Bag #36: Fold Over Clutch Bag

These fold over bags have been everywhere this year. They’re really versatile because they can be used as a shoulder bag or a clutch bag.  The magnetic clasps and zip ensure that the contents are totally secure, so there’s no need to worry unduly about pickpockets.

I’ve never used this classy faux leather before.  I’ve had it for months but it’s so lovely, I was afraid to use it in case I ruined it.  Now that I have a bit more skill, I was ready for the challenge.  I have used cheap faux leather intended for furnishing projects before but never anything as lovely as this. I love the end result but it wasn’t as easy to work with as I expected. Of course, this bag would also look lovely made from different fabric.  I bought the strap clasps especially for this bag and I’m so glad I did.  They finish it off perfectly and make it look professional.

The finished size is 10” x 7” (25 cm x 18 cm) when folded over.

I used a medium weight iron--on interfacing for the lining and pockets and sew-in wadding under the faux leather to give it extra softness. Inside the bag at the bottom part, below the fold, is a mobile phone/pen pocket and a zip pocket for those extra valuable bits and bobs. The mobile phone pocket holds one phone and one pen, but if you made it wider, you could create space for several pens, if you needed it.  That’s the great thing about making your own bags – you get what you want, not what the general public want.

I used a longer stitch length (3.5) throughout but increased it to 5 for top stitching the strap as it was so thick. I used a leather needle and I tried using a roller foot but it didn’t make any difference so I went back to my general purpose foot.  I used ¼”/6 mm 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 faux leather

• Using bag hardware

Step 1: Cutting out

Cut out the following:

11” x 12” (28 cm x 30.5 cm) Bag Sides (cut 2 faux leather, 2 lining, 2 wadding, 2 interfacing) 

9” x 6” (22.5 cm x 15 cm) Internal zip pocket (cut 2 lining, 2 interfacing)

8½” x 6” (21.5 cm x 15 cm) Internal mobile phone pocket (1 interfacing)

8½” x 12” (21.5 cm x 30 cm) Internal mobile phone pocket (cut 1 lining)

2” x 49” (5 cm x 124.5 cm) Strap (cut 1 faux leather)

2” x 3” (5 cm x 7.5 cm) Zip tabs (cut 2 lining, 2 interfacing)

10” External zip (I used an N5 zip cut from a continuous roll)

8” Internal zip (I used an N3 zip cut from a continuous roll)

2 magnetic clasps

2 x ½” (12 mm) D rings

2 Swivel lobster clasps with ½”/12 mm loop

2 Rivets (optional) length 2/8" - 3/8" (6-9 mm)

Scraps of bag foam or extra wadding for reinforcing the magnetic clasps

1½” x 2” (3.7 cm x 5 cm) faux leather, 10 mm lobster clasp, split ring,10 mm tassel cap, suitable glue (optional, for tassel)

Step 2: Making the internal zip pocket

Attach the interfacing to the wrong side of both bag lining pieces and both zip pocket pieces.

Decide where you want your zip pocket to go.  I wanted mine near the bottom of the bag for security and to prevent the fold from being lumpy, but you might want yours higher as it is quite hard to get to.

Pin one pocket piece to one of the bag linings, right sides together, with the long side of the pocket parallel to the bottom of the bag (one of the 11” sides).

Draw a ½” x 7” rectangle near to the top of the pocket interfacing.  Sew around this rectangle through all the layers that you have just pinned together.  

 

Cut a slit in this rectangle (as shown in the photo) making sure not to cut the stitches. Push the pocket through this ‘letterbox’, shape in the lining so that it sits flat and press. You will now have a neat opening to attach the zip.

Pin the zip to the pocket so that the right side shows through the aperture in the bag lining.  Sew all round the opening to hold the zip in place.

Pin the remaining pocket piece to this one, right sides together and sew around all pocket sides, keeping the bag lining out of the way as you do not want to sew through this.  

