Girly Ruffled Sling Bag from a Fat Quarter and Scraps Tutorial

Did you see our guest post at A Little Knick Knack? We shared this tutorial there! I hope you like it. Enjoy! 


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I have been seeing a lot of ruffled items lately on the web. I, myself, am a lover of all things ruffly and frilly ^^) 


Have you seen this bag by Artfully @ Atelier Caroline? Lovely, right? I wanted to make something similar from fat quarters and scraps.





Last week, I made this ruffly sling bag for my princess out of a fat quarter of linen, an old muslin curtain and some rectangular scrap fabrics.

For this bag, I used:
1 fat quarter japanese linen
2 squares out of old muslin curtain (approx. 9.25" x 9.5")
1 linen bias tape 32" x 1.5"
scrap fabrics of different sizes for ruffles: (2 pcs. 22" x 2" and 3 pieces 18" x 4")
lace
interfacing
velvet ribbon
zipper

I cut my fat quarter linen into 4 equal-sized squares and cut 2 squares from the muslin curtain of the same size as my linen squares. I ironed-on interfacing on each exterior fabrics (this is however optional).

I took 2 linen squares, folded them in half crosswise and ironed them. I will use it for the bag's pockets.

I took one of the pocket pieces, looked for the top center and sewed on one velcro piece.

The pocket piece looked like this after I have sewn on the velcro.

Since I wanted this to be pretty as this will be the exterior pocket, I have sewn on also a lace and velvet ribbon.

I positioned my piece right sides (of the fabric) together as shown above and sewed a straight stitch, leaving 1/4" seam from the edge.

I turned it inside out.

Since I wanted for the pocket to show and not be sewed together with the bag's base, I left 1" space from the bottom edge of the linen square (which will be one side of the bag), marked the area where the velcro should be and sewed it on.

I then attached both pieces together by sewing a basting stitch on each side (just to be sure I?d be catching all layers later) and sewed on the bottom part of the pocket.

This is what I had so far.

I took one ruffle piece, folded it lengthwise, right sides together and sewed a straight stitch. I did the same to the other 3 ruffle pieces. I then turned them inside out and ironed them.

So I had these.

I sewed a gathering stitch on each piece by setting my stitch length to the longest possible (mine's 5.0) and sewed a straight stitch without backtracking. I did the same to all pieces then gathered each piece by pulling on the bobbin thread.

I took the last piece of linen and marked where my first ruffle would go. I used a diasppearing fabric pen.

I then pinned the ruffled fabric and adjusted the ruffles as I went on pinning.

I then sewed it on. The stitches on the side are basting stitches while the top are stitches with backtracks. 

I did the same to all ruffles.

On the last ruffle piece, I sewed on a velvet ribbon.

I attached the interior pocket using the same steps as attaching the exterior pocket. The only difference is that this pocket doesn't have any velcro on.

I have attached fabric end covers on my zippers (shown here how). I placed the linen bias and zipper (facing down) as shown above. 

I later found out that this is not the ideal place where the sling should be placed as I will show you later on. You would have better results if you place your sling piece 1/2" away from the edge (which I did on the second sling bag I made).

I placed on top of it the muslin piece with the pocket, right side down and pinned.

I replaced my presser foot with my zipper foot and sewed them together with a straight stitch.

I then topstitched.

I followed the same steps to attach the zipper to the other side of the bag.

I pinned both linen pieces together and muslin pieces together as shown below. And sewed them  by leaving 1/4" seam from the edge. 

When you get to the zipper area, you have to sew just beside it but not sew through it. I left 2"-3" unsewn on my muslin piece so I can turn my bag.

I wanted to strengthen my stitches and prevent the linen fabric from fraying so easily so I sewed a zigzag stitch on all sides except the unsewn area.

I wanted the sling bag to be roomy enough for my daughter's snacks. So i clipped the edges as shown above.

So I had these (above).

Turned it inside out and sewed by hand the unsewn part.

I made a special zipper puller with beads and buttons.

This cute butterfly will be hanging on the bag, too.

This is my daughter's sling bag. I did not like how the sling sort of got crooked.

So when I made this for my husband's niece (it was her birthday, I placed the sling 1/2" aways from the edge so it did not end up crooked. 

It also has a cute zipper puller. 

I hope you liked this tutorial.

Shared to these parties.

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