Sewing Lesson: Faux Crocodile Purse 113 12/2015
1
Nov
"This" large shopper purse is made out of a chic imitation leather crocodile material. In side, there is a fixed stitched pocket and a detachable clutch, which can also be hooked on to the outside of the bag.
Before I started here at BurdaStyle I actually worked in a custom purse and bag making shop for a couple years and learned how to sew all types of different purses. I have since strayed more into making clothes but the occasional purse project is very nostalgic to me.
Refer to "the pattern’s store page" here for specific fabric yardage and notion requirements.
This is a draft-it-yourself pattern, and you will find all the piece measurements in the PDF instructions
Draft all of your pattern pieces, and cut out of your fabric before beginning.
Notes on working with imitation leather:
Stitch seams with regular sewing _thread and a machine needle size suited to the thickness of your imitation leather. Use pins especially designed for imitation leather since the holes left by regular pins are permanent. _These special pins may still _leave _visible holes in heavier leather or imitation leather. In this case, _paper clips can be used to hold seams and edges. Avoid unpicking seams. Stitch at a medium stitch setting. Stitches which are too short may cause the leather to tear. If your sewing machine does not transport the leather properly, use a Teflon-coated presser foot or stitch over a piece of tissue paper which is torn away after stitching. Press imitation leather from the wrong side under a dry pressing cloth, at moderate heat and without steam. Test-iron on a scrap of your imitation leather.
Step 1- Vilene Bias Tape/stay tape: On each bag piece a, use tailor's chalk to mark facing fold line on one narrow edge, spaced 9.5 cm (3_ ins) from edge.
Step 1a- Iron Vilene Bias Tape/stay tape to wrong sides of _pieces a, b, and g. On pieces a, the line of chain stitch must lie exactly on _facing fold line. On pieces b, iron tape along one narrow edge of each = upper bag edge; on piece g, iron tape along one long edge = _upper opening edge.
Step 2- Iron pelmet interfacing in place: Iron interfacing pieces to wrong _sides of bag pieces a (only up to _facing fold line), side bag pieces b, and bottom piece c, leaving seam allow_ances without interfacing (2). Important: Please read the manu_facturer‘s ironing instructions for the interfacing. Test-iron on a scrap of fabric first.
Step 3- Sew the bag, side bag pieces: On each side bag piece b, turn allow_ances on one narrow edge to inside and pin in place. Lay side bag pieces on one bag piece a, right _sides facing, matching one long edge of each and _matching lower bag edges. S_titch _side bag pieces in place, seam allow_ance width = 1 cm (_ in). Stitch second bag piece a to remaining long edges of both side bag pieces in the same manner. Turn allow_ances on upper side bag edges to _inside and pin in place. Then turn allow_ances of seams toward bag pieces a and press.
Step 3a- With buttonhole thread and working from the outer side, topstitch bag _pieces a close to seams, beginning at upper edges of side bag pieces. Use a long straight stitch (stitch length: 4 – 5 mm / approx. _/__ in). Leave thread ends hanging, thread into a needle, pull to inside, and knot together with bobbin _threads. Turn bag right side out.
Step 4- Set in bottom: Pin one long edge of bottom piece c to _lower edge of one bag piece a, right sides facing – al_lowances on narrow edges of bottom extend. Stitch bottom in place, beginning and ending exactly at corner.
Step 4a- Turn bag wrong side out. Stitch _second long edge of bottom to _second bag piece in same manner. On side bag pieces, clip lower seam allowances 1 cm (_ in) deep, directly next to seams.
Step 4b- Pin narrow edges of bottom to side bag pieces, right sides facing. Stitch, beginning and ending exactly at corners. Turn bag right side out.
Step 5- _Inside pocket: On front inside pocket piece g, press interfaced long edge to wrong side, 1.5 cm (_ in) wide. Working from outer side, topstitch 1 cm (_ in) below fold edge = upper opening edge. Lay front _pocket piece on back pocket piece f, with wrong side facing right side and matching side and _lower edges. Edgestitch side and lower edges of front pocket piece in place.
Step 6- _Attachment band: Lay strips i together, wrong sides _facing. Edgestitch together along long edges. Fold one end of resulting band through D-ring of snap-hook and stitch end in place.
Sew lining:
Lay side bag lining pieces b on one _lining piece a, right _sides facing, matching one long edge of each and matching lower edge. Stitch side bag _lining pieces in place, beginning or ending at lower edge, 1 cm (_ in) before edge. Stitch second lining _piece a to remaining long edges of side bag lining pieces in same manner. Press seam allowances open. Set in bottom lining piece as described in steps 4, 4a, and 4b, omitting clipping the seam allowances. Press upper lining edge to inside, 1 cm (_ in) wide.