Step 3: Making the internal mobile phone pocket

After attaching the interfacing to the wrong side of one half of the pocket, fold the other half over so that the right sides are together.  Sew around the open edges leaving a gap for turning. Clip the corners, making sure not to cut the stitches – clipping allows for sharper corners. Turn through and press. The opening can either be sewn up now or when attaching the pocket to the lining.

The pockets are created by inserting pleats or folds in the pocket fabric.  Decide how wide you want the different compartments and pin the pleats in place.  I made the mobile phone pocket 3 ½” wide with a ½” pleat either side.  I then made a small pleat at the other end of the bottom of the pocket for the pen slot.

Pin the pocket in place on the right side of the other bag lining piece.  Sew along sides and bottom to attach.  This will also close up the gap where you turned the pocket through.

Sew from the bottom of the pocket about 1/3 of the way up the phone pleats to hold them in place. Sew a line of stitches between the phone pleat and the pen pocket, all the way up, to create a separate slot for a pen. (I sewed the phone pleats before attaching the pocket but I think it is better to do it once the pocket is attached to the lining.)

Step 4: Making the external zip tabs

I chose to make my zip tabs from a contrasting cotton fabric.  They make the corners less bulky and easier to turn through.

Fold the tabs in half so that the shorter edges meet.  Press.  Fold the shorter edges under by ¼”/ 6 mm and press.  Wrap a tab around each end of the zip and sew across the open end of the tab to secure.  Trim the tabs so that they are the same width as the zip.

Step 5: Attaching the external zip

Place one faux leather bag side (including wadding on the wrong side) and one lining fabric, right sides together.  Slip the zip between them so that the slider faces the faux leather.  Sew to one edge of the zip using a zip foot.

Do the same for the other lining piece and the outer fabric/wadding to sew them to the other edge of the zip. 

Top stitch along each side of the zip for a professional appearance and to prevent the fabric getting caught in the zip.

Step 6: Attaching the magnetic clasps

The thicker part of the magnetic clasps will go on the lower part of the bag and the thinner part on the upper part.  These will all be on the same bag side, attached to the faux leather/wadding.

First decide where you want them to go when the bag is assembled.  I chose to have mine 2½” in from the side edges.  The centre of the thicker ones were 6½” below the centre of the zip and the centre of the lighter ones were 2” below the zip.

I used a small offcut of bag foam on the wrong side of the faux leather/wadding to give it extra stability.   

Make 2 small holes in the faux leather/wadding, push the ‘legs’ through from the right side of the faux leather, through the wadding and foam, add the washer and open them outwards to secure. It is important that the holes are not too big of the clasp will not be secure. 

Do this for all 4 clasp parts.

Step 7: Making the strap and strap tabs

Fold the strap in half lengthways 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 the open long side of the handle.  

Step 8: Attaching the strap tabs

Cut 2 x 2” sections off the strap – these will be the strap tabs.

With the magnetic clasps done up, you will see where the bag folds.  The strap tabs will be attached on the fold.  

Slip a D ring onto each section, fold them in half and sew them to the faux leather, one on each side of the bag front, facing inwards with the raw edges towards the seam.  Sew inside the seam allowance so that your stitches won’t show when you assemble the bag.

Step 9: Assembling the bag

Spread out the fabric so that the 2 faux leather/wadding pieces are matched up, right sides together and the 2 lining/pocket pieces are also matched up with right sides together. Make sure the zip is open so that you will be able to turn the bag through.  Sew all round leaving a gap in the lining for turning. Turn through and close the gap in the lining by hand or machine stitching.

Step 9: Attaching the strap

The strap needs to be attached to the clasps

Pull one end through a clasp, fold the raw edge under and either sew or attach a rivet..  Do the same for the other end of the strap, checking first that you are happy with the length.  Make sure that the strap is not twisted.  

The strap can now be attached to the bag to make a shoulder bag or detached for a clutch bag.

Step 10: Adding the tassel

Make cuts in the fabric along one of the longer sides, stopping about ¼”/ 6mm from the top, so that it becomes fringed.

