)

4 ½” x 3 ½” bag base (cut 1)

Lining and Wadding

Cut out top, side and base pieces, the same as for the outer fabric.  I used iron-on wadding and cotton lining from my stash.

6” Zip

31” Piping cord (I used no.3 width)

31” x ½” Bias binding or 1” wide fabric strips cut on the bias

Bag #7: Make Up Bag Pattern
Here's a link to the PDF pattern for this bag. I haven't included the zip tabs on this pattern, as they are straight forward rectangles, but the sides, top and base are all there.

Step 2: Sewing the zip end tabs

Fold zip tabs in half lengthways and place them over each end of the zip.  They will enclose approximately ½” of the zip at each end. This makes the zip very secure when sewn in place.  Fold under the raw edges where they cross the zip by ¼” and top stitch across the fold, making sure that both sides of the tab are sewn.  Trim the sides of the tab so that they are the same width as the zip. 

Step 3: Attaching the zip

Iron wadding to wrong side of outer fabric pattern pieces. Sew-in wadding will work just as well.

Pin the outer fabric bag top and lining to the zip making a zip sandwich, right sides of fabric together.  I used a cotton lining which doesn’t have a right or wrong side. The right side of the outer fabric needs to be attached to the right side of the zip. Sew but stop ¼” from each end (for ease of attaching the bag base later). Fold the fabric back so that the right sides are facing outwards.

Attach the lining, wadding and fabric to the other side of the zip in the same way, then top stitch along the fabric on both sides of the zip, close to the edge – this gives a professional appearance. Again, stop about ¼” from each end. 

If the zip tab is a little longer than the fabrics on either side, trim it to size.

Step 4: Making the piping

It is quicker to make all the piping in one go.

Open up the bias binding and press it so that it forms a flat strip. 

Fold it in half lengthways right sides facing out, inserting the piping cord as you fold. 

Sew along the strips close to the piping. It is easier to get close to the piping cord if you use the zip foot on your machine.

Step 5: Attaching the piping

Cut 2 8” lengths of the covered piping.

Pin one to the right side of one top outer fabric piece so that the raw edges of the bias binding face in the same direction as the raw edges of the main fabric.  Sew using the zip foot.  Do not sew it to the lining.  

Do the same on the other side of the zip.

Step 6: Attaching the semi-circular sides

  

Pin then sew the outer fabric sides to the bag top ensuring that the piping is sandwiched between the 2 pieces of fabric. Ease the fabrics together and pin at regular intervals.  Sew close to the piping, using the zip foot.  

Do the same for the other semi-circle on the other side of the bag.

Pin and sew the lining bag sides to the bag top, right sides together in the same way.

Step 7: Attaching the piping at the base

Trim the remaining piping cord at one end so that it is about ¼” shorter than the bias binding.  Turn the end of the bias binding inwards so that the raw edge will not be visible. Pin the piping around the base of the bag.  When you have gone all the way round, tuck the end of the piping into the gap created at the beginning so that the join is barely visible. You may need to trim the piping to ensure just a small overlap.

Using the zip foot, sew the piping all round the base of the bag.  Only sew it to the outer fabric – make sure the lining is pinned out of the way.

Step 8: Attaching the bag base

Pin then sew the bag base to the sides, right sides together, so that the piping will be visible when sewn.

 

Step 9: Attaching the lining

Make sure the zip is open or you will not be able to turn it through when the sewing is complete.

Pin and sew the lining base to the bag sides, right sides together, leaving a gap along one long side for turning.  Turn the bag through and sew up the gap.

In this project I learnt:

• How much better it is to finish a project in one go.  I usually start and keep going until a bag is finished, only stopping for work, food, etc.  I was forced to take a break when making this bag due to illness and found it hard to approach it with the same enthusiasm when I resumed.  By then my mind was on the next project and I wanted to move on.
• Small doesn’t have to be fiddly – it depends on the pattern   With small bags, it always seems like a lot of effort for not much reward but this bag made me think about ways in which I could make a small bag without it being too fiddly.  Although it has spurred me on to do a small but even less fiddly bag soon.
• I don’t like using piping.  Unless it’s for something big like a cushion or a large bag, I don’t like it.  Piping on small items just isn’t for me.  I can do it, I just don’t enjoy it.  No one enjoys everything.  No more piping unless the bag absolutely demands it.
• To put my health before my sewing projects.  I wanted to get this bag finished so as not to delay my blog, but I kept making mistakes and the stitch unpicker became my new best friend.  It would have been better to wait until I was well enough to concentrate because all I was doing was taking one step forward and two steps back.  Sometimes we have to give ourselves permission to take time out and relax, especially when external factors beyond our control intervene. After this week’s post, I’m going to have good rest before starting the next bag.  I’ve earnt it!!