How to Make a Slouch Bag

Sometimes you need the practicality of a bag that is bigger than your purse but smaller than a tote bag to carry the miscellaneous necessities of your day. Make a slouch bag to provide that organizational assistance. A slouch bag has a conveniently long strap of a shoulder purse, but the roomy appeal of a tote bag. It is the perfect size to carry your purse in, or to eliminate the need for a purse altogether.

Things You'll Need

• 3/4-yard outer fabric
• 1/2-yard lining fabric
• Measuring tape
• Scissors
• Straight pins
• Sewing machine
• Iron
• Hand-sewing needle and thread

Instructions

1. Cut two, 15-inch squares from the outer fabric and two, 15-inch squares from the lining fabric. Cut one strip, 4 inches wide by 26 inches long from the outer fabric. This is the handle strap.

2. Place the two outer fabric squares together with the right sides facing. Pin three edges together for the sides and bottom of the bag. Sew the pinned edges using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Repeat with the lining squares, leaving a 4-inch opening in the center of the lining's bottom edge.

3. Open the outer bag. Lay one side seam over the bottom seam with the right sides together. This will form a triangle at the corner. Measure down from the point of the triangle 2 inches and pin. Sew across the pinned bottom of the triangle. Repeat on the other corner and the corners of the lining bag. Cut off the triangles a 1/4 inch from the seam.

4. Lay the fabric strip for the handle strap wrong side up on your ironing surface. Fold the strip in half matching the long raw edges. Iron the fold to crease. Open the strip. Fold the long raw edges to the center crease and iron. Fold the new long edges together, sandwiching the raw edges in between. Iron and pin the edges together. Sew the pinned edges as close to the edge as possible.

5. Turn the outer bag right side out. Pin the handle ends to the top of each side seam. The handle will be upside down, hanging against the outside of the bag.

6. Insert the right-side-out outer bag inside the wrong-side-out lining bag. Match the side seams and top edges. Pin the top edge, sandwiching the handle in between. Sew around the top edge using a 1/4-inch seam allowance.

7. Turn the slouch bag right side out through the opening in the lining bag. Hand sew the lining opening closed.

8. Iron the slouch bag. Top stitch around the top edge of the bag a 1/4 inch from the edge.