Wind the top round itself so that it will just fit inside the tassel cap.  Sew a stitch through the top of the tassel to hold it firmly in place. 

Glue it inside the tassel cap and wait for it to dry.

Attach it to the zip.  I used items from my jewellery making stash (small lobster clasp and ring) but you could just sew it to the zip.

Now you really have to go shopping to get used to your new bag and perhaps buy some treats to go in it (all in the course of research, of course).

In this project I learnt:

• All faux leathers vary.  This had a lovely woven texture on the back and, although I used a leather needle, I think it would have sewn well with an ordinary needle. However, my sewing machine hated stitching the 4 layer strap, yet it copes admirably with the same number of PVC layers.  I tried changing the foot, stitch length, etc but to no avail.  Some of the surface of the fabric was scraped off on the strap and the stitch length was all over the place. The feed dogs just hated it.  I had no problem with the sewing the rest of the bag because I had ‘normal’ fabric against the feed dogs.  I’ve come to the conclusion that my sewing machine just doesn’t appreciate class!

• I used magnetic clasps, D rings, swivel clasps and rivets.  They significantly add to the cost of a bag but they also make it look more professional.  It doesn’t matter how many items I buy, I never seem to have the right size when I need it.  There isn’t much choice in my local haberdashery stores, so it means being very organised and buying online.  I’ve been lucky that most of the hardware I’ve bought online has been great quality and I’ve now found some online shops that I’m happy to keep using.  The biggest problem is colour matching.  The grey zip I bought turned out to be much darker than I expected and I forgot to buy one for the internal pocket, so I had to use a black one from my stash.

• The tassel was an afterthought.  I spent a couple of days looking at the bag, knowing that there was something missing.  I decided on a tassel to give it a bit more visual appeal.  I had bought the end caps months ago, but never used them.  I soon worked out what to do and it only took about 10 minutes.  Probably one of the best spent 10 minutes this year! I love my tassel.

Bag #20: Faux Leather Wrist Bag

I have wanted a wrist bag for some time now.  I like to have my hands free when I'm out, so I tend to use a shoulder bag but this is an alternative.  I made this light-coloured bag for summer to use by itself or to slip into a tote bag to keep my valuables secure.  It would also look good in a sparkly fabric for evening use. It is just large enough for my purse and phone.

This style is very adaptable.  It could easily be made slightly larger for someone who likes to carry more of their life around with them.

I really like to use metal hardware on a bag.  It prevents it from looking homemade and is easy to use as long as you have the correct tools.

I used a leather needle and clipped rather than pinned to avoid leaving visible holes in the fabric (although I pinned in the seam allowance where I could).  I had a small amount of upholstery faux leather  which is thicker than the type of leather which would normally be used for bag making. As it was quite thick, I increased my stitch length to 3 (3.5 for top stitching). 

The finished size is approximately 9½" x 5½".

I top stitched around the bag after finishing to emphasise the shape.  If using a thinner fabric, I think piping would look good to make the shape stand out.

Skills used in this project:

• Using faux leather

• Using eyelets

• Using rivets

Step 1: Cutting out

Cut out the following pieces:

10" x 6" faux leather outer bag (cut 2)

10" x 6" bag lining (cut 2)

2" x 19" faux leather strap (cut 1)

2" x 4" thin faux leather (or other suitable fabric) zip tabs  (cut 2)

7" x 5" internal pocket lining (cut 2)

7" x 5" lightweight internal pocket interfacing (cut 2)

7" x 3" lightweight interfacing for reinforcing internal zip

To create the bottom curves in the faux leather and lining, draw round a tea plate

You will also need:

10" N5 zip

7" N3 zip

Large eyelet (I used 14mm)

9 mm shank rivet

Step 2: Making the internal pocket

Iron the interfacing to the wrong side of both internal pocket lining pieces.

