Tutorial for How to Quilt a Handbag

Make a quilted handbag with neutral colors for a fall fashion accessory.

You can make a handbag from scratch using small squares of your favorite fabric for a colorful fashion accessory. You can customize the size of the bag to your personal preference and use regular canvas straps or embellish the handbag with ribbon or beaded straps for some extra flair. Make the quilted handbag for yourself or show off your quilting skills and give the handbag to a friend.

Things You'll Need

• Small pieces of fabric (about 1 yard altogether)
• Lining fabric
• Sewing needle
• Thread
• Canvas strapping
• Velcro

Instructions

1. Cut the squares for your handbag. For a handbag that is about 12 inches wide by 18 inches long, cut 48 squares that are each 3-inches square. Use different colored, patterned or textured fabrics for the quilt.

2. Arrange the squares on your working surface in the pattern you would like them to appear on the handbag. Form a rectangle with the fabric squares that measures 4 squares wide by 12 squares long.

3. Use a whipstitch to sew the squares together to make one large rectangle that measures about 12 inches wide by 36 inches long.

4. Cut a piece of lining fabric for the handbag. Make the lining fabric 12 inches wide by 36 inches long.

5. Place the lining fabric on top of the joined squares with the good sides facing inward. Sew along all four sides, leaving a 3-inch wide gap in one of the seam lines.

6. Turn the fabric right side out by reaching into the gap and inverting the fabric through the hole.

7. Fold the purse in half lengthwise with the quilted fabric facing inward. Pin the side seams together and sew. Leave the 12-inch side opposite the fold. This is the top of the purse.

8. Turn the purse right side out, with the lining fabric now on the inside.

9. Cut two 24-inch long pieces of canvas strapping. Pin one piece to the inside of the opening on the front of the purse. Pin one end to the far left interior of the purse and one to the far right. Pin the ends of the other piece of strapping to the far left and right of the interior of the back of the purse. Sew the strapping to the purse.

10. Cut a 1 ½-inch by 4-inch piece of Velcro and sew it to the front inside center near the top of the purse. Cut and sew the corresponding piece of Velcro to the back inside center, opposite the first piece.

References

• Quilting 101: How to Make a Quilt
• Oz Country Quilting Mum: Basic 15 minute quilted bag tutorial
• PS I Quilt: Friendship Bag Tutorial

Resources

• Fiber Image: Hand Sewing Stitches