How to Sew an Evening Bag

An evening bag is just the thing to finish off a formal dress. You can buy a formal clutch or you can sew one of your own and save quite a bit of money. This simple envelope-style bag is easy to make.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric
• Lining fabric
• Iron-on interfacing
• 8½-by-11-inch paper
• Scissors
• Steam iron
• Ironing board
• Thread
• Sewing machine
• Snap or closure
• Piece of cardboard

Instructions

1. Decide how big you would like your evening bag to be. Generally you want it big enough for your lipstick, your cell phone and a credit card.

2. Purchase your fabric. The outside can be velvet, damask, sequined or whatever type of fabric that goes with your evening outfit. The lining fabric can be a matching cotton or nylon material. Also purchase iron-on interfacing.

3. Create a pattern from a piece of 8½-by-11-inch paper. Fold the paper in thirds as if you were putting it into an envelope. Cut any width you want off the 11-inch side of the paper. You can leave the paper as it is if you wish, but the finished bag may be a bit floppy. Unfold the paper.

4. Cut the 3 pieces of fabric all the same size. Apply the iron-on interfacing to the back of the lining fabric according to the package directions.

5. Put the lining and outer fabrics right sides together. Stitch them together with a ¼-inch seam. Leave a two-inch opening on one of the long sides. Turn the evening bag right side out. Work the corners out. When you've turned the corners out, turn the bag wrong sice (lining) out.

6. Fold the evening bag into thirds. Sew the lower two thirds together on both sides with another ¼-inch seam. Turn the bag right side out.

7. Sew a snap closure under the flap and on the front of the bag. If you wish, you can insert a piece of cardboard cut from a box inside the evening bag to give it a bit of stiffness.