Iron the 7" x 3" interfacing to the wrong side of one of the bag lining pieces.  The interfacing needs to be positioned centrally so that one 7" edge is resting against the top raw edge of the lining.

Pin one of the internal pocket linings onto the bag lining, right sides together with the top raw edges matching .   The pocket interfacing will be on top and the upper edges of the interfacing will match.

Using an erasable/soluble pen draw a rectangle onto the interfacing ½" x 5". I tend to use friction pens which disappear with the heat of an iron.  It should be 1" from each side of the interfacing and 1" from the top raw edge. 

Sew around this rectangle through the pocket lining, bag lining and both interfacings.

Draw a line along the centre of the rectangle and cut a slit in pocket lining and bag lining fabrics as shown in the photo, making sure not to cut the stitches. You will now have a slit like a letterbox.  Post the pocket lining through the letterbox and press flat.

Place the N3 zip on the pocket lining so that the right side shows through the letter box. The zip will be 1" longer at each end for ease of fitting.  Sew all round the zip, through the pocket lining, bag lining and interfacings.

Sew the other pocket lining to the one which has the zip in it around the sides and bottom, making sure not to sew the bag lining.

Sew both pocket pieces to the bag lining along the top edge. 

Step 3: Attaching the zip tabs for the outer zip

 

Fold zip tab half so that the short edges meet, ensuring that the wrong sides are together.

Fold each short edge under by ¼" and pin/clip.  Press if appropriate for the fabric you are using.

Place at tab at each end of the zip so that they fully cover the zip.  Sew across to secure. 

Trim the sides so that they are the same width as the zip.

Step 4: Attaching the outer zip

 

Lay out one of the faux leather bag sides, right side up.  Lay the zip across the straight long side with the right side of the zip facing the faux leather. The edge of the zip should match the raw edge of the fabric.  Place the lining, right side down over the same side of the zip to form a 'zip sandwich'.  Clip together, then sew.

Do the same on the other side of the zip with the faux leather and the other lining piece.

Top stitch through all layers on both sides of the zip, close to the edge – this gives a professional appearance. 

Step 5: Assembling the bag

Making sure that the zip is open, sew the two faux leather bag pieces together, right sides together.

Do the same for the lining pieces, but leave a 5" gap at the bottom for turning.

Clip around the curves or trim with pinking shears to ensure that the bag keeps its curvy shape.

Turn through and sew up the gap at the bottom of the lining by hand or machine. 

Top stitch on the outside of the bag from the zip, all the way round the curve and up to the other end of the zip to reinforce the bag's shape.

Step 6: Making the wrist strap

Fold the faux leather strap in half lenthways and then fold each side inwards so that it looks like bias binding.  Sew along the open edge.

 

Step 7: Adding the eyelet

Attach the eyelet to one of the top corners of the bag.  First make a hole through all layers of the fabric (kits come with the right size tool to do this), then position the top and bottom eyelet parts in place and secure by lightly hammering.

Step 8: Attaching the wrist strap

Thread the wrist strap through the eyelet and fold the other end of the strap so that they overlap by ½".  Secure both ends to the other side of the strap using a rivet.  First make a hole through all layers of the strap using a tailor's awl.  Place both parts of the rivet in place so that they meet and secure by lightly hammering.

 

Congratulation! Your bag is now finished. Fill it with only your absolute essentials, slip it over your wrist and use it when you have more important things to do with your hands than hold a bag. 

In this project I learnt:

• This faux leather was easy to sew with, but too thick to use for the zip tabs, as I learnt to my cost.  They just disappeared in a great mass of seams at the top corners.  I think they would work well using a faux leather meant for bag making.  If I used upholstery faux leather again, I would make the tabs out of cotton to give the bag a straighter, sharper to edge.

• Without top stitching around the bottom edge, the bag looked horrible and shapeless and I was very disappointed with the finished result.  I left it a few days and thought about what to do and then went back and top stitched all the way round.  This was just what was needed to give the bag definition.  I wish I had thought of it while making the bag as it would have been easier to do before the metal fittings were added. I am still very bad at top stitching around curves - I still get a wobbly irregular line no matter how hard I try.  I reduced my sewing machine's speed and took it really slowly but I think it might have been better if I had kept going rather than stopping and starting every few stitches.

