Fringed Handbag A fringed handbag makes a fabulous and stylish accessory, year round! Add your favorite embroidery designs -- there are stitching areas on the purse flap and the front of the bag. Then select coordinating embellishments to personalize the handbag with your favorite look. This bag has western flair, but you can create any style you like. The decorative fringe is truly the icing on the cake, and will add interest to any look you design. Read on to learn how to make this fashionable bag! Supplies Needed: **1/2 yard sturdy fabric -- for outer shell and flap (I used faux suede home decor fabric) **1/2 yard fabric -- for linings (I used bull denim) Supplies (continued): **Medium weight cutaway stabilizer **Temporary spray adhesive **Air-erase pen **One magnetic snap **Decorative pendant (optional) **1/2 yard stiff fusible interfacing (one-sided fusible) **3/4 yard 2 1/2" wide fringe trim or 3/4 yard 2 1/2" wide piece of soft leather, suede, or faux leather **Small pieces of leather, vinyl, or faux leather (for handle loops) file:///f /Source/ELProjects/html/PR1853.html (1 of 15) [7/2/2013 3:35:58 PM]
**Needle and thread for some hand sewing **One purse handle strap (mine is 25" long) Designs Used: I used the medium size of the Southwestern Silhouette - Bear, and small sizes of the Southwestern Silhouette - Feathers and Southwestern Silhouette - Coyote. To stay with a western theme, the Horseshoes, Flower, and Filigree design, the Mola Chili Pepper designs, and the Intricate Ink Horses would all spice up a fringed bag. For an entirely different look, you can also dress it with up with flowers! Designs from the Spring Rosemaling Design Pack and from the Sweet Garden Medleys Design Pack would also make lovely embellishments for a fringed purse. Finished size: 10 1/2" wide by 8" high by 3" deep To get started, click here to download the PDF files of the purse patterns: pattern 1 and pattern 2. The patterns will print on a total of 6 pieces of 8 1/2" by 11" pieces of paper. file:///f /Source/ELProjects/html/PR1853.html (2 of 15) [7/2/2013 3:35:58 PM]
Cut out the pattern pieces and tape them together according to the instructions printed on the patterns. There are two separate pattern pieces: pattern 1 will be used to cut the front and back of the outer shell and inner lining of the bag, and pattern 2 will be used to cut the flap. To prepare the fabric for the front of the bag, lay pattern piece 1 on top of the fabric (I used faux suede), pin in place, and using an air-erase pen, trace the shape. file:///f /Source/ELProjects/html/PR1853.html (3 of 15) [7/2/2013 3:35:58 PM]
Next, to help position the embroidery design, create paper templates of the design by printing them at full size using embroidery software. Remove the pattern piece and arrange the templates within the shape how you want them, leaving at least one inch of space between the outer edges of the design and the outer edges of the shape. Poke a hole in the center of the templates and mark the fabric. Also, mark the horizontal and vertical axis points. Remove the templates and draw lines connecting the marks. file:///f /Source/ELProjects/html/PR1853.html (4 of 15) [7/2/2013 3:35:58 PM]
Spray a piece of medium weight cutaway stabilizer with temporary adhesive and smooth the fabric on top. Hoop the fabric and stabilizer together by aligning the marks on the hoop with the lines on the fabric. Attach the hoop to the machine and load the first design. Move the hoop so that the needle is directly over the center point on the fabric. Embroider the design. Repeat the hooping and embroidering process for the remaining design(s). When the designs have finished, trim away the excess stabilizer on the backside of the embroidery. Then, cut out the shape. file:///f /Source/ELProjects/html/PR1853.html (5 of 15) [7/2/2013 3:35:58 PM]
Next, to prepare the back piece, trace pattern piece 1 and cut out the shape. To prepare the front and back pieces of the inner lining, trace and cut a total of two pieces from the fabric (I used bull denim). Set the pieces aside for later. Measure and make marks 1/2" in all around the outer edges of pattern piece 1. Draw lines connecting the marks and trim the paper along the line you just drew. file:///f /Source/ELProjects/html/PR1853.html (6 of 15) [7/2/2013 3:35:58 PM]
Cut two pieces of the stiff interfacing using pattern piece 1. Spray the fusible side of the interfacing with a quick shot of temporary adhesive and center them on the wrong sides of the front and back outer shell pieces, leaving 1/2" excess fabric around the outer edges of the interfacing. Flip the fabric over to the right side and using a pressing cloth on top of the fabric, press in place (refer to the interfacing instructions). To prepare the side/bottom piece of the outer shell, cut a piece of fabric to 4" wide by 24 1/4" long. Then, cut a piece of interfacing to 3" wide by 23 1/4" long, spray the fusible side with a quick shot of temporary adhesive and center it on the wrong side of the side/bottom fabric piece. Press the interfacing in place just as you did earlier. file:///f /Source/ELProjects/html/PR1853.html (7 of 15) [7/2/2013 3:35:58 PM]
