How to Sew a bag for Mothers Day

My mom got this really cool fabric a few years ago to make a bag and never got around to it. This year, I decided to finish it for her for mothers day and enter it in the mothers day sewing contest. My mom likes to carry everything and the kitchen sink with her in her purse so I knew it had to be big, but you can make this bag any size. It would also be a great book bag or overnight bag and looks awesome with a really bold print because of its simple design.

*Note: When I refer to the "right" side the fabric, that is the side that will be visible when you have completed your project. The "wrong" side is the side that will not be seen.



This is my first instructable so any feedback would be greatly appreciated! Also, feel free to contact me with any questions about this project :)

Step 1 Gather your materials

You will need enough fabric for the size of bag you want to make. The bag I made was about 13" by 18" by 9" but this is a great project to use up that really cool fabric that looks awesome but you really don't know what to do with. You will need:

Enough fabric for the bag
The same amount of a different fabric for the liner
webbing or ribbon for the handles
scissors
pins
measuring device
thread
pen or pencil
sewing machine (you could also do this with a needle and thread if you wanted but it would take longer)
an iron
Optional-buttons or snaps if you want to add them.

Comments

[kyrie]

I'm having a hard time with this - I've gotten as far as all my pieces cut out & ready to pin & sew (I'm a newbie). When I try to pin the fabric, I seem to have a hard time with the corners of the side panels. Is there some trick to this??
I really appreciate any help - and this instructable!

[Calorie]

I think it is perfect how it is. Nice job.

[Danger is my middle name]

Thanks!

[macrumpton]

Nice looking bag! The one change I would make would be to make one pocket each  on the narrow side panels (Good for cell/wallet) and get rid of the one on the side.

[Danger is my middle name]

That would be really useful!  I just added the one pocket on the outside that fits a cell phone for to make it simple and easy.  More pockets of different sizes could easily be added using the same technique :)
I'm planning some more intructables soon, so if people want, maybe I'll post a bag with more pockets or something :)
Thanks for the feedback!

[b1russell]

How sweet of you to do your mom's project - life gets in the way of too many things we want to do, especially for ourselves! And it looks really great, too. But I gotta tell you, when my kids were little (I have three boys!) I had one of these everything-fits bags. My night-school classmates had a lot of fun trying to come up with stuff that WASN'T in my bag, and we all cracked up when someone asked for the kitchen sink - I pulled out a mini wet-wipes box! LOL Seriously, what a lovely Mother's Day gift to give!

[DebH57]

Congratulations Danger!

[Danger is my middle name]

thank you!

[end3v0r]

YOU'RE AWESOME!!!

[Danger is my middle name]

wow, thanks! haha

[Susan C. Wilson]

I love the design and fabric, Celeste! Are you making any to sell?? S. Wilson

[Danger is my middle name]

I be more than happy to make one for you! Of course, now you know how to make them too, haha :)

[SHIFT!]

That's lovely, I adore the pattern of the bag.

[Danger is my middle name]

Thank you! It was a home decor remnant and I have tons of it left, so stay tuned for many more projects featuring the same fabric, haha