Easter goods....

My good friend Karen showed me this darling little purse this week.   It is fast and easy to make, so there is still time to fit in in before Easter.  It made from a simple square and the cuteness is all about how it's folded.  I thought they would be fun for my "grand girls" to use as an easter basket/purse.  I made a quick trip to “Scrapbooks, Etc.”....my go to place for fun trendy fabrics.  The hardest part is picking fabrics, they have so many to choose from.

Here’s what you’ll need:

2 fabric squares - 18 x 18”, but you can make it any size square.

1 1/4 yd. twill, ribbon or cording - cut into 2 equal pieces

1.  Cut 2 squares of coordinating fabric 18” x 18”.  

2.  Put right sides together and sew around all four edges, leaving a 3-4” opening to turn.  

3.  Turn the square right sides out.

 Press and top stitch close to the edge, closing the opening.

4.  Fold the square into thirds as shown.

Adjust as needed to make this measurement and.....

.....this measurement the same.  Repeat on both sides.

5.  Find the center and mark with pins.   

 Up close detail

 Stitch 1” on both sides of center mark.

 (Stitching on right side of center mark)

(Stitching on left side of center mark)

 These stitching lines show the bottom of the bag.

6.  Fold piece in half with the folded sides inside.

7.  Stitch up both sides using a 1/8” seam.

8.  Make a boxed-in bottom.  Pull out the corners.  

The stitch lines that you did in step #5 create a guide for stitching across the corner.

Stitch across both corners as shown.  This will create the gusset so your bag has a flat bottom.

9.  Turn inside out

10.  Fold the triangular flap (shown up in the photo above) down and sew 5/8” from the folded top edge to form a casing.

11.  Using one of the pieces of twill, feed it through the casing from the right edge of

the bag, out the left side and back into the other side of the bag so both ends come out the right edge.  Use the second piece of cording and repeat the process feeding it in the left side and back through so they both come out on the left side.

I've got to get busy to finish the other 3....all will be slightly different.  I’m filling them with a few girly items that I know they will love.....shhhh don’t tell them, it’s a surprise!

Something I found out this week.....

Tip #573 - Don't leave your cutting mat on the front seat of the car when it's 90 degrees out.  The bowed part is where it hung over the edge of the seat....ugh, time for a new cutting mat!  

Have a great weekend,

deb