Step 7- _Sew lining in bag: Use tailor's chalk or vanishing _marker to mark facing fold lines and seam allowances on right fabric side of upper bag edges; the facing fold lines are 9.5 cm (3_ ins) from edges.
Step 7a- On one lining piece and on the inside pocket, mark the upper centres with straight pins. Lay inside _pocket on lining, matching centres and matching upper edges. Pin _pocket in place. Pin lining with inside pocket to upper edge of one bag piece, with wrong side facing right side – upper lining edge meets marked seam allowance line. Edge_stitch lining with inside pocket in place, tying off ends of stitching with backstitching.
Step 8- Stitch lining to opposite inside facing edge in _same manner. Push lining into bag, with wrong sides facing. Fold self-_facings to inside, along marked _facing fold lines. Pin facing folds.
Step 8a- Pin open end of attachment band to one bag side _piece of main fabric, centered exactly, and stitch in place. On side bag pieces, pin upper edges of main fabric and lining together and edgestitch together with buttonhole thread. Also use buttonhole thread to topstitch close to upper and _side edges of bag pieces. Leave thread ends hanging, thread into a needle, pull inside, and hide.
Step 9- Handles: Press long edges of each handle to wrong side, 1 cm (_ in) wide. Fold each handle lengthwise, wrong side facing edge, so that pressed-under edges meet exactly. Top_stitch handle close to all edges, thereby stitching open long edge closed.
Step 10- Pin ends of each handle to bag, spaced 8 cm (3_ ins) from side bag edges and 5 cm (2 ins) from upper bag edge. With buttonhole thread, sew handles in place by hand or by machine.
Step 11- Clutch: Pin facing strips k to beginning and end of zip, with wrong side facing right _side, and edgestitch in place, with buttonhole thread.
Step 12- Pin one narrow edge of clutch piece e to zip tape, with wrong side facing right _side and spaced 3 mm (_ in) from teeth of zip. Edgestitch clutch piece to zip.
Step 13- Stitch opposite narrow edge to second zip tape in same manner, turning the wrong side out to do so. Pin side clutch edges together, wrong side facing in, and edgestitch together, with button_hole thread.
Step 14- Run zip-pull piece j through slider. Stitch ends of pull _piece together, laying toward the _side to do so. Secure pull-tag with a few stitches by hand. Insert eyelet in corner, near end of zip, through all fabric layers. To attach the eyelet, following the manufacturer's instructions. Attach the clutch to the shopper, with the snap-hook.
If you want to sew this purse pattern not in imitation or real leather make sure you use a heavy fabric like canvas and use double interfacing! Also get creative and use hardware on your purse like D-rings and studs.
Happy Sewing!
Meg
Draft all of your pattern pieces, and cut out of your fabric before beginning.
Notes on working with imitation leather:
Stitch seams with regular sewing _thread and a machine needle size suited to the thickness of your imitation leather. Use pins especially designed for imitation leather since the holes left by regular pins are permanent. _These special pins may still _leave _visible holes in heavier leather or imitation leather. In this case, _paper clips can be used to hold seams and edges. Avoid unpicking seams. Stitch at a medium stitch setting. Stitches which are too short may cause the leather to tear. If your sewing machine does not transport the leather properly, use a Teflon-coated presser foot or stitch over a piece of tissue paper which is torn away after stitching. Press imitation leather from the wrong side under a dry pressing cloth, at moderate heat and without steam. Test-iron on a scrap of your imitation leather.
Step 1- Vilene Bias Tape/stay tape: On each bag piece a, use tailor's chalk to mark facing fold line on one narrow edge, spaced 9.5 cm (3_ ins) from edge.
Step 1a- Iron Vilene Bias Tape/stay tape to wrong sides of _pieces a, b, and g. On pieces a, the line of chain stitch must lie exactly on _facing fold line. On pieces b, iron tape along one narrow edge of each = upper bag edge; on piece g, iron tape along one long edge = _upper opening edge.
Step 2- Iron pelmet interfacing in place: Iron interfacing pieces to wrong _sides of bag pieces a (only up to _facing fold line), side bag pieces b, and bottom piece c, leaving seam allow_ances without interfacing (2). Important: Please read the manu_facturer‘s ironing instructions for the interfacing. Test-iron on a scrap of fabric first.
Step 3- Sew the bag, side bag pieces: On each side bag piece b, turn allow_ances on one narrow edge to inside and pin in place. Lay side bag pieces on one bag piece a, right _sides facing, matching one long edge of each and _matching lower bag edges. S_titch _side bag pieces in place, seam allow_ance width = 1 cm (_ in). Stitch second bag piece a to remaining long edges of both side bag pieces in the same manner. Turn allow_ances on upper side bag edges to _inside and pin in place. Then turn allow_ances of seams toward bag pieces a and press.
