Amy Butler's Style Stitches: 12 Easy Ways to 26 Wonderful Bags (2 page)

You’re going out into the world with your latest creation—what will it be? Everyone will notice two things about your bag: its shape and its fabrics. Fabrics have attitude! Exciting, sophisticated, quiet, graceful, confident, and sometimes wild. You’ll want different fabrics for different moods and different uses. Different bags will show the world the many wonderful facets of your personality and unstoppable creativity.

I am a fabric designer, too. You might agree with me that the best part of designing a new bag is deciding which fabrics to use. You’ll have practical things to consider as well. For example, can you use certain weight fabrics for different styles and sizes of bags? Do you want Home Dec weight versus quilting and/or fashion weight? Can you combine vintage fabric with new fabric? Some vintage fabrics may be too fragile for a heavily used shopper. Proper interfacings and good technique in hems and seams are always needed, but they can’t help worn or deteriorating fabric thread. I would suggest using common sense, except that I readily eschew common sense if the fabric is just too fantastic! Besides, you can always get creative and sew a sturdy lining or an extra panel to reinforce your grandmother’s prom dress turned new shoulder bag.

If you’re new to sewing, choosing fabrics can be an overwhelming prospect. No worries! Here are some rules of thumb to keep in mind before you select and buy fabrics, and some tips for preparation and care before you start sewing:

• Carefully read the Materials List for your project and make sure you have an understanding of the type of weight fabric you’ll need to use. Keep in mind that you can adjust interfacing amounts to achieve your desired thickness, sturdiness, and weight. If you are repurposing vintage materials, be sure to use fabric pieces that are still in good shape: no worn spots or weak areas.

• If you are working with a fabric with a directional print, be sure to purchase enough yardage to allow for matching up repeats in the fabric and to keep the designs all going in the same direction on the various parts of your project.

• As for color and pattern selection, always follow your instincts. You want to work with prints that you love, Love, LOVE! You’ll be investing a good amount of time in your project, so have fun and combine surprising colors and designs.

• Be sensitive to texture, fiber, and weight differences. Make sure you are combining compatible fabrics. For example, avoid mixing lightweight, airy cottons with big, heavy wools; the dramatically different textures and weights will diminish the quality of your project, plus these fabrics have different washing needs. If you stay roughly within the same weight, fiber family, or texture, you’ll be good to go. You can successfully marry a lighter-weight cotton to a heavier cotton providing you add additional interfacing to the lighter-weight fabric so it is balanced with the heavier material.

• It is important to prewash all of your materials before you start sewing to ensure you’ll have correct measurements with your fabric cuts. Most cottons and linens can be machine washed in cold water on a gentle cycle. Dry in a warm but not-too-hot dryer. Some shrinkage with most fabrics is absolutely normal. The materials lists in this book accommodate this fluctuation.

• If you are working with a vintage material, take a bit more care and caution when washing it. Most cottons can be washed cold on a gentle cycle. If your fabric hasn’t been exposed to water in a while, soak it in cold water for a day or so to rehydrate the fibers before you clean it. If the fabric seems too fragile to go in the washing machine, yet you just have to use it, hand wash the material in warm water with a mild, phosphate-free soap; gently rinse; and let air dry.

Embellishment is part of the fun and personality inherent in your design. Just the right splash of color on a button or the perfect texture fringe can transform your finished piece. Keep your eyes peeled at antique shops, garage sales, flea markets, and fabric stores for vintage ribbons, buttons, beads, and trims. Old English buttons or Indian ribbons and trims can lend old-world charm to your modern bag. To change the mood of a simple handbag, I sometimes accent with a vintage brooch or pin from my antique costume jewelry collection.

•
   
Fabric marker or chalk pencil

•
   
Iron and ironing board

•
   
Pressing cloth

•
   
Ruler and tape measure

•
   
Scissors

•
   
Straight pins

•
   
Turning tool (such as a closed pair of scissors)

• Be sure to have the basic tools on hand before beginning a project. See Basic Tools Needed for Each Project (above). Additional tools needed are listed at the beginning of each project.

• See Fabric Reference Guide
(page 175)
for a list of the specific fabrics used in each project.

• Terms defined in Glossary & Techniques
(page 171)
are marked with an asterisk (*) the first time they appear in a project.

• Preshrink your fabric by washing, drying, and pressing it before starting the project.

• All seam allowances are ½″ (1.3 cm) unless otherwise stated. The ½″ (1.3 cm) seam allowance is included in the pattern pieces and all cutting measurements.

• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions closely when applying fusible interfacing and fleece. If you experience any puckering of the fabric, gently pull back the interfacing or fleece while it is still warm and reapply. Use a damp pressing cloth and the “wool” setting on your iron during the application.

21″ (53.3 cm) across the widest point [14¼″ (36.2 cm) wide across the bottom] × 22½″ (57.2 cm) tall with handles × 4″ (10.2 cm) deep

21″ (53.3 cm) across the widest point [14¼″ (36.2 cm) wide across the bottom] × 26″ (66 cm) tall with handles × 4″ (10.2 cm) deep

• 1⅜ yd (1.26 m) of one print for the exterior

• 1¼ yd (1.14 m) of a coordinating solid for exterior bands, long or short handle, side pocket lining, button, and button loop

• 1⅜ yd (1.26 m) of a second coordinating print for the lining

• 6¼ yd (5.72 m) of 20″ (50.8 cm) wide fusible woven interfacing (I use Shape Flex SF-101 by Pellon)

• ¼ yd (0.22 m) of 44″ (112 cm) wide fusible fleece (I use fusible Thermolam Plus by Pellon)

• One 1½″ (3.8 cm) button to cover (I use Prym-Dritz brand)

• 1 spool coordinating all-purpose thread (I use Coats Dual Duty XP)

See Basic Tools Needed for Each Project
(page 14)
.

• Pencil

• Wax-free tracing paper (I use Prym-Dritz brand)

• Hand sewing needle

• Main panel

• Side panel

• Band

• Handle

• Side pocket/side pocket lining panel

• Lining/inside pocket panel

a. Lay the fabric in a single layer with the
Right
side down. Fold one selvage edge* over 13″ (33 cm) toward the
Wrong
side and fold the opposite selvage edge over 4″ (10.3 cm).