Welcome back to our free Child’s Faux Leather Crossbody Bag Sew-Along, presented by SINGER®! During this four-week sew-along, we are making a cute crossbody bag for autumn—and some bonus projects as well! The crossbody bag was designed by Alicia Welcher, assistant editor of Classic Sewing magazine, and the videos are presented by Soni Grint, director of education for SINGER® and HUSQVARNA® VIKING® in North America.
In last week’s lesson, we covered the supplies, cutting, and embroidery. This second lesson covers the piping, pocket, and tabs. The lessons will explore the SINGER® MOMENTO
cutting machine and how you can use this as another tool in your sewing room—as well as in many other crafting endeavors! While you do not have to use a cutting machine to participate in the sew-along, several of its features make these projects fast and easy. Be sure to enter the giveaway for your chance to win your own SINGER® MOMENTO (valued at $849.99). Visit our sew-along homepage to enter. The lessons also feature the HUSQVARNA® VIKING® DESIGNER EPIC 3 sewing and embroidery machine.
Watch the Video Lesson
Download the Lesson Instructions
Note: For best results, please download the files on a computer and NOT a mobile device.
Construction
Seam allowance = 1/4” unless otherwise noted.
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Creating the Outer Purse
1. Thread the machine with construction thread in the needle and bobbin and select a straight stitch.
2. Fold the bias-cut 1-1/2” x 6” strip of fabric in half, wrong sides together. Insert the piping cord into the fold and stitch using a piping foot, a zipper foot or a welting foot. Allow the stitching to sit a needle’s width from the cord. Trim seam allowance to 1/4” using a piping trimming ruler.
3. Place the piping to the curve of the pocket lining with right sides together and aligning the raw edges. Glue-baste the piping into place. Let glue dry, then stitch piping to pocket curve with the stitching right next to the curve (photo 1). Trim excess piping even with pocket edges.
4. Remove 3/8” to 1/2” of piping cord from each end. Pin center of piping to fabric first so that you do not pull the cord out of the piping (photo 2). This process is much easier when using precision tweezers to catch and pull the end of the cord.
5. Follow one of the methods below to finish the pocket:
Method 1: Faux Leather Pocket
a. Clip piping seam allowance every 1/4” – 3/8”, taking care to not cut the stitching.
b. Turn piping seam allowance to wrong side, allowing the piping to extend beyond the pocket lining. Press well.
c. Thread the needle with water-soluble thread.
d. Place pocket lining right sides together with 7” x 5-1/2” rectangle of waste/scrap fabric.
e. Stitch around the bottom and straight sides, leaving the curve and top unstitched (photo 3). Use a generous 1/4” seam allowance.
f. Trim the waste fabric even with the pocket lining where stitched. Clip the corners (photo 4).
g. Turn pocket lining right side out and press well using a dry iron (photo 5).
h. Starch the stitched edges well and press until completely dry. Separate the pocket lining from the waste/scrap fabric and throw the waste/scrap fabric away. The straight edges of the pocket lining will be turned back 1/4” (photo 6).
i. Place the pocket lining wrong sides together with the faux leather pocket, aligning the stitching of the piping just under the raw curved edge of the pocket. Glue-baste in place.
j. Select a bean or reinforced straight stitch (SL=3). REMOVE THE WATER-SOLUBLE THREAD FROM THE MACHINE and replace with construction thread.
k. Stitch the curve only right next to the raw edge and then again 1/4” away from the first row of stitching (photo 7).
l. Align the rest of the lining so that the lining does not show from the right side of the pocket and glue-baste in place.
Method 2: Fabric Pocket
a. Place piped pocket lining and pocket right sides together, aligning all raw edges and sandwiching the piping between the layers.
b. With the lining on top, stitch the layers together along the previous stitching line that attached the piping to the lining. Stitch both sides and the bottom, leaving an opening for turning in the long side. Do not stitch across the short top of the pocket.
c. Turn the pocket right side out. Turn the raw edges of the opening in the side to the inside and press the entire pocket well. Leave the raw edges at the top extended.
d. Topstitch the curved edge about 1/8” away from the piping.
6. Place pocket to one purse body, lining side of pocket to right side of body. Align the top raw edges and center the pocket side-to-side.
7. Stitch the three straight sides in place, through all layers, in the same manner as the curve. Do not stitch the curve or the top edge (photo 8).
8. Locate the 2” x 6” strip of lining fabric. Fold the strip down the center to measure 1” x 6” and press well. Unfold the strip, fold each side to center and press well. Refold center and press well.
9. Stitch both sides near the fold(s). Cut in half to create two 3” pieces.
10. Fold each piece in half and insert a D-ring into the fold. Stitch several times close to the D-ring (photo 9).
11. Place strap holders on purse back. Raw edges 1/8” from top and 3/4” from each cut edge. Baste at less than 3/8” seam allowance (photo 10).
12. Place the front and back right sides together and stitch the sides and bottom (U shape) using a 1/4” seam allowance.
13. Turn right side out and set aside.
That’s all for Lesson 2! Join us next week for Lesson 3, where we will add the lining and finish our Faux-Leather Crossbody Bag!
More About the SINGER® MOMENTO![™]()
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The SINGER® MOMENTO is the industry’s only cutting machine designed with the fabric crafter in mind. You can count on SINGER® for outstanding fabric-cutting capabilities and hundreds of digital creative tools in the extensive and easy-to-use mySewnet library. Never before has crafting with fabric (and more!) been this fast, easy, and fun. Visit this link to learn more!