Step 3a- With buttonhole thread and working from the outer side, topstitch bag _pieces a close to seams, beginning at upper edges of side bag pieces. Use a long straight stitch (stitch length: 4 – 5 mm / approx. _/__ in). Leave thread ends hanging, thread into a needle, pull to inside, and knot together with bobbin _threads. Turn bag right side out.
Step 4- Set in bottom: Pin one long edge of bottom piece c to _lower edge of one bag piece a, right sides facing – al_lowances on narrow edges of bottom extend. Stitch bottom in place, beginning and ending exactly at corner.
Step 4a- Turn bag wrong side out. Stitch _second long edge of bottom to _second bag piece in same manner. On side bag pieces, clip lower seam allowances 1 cm (_ in) deep, directly next to seams.
Step 4b- Pin narrow edges of bottom to side bag pieces, right sides facing. Stitch, beginning and ending exactly at corners. Turn bag right side out.
Step 5- _Inside pocket: On front inside pocket piece g, press interfaced long edge to wrong side, 1.5 cm (_ in) wide. Working from outer side, topstitch 1 cm (_ in) below fold edge = upper opening edge. Lay front _pocket piece on back pocket piece f, with wrong side facing right side and matching side and _lower edges. Edgestitch side and lower edges of front pocket piece in place.
Step 6- _Attachment band: Lay strips i together, wrong sides _facing. Edgestitch together along long edges. Fold one end of resulting band through D-ring of snap-hook and stitch end in place.
Sew lining:
Lay side bag lining pieces b on one _lining piece a, right _sides facing, matching one long edge of each and matching lower edge. Stitch side bag _lining pieces in place, beginning or ending at lower edge, 1 cm (_ in) before edge. Stitch second lining _piece a to remaining long edges of side bag lining pieces in same manner. Press seam allowances open. Set in bottom lining piece as described in steps 4, 4a, and 4b, omitting clipping the seam allowances. Press upper lining edge to inside, 1 cm (_ in) wide.
Step 7- _Sew lining in bag: Use tailor's chalk or vanishing _marker to mark facing fold lines and seam allowances on right fabric side of upper bag edges; the facing fold lines are 9.5 cm (3_ ins) from edges.
Step 7a- On one lining piece and on the inside pocket, mark the upper centres with straight pins. Lay inside _pocket on lining, matching centres and matching upper edges. Pin _pocket in place. Pin lining with inside pocket to upper edge of one bag piece, with wrong side facing right side – upper lining edge meets marked seam allowance line. Edge_stitch lining with inside pocket in place, tying off ends of stitching with backstitching.
Step 8- Stitch lining to opposite inside facing edge in _same manner. Push lining into bag, with wrong sides facing. Fold self-_facings to inside, along marked _facing fold lines. Pin facing folds.
Step 8a- Pin open end of attachment band to one bag side _piece of main fabric, centered exactly, and stitch in place. On side bag pieces, pin upper edges of main fabric and lining together and edgestitch together with buttonhole thread. Also use buttonhole thread to topstitch close to upper and _side edges of bag pieces. Leave thread ends hanging, thread into a needle, pull inside, and hide.
Step 9- Handles: Press long edges of each handle to wrong side, 1 cm (_ in) wide. Fold each handle lengthwise, wrong side facing edge, so that pressed-under edges meet exactly. Top_stitch handle close to all edges, thereby stitching open long edge closed.
Step 10- Pin ends of each handle to bag, spaced 8 cm (3_ ins) from side bag edges and 5 cm (2 ins) from upper bag edge. With buttonhole thread, sew handles in place by hand or by machine.
Step 11- Clutch: Pin facing strips k to beginning and end of zip, with wrong side facing right _side, and edgestitch in place, with buttonhole thread.
Step 12- Pin one narrow edge of clutch piece e to zip tape, with wrong side facing right _side and spaced 3 mm (_ in) from teeth of zip. Edgestitch clutch piece to zip.
Step 13- Stitch opposite narrow edge to second zip tape in same manner, turning the wrong side out to do so. Pin side clutch edges together, wrong side facing in, and edgestitch together, with button_hole thread.
Step 14- Run zip-pull piece j through slider. Stitch ends of pull _piece together, laying toward the _side to do so. Secure pull-tag with a few stitches by hand. Insert eyelet in corner, near end of zip, through all fabric layers. To attach the eyelet, following the manufacturer's instructions. Attach the clutch to the shopper, with the snap-hook.
If you want to sew this purse pattern not in imitation or real leather make sure you use a heavy fabric like canvas and use double interfacing! Also get creative and use hardware on your purse like D-rings and studs.
Happy Sewing!
Meg
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