Bag tutorial

To make these bags, I used strips from Pure by Sweetwater.   Each 3 strips will make 2 bags.  I am making 8 bags as Christmas gifts so I have an assemble line going!


Step 1:  Cut your jelly roll strips in half (roughly 22 inches long) and put together combinations that you find pleasing.  I made each bag so the top strip had the words.

Step 2: For each bag, sew together 3 of the 22 inch strips. Then cut in half to form the front and back of the back.  Each piece is now roughly 6 1/2 in by 11 inch.   Press.   Layer for quilting.  I used solids for the back which will become the inside of the bag.

Step 3: Quilt!   I did loops on some, basic stipple on the other.  These make for good free motion practice opportunities so have some fun!  Trim excess.

Step 4: Prepare the zipper.  You could choose to connect the zipper directly but I decided to make a casing for the zipper to make the finished bag look more professional.   To do this, I cut another jelly roll strip in half lengthwise and then sewed a 1 1/4 in x 7 in strip of fabric (right sides together) to the zipper sides

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When that was done, I sewed a small rectangle to the top and the bottom.  See my pretty stack of zippers!

Step 5: Attach the zipper to each side of the bag by sewing right sides together.   Shown below is a front and back view.  

Step 6: Right sides together, lining up the seams of your 3 strips, sew around the bag on 3 sides.  Important tip- OPEN THE ZIPPER a bit before you sew the 3 sides!    I finish off the edges with a zigzag stitch all around.  

One bag all done - only 7 more to go!!!

I am making these as holiday gifts for each of my sisters and sister in law.

I'd love to hear from you - please comment and let me know what you think of my very first tutorial.  I also posted this at Sew and Tell.

Happy Stitching!