Now it is time to assemble the outer shell! Lay the embroidered front piece flat with the right side facing up. Align the side/bottom piece on top, right sides together, with the top left corner of the side/bottom piece aligned with the top right corner of the front piece. Pin in place at the corners and sew a 1/2" seam along the outer edges of the fabric, turning the side/bottom piece around the curve of the front piece as you go. When you reach the opposite side of the front piece, trim off any excess fabric at the end of the side/bottom piece matching it up with the top edge of the front piece. Also, trim the interfacing down 1/2" if you had to trim the fabric. file:///f /Source/ELProjects/html/PR1853.html (8 of 15) [7/2/2013 3:35:58 PM]
Next, lay the assembled front/ side and bottom piece flat with the right side facing up. Align the back piece with the side/ bottom piece, right sides together, with the upper right corner of the front piece aligned with the right side of the side/ bottom piece. Pin in place and sew a 1/2" seam along the outer edges of the fabric. Turn the outer shell right side out. To complete the inner lining, cut a piece of fabric to 4" wide by 24 1/4" long (this is the side/ bottom piece of the inner lining). Assemble the inner lining just as you did for the outer shell. file:///f /Source/ELProjects/html/PR1853.html (9 of 15) [7/2/2013 3:35:58 PM]
To prepare the handle straps, cut two pieces of leather, faux leather, or vinyl to 3/4" wide by 5" long. Wrap the pieces through the ends of the strap, bring the ends together, and tack them in place by sewing a 1/8" seam along the short ends. Center the end of each strap along the sides of the outer shell. Allow about 1/4" of the ends of the strap to extend up past the top edge of the fabric. Tack in place with a 1/4" seam. file:///f /Source/ELProjects/html/PR1853.html (10 of 15) [7/2/2013 3:35:58 PM]
Insert the outer shell inside of the inner lining with the handle tucked under the outer shell. Align the seams and the top edges of the fabric. Pin in place and sew a 1/2" seam along the side and front edges only; leave the back edge open for turning. Turn the fabric right side out and tuck the inner lining inside the outer shell. Press the seams and turn the fabric of the opening in 1/2" and press. Add the bottom section of the magnetic snap to the center bottom of the outer shell (about one inch up from the bottom edge) through the outer shell fabric only. Refer to the manufacturer's instructions on how to add the snap. file:///f /Source/ELProjects/html/PR1853.html (11 of 15) [7/2/2013 3:35:58 PM]
To prepare the flap, trace pattern piece 2 onto the fabric. Create a paper template of the design, position the template on the fabric, and mark the fabric. I centered the design side to side by measuring equal distances between the center point of the template and the outer edges of the shape. Also, I allowed about 3" of space between the bottom edge of the design and the bottom edge of the shape. Embroider the design as you did earlier. Trim the excess stabilizer on the backside of the embroidery and cut out the shape. Next, cut two pieces of fabric a bit larger than the shape (I used faux suede and bull denim). Lay the first piece flat with the right side facing up. Lay the second piece (the piece you would like to show for the backside of the flap) on top of the first piece, right side facing up. Then, lay the embroidered flap piece on top, right side facing down, pin in place, and cut around the shape. To make the fringe, cut a piece of soft leather, suede, or faux leather to 2 1/2" wide by 24" long. Cut slits in the leather widthwise about every 1/8" leaving about 1/2" intact along the top edge. You can also use pre-made fringe trim if you like! file:///f /Source/ELProjects/html/PR1853.html (12 of 15) [7/2/2013 3:35:58 PM]
Remove the embroidered front fabric piece from the layers of the flap. Measure and mark 3 1/2" down along the outer edges starting at each top corner. Align the top edge of the trim (starting and stopping at the marks you just made) with the outer edge of the fabric with the ends of the fringe to the inside of the fabric. Pin in place and sew a 1/8" seam along the outer edges of the trim to tack it in place. Add the embroidered front fabric piece back on top of the other layers and the fringe, right side facing down. Pin in place and sew a 1/2" seam along the side and bottom edges only; leave the top open for turning. Cut slits along the curved seam allowance about every 1/4". Then, turn the flap right side out in between the embroidered front piece and the back/ fringe piece. Press the seams. Add the top snap piece to the backside of the flap at the bottom center about 1 1/4" up from the bottom edge through the back and middle fabric layers. Next, top stitch a 1/8" seam along the outer edges of the fabric. file:///f /Source/ELProjects/html/PR1853.html (13 of 15) [7/2/2013 3:35:58 PM]
You can add embellishments to the flap like decorative pendants, beads, or whatever you like! I simply hand-sewed a pendant to the bottom center of the flap with needle and thread. To finish the bag, insert the raw edge of the flap about 1/2" in between the fabric layers at the back of the bag with the embroidered side facing out. Pin in place and sew a 1/4" seam around the entire top edge of the bag. And your fringed handbag is complete! file:///f /Source/ELProjects/html/PR1853.html (14 of 15) [7/2/2013 3:35:58 PM]
A fringed bag is a fun fashion accessory, and with embroidery, it's also a classic expression of your personal style! Click here for a printable version of these project instructions. file:///f /Source/ELProjects/html/PR1853.html (15 of 15) [7/2/2013 3:35:58 PM]