• I have used eyelets and rivets in a couple of my other bags.  They are relatively straight forward to use but I find that each bag needs a different size or depth and I have to keep buying different ones.  It is fairly obvious what to do when attaching rivets but I always struggle with eyelets, never sure which way up each part goes.  I suppose the more I use them, the easier it will become.  I wasn't careful enough with these ones and banged a bit too hard leaving small dents.  I need to remember to use fabric, paper or card to protect the hardware as I was obviously a bit too rough!

Bag #9: Hands Free Bag

   

I wanted to make a small pouch for essentials which I could hang across my body and forget about.  I made it in this glamorous faux leather to make it more like an evening bag.  This is what I would take out for the evening if dancing or alcohol were involved - no more dancing round my handbag!  I wouldn’t have to worry about my valuables as I would be wearing them. The finished size is 6" across by 7".

This was very simple to make because the bag was made in one piece.  The only tricky part was topstitching along the second side of the zip.  It took a lot of concentration to make sure that I didn’t catch any other part of the lining as I sewed.  I love this bag so much that as soon as I have time, I'm going to make another in an everyday colour for daytime use.

I used ¼” seams throughout and my normal stitch length of 2.5 for seams and 3 for topstitching.

Skills used in this project:

• Working with faux leather
• Keeping it simple
• Using eyelets
• Using rivets

Step 1: Cutting out

From the faux leather, cut out:

6 ½” x 14 ½” Bag body (cut 1)

1 ½” x 2 ½” Zip tabs (cut 2)

2” x 48” strap (cut 1)

From the lining, cut out:

6 ½” x 14 ½” Bag body (cut 1)

From medium weight sew-in interfacing:

6 ½” x 14 ½” Bag body (cut 1)

Trimmings

2 rivets (I used 6 x 5 mm - about ¼" nickel rivets)

2 eyelets (I used a 14mm kit - about ⅝")

5” zip (I used an N5 zip cut to size but it was really a bit bulky for this small bag – N3 would be better)

½” x 15" binding or ribbon (this does not need to be cut on the bias)

Step 2: Inserting the zip

 Make the zip tabs by folding the tab fabric in half (narrow end to narrow end) and turning under the raw edges at the ends by ¼”.  Place a tab at each end of the zip, overlapping it by ½” and top stitch across making sure that both top and bottom of the tab are sewn.  The will make the zip really secure.  Do not pin the faux leather as this will leave visible marks – it is better to use clips to hold the fabric in place while sewing.  I use Clover Wonder Clips but any clip would do, even a hair clip.

  

Clip the interfacing to the wrong side of the faux leather bag body.  Clip one short end of the bag body/interfacing to the zip, right side of zip to right side of faux leather.  Place the lining on the other side of the zip and sew the zip in place along one edge. Top stitch along the right side of the fabric, through all layers to create a crisp edge along the side of the zip.

Sew the other end of the bag body to the zip in the same way, making sure that the fabric is not twisted. Top stitch along the edge of the zip making sure not to sew over any other part of the bag while doing so.

Step 3: Creating the bag

 

With right sides facing inwards, fold the bag so that the top edge of the zip is approximately 1½” from the top.  Make sure that the zip is partly open so that the bag can be turned through.  Sew along both side seams.  Sew binding or ribbon over the side seams to neaten. As these are straight seams rather than curved, it does not need to be bias binding – any strip of co-ordinating fabric or ribbon will do.  I used ribbon-type bias binding as I already had some in my stash that co-ordinated with the lining. Turn bag so that right side is facing out.

