Cross-body messenger bag – PLUS you can win this one!

036It’s a little past “back-to-school” time, but not too late to carry books in style! This tutorial will walk you through a cute messenger bag with a wide, cross-body strap and pockets. I used heavier fabric with a linen feel. I also recommend our Premier Prints line, which is mostly 7 oz. cotton duck that’s great for bags and has lots of fun prints.

This cute bag’s print would be really fun for a young woman or girl. It’s our Text Me Natural fabric, featuring text message lingo. It’s lined with a zebra print. We are giving this particular bag away to one lucky reader! To enter to win, please leave a comment below. I’ll pick a winner on Wednesday, Oct. 30. Drawing will close at 10 a.m. MDT. Check out the bottom of the post for more photos of the bag. — Contest closed — winner is Vicki T!

 

 

 

 

Supplies

Text Me Natural
Text Me Natural
Little Tiger Black / Natural
Little Tiger Black / Natural
Peltex
Peltex
Craft Fuse
Craft Fuse
Magnetic snap
Magnetic snap
Zipper
Zipper

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had 1 yard of each 54″ fabric, and that was plenty. One yard of Craft Fuse (because the strap is pretty long. The strap is 37″, but if the interfacing is 1″ short, it doesn’t matter). 1-1/2 yards of fusible Peltex (a very stiff interfacing that’s great for bags). One magnetic snap and one small zipper. I used a 6″ zipper, but it really could range from 6-10″.

 

Pattern

1/2″ seam allowances throughout.

Make pattern pieces in the following sizes:

Strap: 3″x37″
Flap: 14″x13.5″ (WxH — I added just a touch to the width here compared to the sample shown in the photos because I felt the flap could be a bit wider).
Sides: 18″x16″ (WxH) with 2″ squares cut from each bottom corner (used to box the corners and create a flat bottom).
Outer pocket: 18″x8″ (WxH)

From each pattern piece, cut two pieces — one each from the lining fabric and the outer fabric.
From the Peltex, also cut two Side pieces and one Flap piece.
From the Craft Fuse, also cut one Strap piece and one Outer Pocket piece.

OPTIONAL ZIPPER POCKET:

You will also cut two pieces of fabric and two pieces of Craft Fuse or lighter interfacing for your optional zipper pocket if you choose to do one. The exact size will depend on the size of your zipper. Your pocket will be larger than your zipper. I used a 6″ zipper and made my pocket pieces the size of a regular sheet of paper (8.5″x11″). The actual size of the fabric can be anything you want, as long as it’s wider than your zipper. I will guide you through that.

Process

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First, mark lines on your Peltex about 3/8″-1/2″ from the edge. Cut on those lines to remove the bulk from the seam allowances.

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Fuse your Peltex to the Side and Flap pieces (the pieces cut from your “outer” fabric).

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Fuse your Craft Fuse to the strap and pocket pieces. Then, with right-sides together, sew the strap along the long edges, but not the short edges.

Sewing tip: Sew with the interfaced piece on top. It feeds better and avoids the little tucks that you get when you have the thinner fabric piece on top.

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Turn it right side out. This can be a slow process. Just be patient and keep working it little by little. Then press it smooth and top-stitch.

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Sew your outer pocket together with right-sides together, ONLY along the top and bottom edges. Turn it right-side out and press. Then top-stitch the top edge.

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Place your pocket on the BACK outer Side piece. It will reach from side to side, and you can choose how far up from the bottom to place it. I put mine several inches up from the cutout. Stitch along the bottom edge and sides. In the center, mark a few lines an inch or just more than an inch apart and stitch from bottom edge to top, forming pen/pencil slots. I left the rest of the pocket alone to form two large pockets on either side of the pencil slots.

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On the flap piece that will face inward (cut from lining fabric), attach one side of your magnetic snap (see this tutorial for help). Use a little piece of interfacing to secure it. I placed mine 2″ up from the bottom, in the center.

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Here it is from the right side.

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Pin your flap pieces together, right-sides facing, and sew with a 1/2″ seam allowance — only along the sides and bottom. If you’re using a directional print, make sure the open side is at the top of the print.

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Turn it right-side out and press. Then top stitch around the edges (not shown).

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Here it is from the back.

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Baste your flap piece along its raw edge to the back Side piece of your bag (the one with the pocket). Make sure the “inside” of the flap is facing up, because later this will flip over and face down.

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Attach the other magnetic snap to the front Side piece. I placed mine 5-7/8″ from the bottom, centered on the bag from side to side.

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If you’d like to add a zipper pocket to the outside of the bag, use this tutorial to do so.

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Like I mentioned in the Pattern section above, I used a 6″ zipper and two pieces of fabric the size of a regular sheet of printer paper (8-1/2″x11″).

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Here it is from the outside.

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A glimpse inside.

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Right-sides together, pin your Side pieces together and stitch along the sides and bottom. Don’t stitch where the cutouts are.

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It’s ideal if you just barely catch the Peltex in the stitching so that it’s secured to the fabric, yet doesn’t bulk up the seam allowances.

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To box the corners, open the squares and line up the bottom seam of the bag with the side seam of the bag on either side. Stitch across the edge.

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Turn the outer bag right-side out, and you’ll have this.

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Sew together the lining of the bag in the same way as the outer bag, but leave several inches along the bottom edge to turn the bag through in a few minutes.

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Secure the straps to the bag. Place the side you want showing on TOP of the strap (when wearing the bag) facedown on the sides of the bag. Center the straps over the side seams and baste in place. In my example, I want the tiger stripe to be showing when wearing the bag, so I placed that facedown.

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Leave the lining inside out and place the outer bag inside of the lining. Line up the side seams and pin the top edges together. Stitch all the way around the top edge.

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Turn the bag right-side out through the hole in the lining. Turn under the seam allowance of the hole in the lining and pin. Stitch closed (I just top-stitch it. If you want a less-apparent seam, you can slip-stitch by hand).

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Push the lining in and press the top edge of the bag so it’s nice and neat. The Peltex might make the seam pop apart a bit, so I pinned mine to keep it in place. Then top-stitch around the top edge of the bag.

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All finished!

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Other views

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5 Replies to “Cross-body messenger bag – PLUS you can win this one!”

  1. Oh my gosh! I LOVE that fabric. What a fun bag. Thank you for the chance to show it off on my shoulder.

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