Patchwork and Mexican Embroidery Bag is a step by step tutorial to make an easy to sew bag with a mix of sewing different textiles techniques.
If you love to make patchwork and you love also to do some handmade embroidery, this is a sewing project to make a bag with two different sewing textiles techniques that get along to make and eye-catching bag.
I’m sure when your friends see it, more that one will ask you to make one for them!
This is a beginners and more advanced sewers project to make anytime, you can make it with the Mexican embroidery block or you can skip it and use just a beautiful piece of fabric from your stash. Both ways the bag will look beautiful!
Materials to make the Patchwork and Mexican Embroidery Bag
2 pieces of cotton fabric of 11 x 12″
Fabric pieces to make the Log Cabin Blocks.
1 piece of 8 x 12 (two Lob Cabin blocks back)
1 piece of fabric of 9 x 10 (Zipper pocket)
2 pieces of cotton fabric of 11 x 12 for the lining of the bag
1 piece of fabric of 11 x 11 for the big inside pocket
1 piece of fabric of 5 x 6″ (inside zipper pocket)
1 – 6″ zipper
60″ of cotton string or cord.
2 pieces of cotton fabric of 3 x 9 1/2 (drawstring pieces)
Equipment you need:
Rotary cutter
Cutting mat
A pair of scissors
Needles, pins, safety pins.
Thread
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Video with the Full Tutorial to make the Patchwork + Mexican Embroidery bag.
Patchwork and Mexican Embroidery Bag Tutorial
1. Sew to make one of the pieces for the bag
Cut both fabric pieces and sew on to make the front of the bag. Press and make the marks using the patchwork ruler and a pencil, I traced each straight line 1 3/4″ apart.
Lay the piece of fabric over the thin batting fabric and pinch a few pins on it, work by hand or with your sewing machine to make the quilting. Both ways will work OK
2. Make the Mexican Embroidery Block
You can find a tutorial to make the Mexican Embroidery here, but if you want to skip this step, you can use a piece of fabric from your stash to make this piece, it will look good too.
3. Make two Log Cabin Blocks
Each block should be 7 x 6″, both blocks can be the same pattern design or you can use different fabrics to make them. The center piece of fabric is 2 1/2 x 13/4″, follow the Log Cabin pattern on the photo below.
When you finished making both Log Cabin blocks lay one over the other and sew on one side, open and press.
Lay the piece made of the two Log Cabin blocks over a piece of fabric 8 x 12″ and do the quilting by hand or by machine. When the quilting is done, trim the top border with the rotary cutter and the patchwork ruler and sew on a piece of bias.
Make a running stitch along the three sides and trim the piece using the rotary cutter and the patchwork ruler.
4. The two pieces for one front of the bag should look like shown on the photo below.
5. Lay the piece with the two Log Cabin blocks over the quilted piece, pinch a few pins and sew on in the middle (between the two Log Cabin blocks) with the sewing machine.
6. Make the zipper pocket.
Take the piece of fabric to make the zipper pocket and on the back of the fabric trace with a pencil a rectangle of the size of the zipper. Lay the piece of fabric on top of the piece, right side to right side, pinch a few pins and sew on the pencil mark with the sewing machine.
Cut the inside of the rectangle you made with the sewing machine, (you can watch on the video how I do this cut) turn the piece of fabric to the back.
7. Add the zipper to the pocket
The opening for the zipper is done, and you can add the zipper to the piece by machine or by hand, I did it by hand.
8. Hand stitch the back of the zipper.
I always do a hand stitch on the back of the zipper.
Fold the fabric for the pocket to meet bottom side to the top side and sew on both sides, you need to sew on just the fabric for the pocket.
9. The zipper pocket front should look like this
10. Make the pieces for the drawstring.
Take the two pieces of fabric for the drawstring and make double fold on each end on both pieces, sew on with your sewing machine.
Fold each piece in the middle and press, lay each piece on top of each piece of the bag and sew on with your sewing machine.
11. Make the lining for the bag.
Take the two pieces of fabric for the lining and on one piece make a zipper pocket (optional).
On the second piece of fabric, I did a big pocket with a piece of fabric of 11 x 11″ and make a double fold on one side and sew on. Lay the piece of fabric for the pocket on one piece of the lining and sew on the three sides, I did it on my sewing machine.
12. Make the two pieces for the bag.
Take the two pieces for the bag and lay one piece over the other (right side to right side) and sew on the three sides (two sides and bottom)
Take the two pieces for the lining and do the same steps.
With the help of the patchwork ruler and a pencil trace one inch square on both bottom corners, cut out the square with the help of a pair of scissors.
Note: Measure the square from the sewing not from the edge of the fabric.
13. Make the boxed bottom of the bag.
Take each piece and open each cut you made on the bottom and open to meet the two sides of each square, pinch a few pins on each corner and sew on.
14. Turn out one piece of the bag
Open 2 inches on one side of the lining piece and put inside the lining piece the bag. Pinch a few pins on the opening of the bag and sew on with the sewing machine.
15. Turn out the bag.
Turn out the bag on the opening on the lining piece. Sew on to close the opening in the lining piece.
16. Your bag is almost done!
Push the lining piece inside the bag and sew on the opening of the bag, you can do this step on your sewing machine, I did it by hand.
Put the two pieces of strings on the bag, you should put each piece from each side, make a knot on each piece of string and pull out to close the bag.
Now, your new bag is done and it looks amazing!
Well done, you did a great job!
This bag is made with two front sides, one with the Mexican embroidery or a cute piece of fabric and on the other side the two pockets made with the Log Cabin blocks.
The bag has two zipper pockets to help you to be organized and your money will be safer in it! On the big inside pocket you can place there your tablet or IPad or maybe a book or a notebook.
Everything will be well organized to help you to carry everything you need!
I thank you for your interest to keep learning to make more patchwork, quilting and embroidery projects, I hope you like this tutorial and leave a comment.
If you want to make the Mexican Embroidery you can find the tutorial here!
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