Step 4: Making the eyelets

Large eyelets need to be created in both corners at the top of the bag for attaching the strap.  Follow the instructions on the eyelet packaging.  I used a kit which contained a cutting tool to cut holes the right size for the eyelets.  This easily cut through all the layers of the bag, but as there were several layers, I had to do a fair bit of hammering. I then put the eyelet in the tool which came with the kit and hammered it until it was secure.

Step 5: Making the strap

 

Fold the faux leather strap fabric in half lengthways and then fold each side inwards so that it looks like bias binding. Sew along the long open edge so that the raw edges are hidden inside the strap. 

Pass one end of the strap through one of the eyelets, fold the raw edge at the end over and secure it with a rivet about 2” above the eyelet.  If you do not want to use rivets, sew the end of the strap securely in place.

I bought a rivet kit which contained a round anvil, cylindrical setter tool and rivets. Rivets come in various shapes and sizes. . I used double sided rivets but that isn't essential. 

You need to choose a rivet with a shank which is about the same length as the thickness of all the layers of the fabric it will have to go through.  I choose the smallest I could get as this fabric was quite thin despite the number of layers it had to go through.   First of all, you need to decide where you want the rivet to be and make a hole using a fabric punch or awl.  Rivets are in 2 parts.  Poke the part with the long shank through the hole you have just made from the right side of the strap. The end of the shank needs to be long enough to pass all the way through but only just otherwise it won't fit tight. Fit the other part over the shank.  Place the 'good' end on the anvil and, using the setting tool over the other end, hammer the two parts of the rivet together.  It is recommended that you use a special hammer but I used a normal hammer and was happy with the results.

At the other end of the strap, insert a slider so that the strap length can be adjusted.  A slider isn’t essential, but without it, the strap will not be adjustable so you will have to try it on and decide how long you want it to be. 

To attach the slider, make sure the strap isn't twisted and then attach the slider so that the bar across the middle is on the rear of the strap.  Pass the end of the strap through the eyelet, over the top of the bar and down so that the raw edge will be hidden between the two parts of the strap.  

Secure the end with a rivet which will only go through the back and turned under end of the strap (not through the front part) or by sewing. 

In this project I learnt:

• Faux leather is a description that can be applied to a wide variety of fabrics which vary enormously.  When buying online, it can be very hard to know what you will actually be getting. I originally planned to use wadding because the faux leather seemed quite thin, but it was too bulky and I swapped it for interfacing.  The faux leather had a woven backing and was quite thin and flexible, making it easy to sew.  The eyelet cutter easily cut through all the layers at the same time, but faux leathers vary enormously.  A thicker one would have to be cut in stages and wouldn’t really need an interfacing. The faux leather was easy to work with, the only problem being that I couldn’t use pins as these would have left permanent holes.  Instead I used my Clover wonder clips which always do a magnificent job.

• Using large eyelets through several layers of fabric requires practise. The trick with the eyelets was making sure that the eyelet hole was cut cleanly.  I practised on some scraps of fabric and didn’t use enough pressure. I tried again and the second cut wasn’t in exactly the same position.  I ended up with an oval shape and when I inserted the eyelet, part of the hole was visible at the edge.  I made sure that, when I made the bag, I didn’t make this mistake again.

• Rivets come in lots of different shapes and sizes. I tried to use a fabric hole punch to make holes for the rivets but I hadn’t realised that they don’t work on woven fabrics and this had a woven backing.  Instead, I used a fabric awl to pierce a hole through all the layers of the strap and then fitted the rivet and hammered it in place. I didn’t realise that rivets come in many sizes.  The most important thing is to choose rivets with a shank depth that matches the thickness of the fabric.  If they are too small, then they won’t lock into place and if they are too big, they will be loose and wobble around. 

• Keeping it simple and uncomplicated is worth the effort and I think I'm improving at this (and improving is the whole point of this year's challenge).  This was another attempt at making a simple bag.  I thought about putting in several zips and creating pockets on both sides, but it was more of a challenge to keep the clean lines and instructions to minimum.  I'm very happy with the way it turned out.  Now I'd like to make one is a less dramatic colour for everyday use.