A Multitude of Riches
Go ahead! Spend $5000 on a Judith Leiber crystal bag. Don't forget to set a little aside for your therapist! You're gonna need it after your neighbor makes this groovy drawstring bag for $6.24.
If you get everything together before you haul out your sewing machine, you can complete this project in a couple of hours.
You'll need:
½ yard medium to heavy weight fabric: velvet, taffeta or brocade for the exterior, preshrunk
½ yard light weight fabric: satin, silk or polished cotton for the lining, preshrunk
Matching thread
2 yards rattail rayon ribbon for the handle
Eyelet kit. Make sure the trim you've chosen will fits through the eyelet.
A hammer for the eyelets
Scissors or Pinking Shears
An iron
Straight pins
Measuring tape or ruler
Scotch tape
Chalk or colored pencil
A sewing machine or patience, a steady hand and a needle
Two large beads to finish the handles (optional)
Pearls, rhinestones, silk flowers or embroidery thread to embellish the exterior (optional)
Ready, Steady, Go
Measure out 16 ½" diameter circles on both pieces of fabric and cut them out. Remember that old chestnut, Measure twice, cut once. If you want to embellish the outer fabric, now's the time.
On the wrong side of your lining, draw a stitch line with chalk or colored pencil all the way around the circle, ½" in from the edge.
Fold the outer fabric in half. From both corners of the fold, measure down 1½" and in ¾". Mark this spots on both sides of the fabric and insert your 4 eyelets. If you'd prefer buttonholes, go for it.
Pin your circles together, right sides together, around the edge.
Sew together on marked stitch line, ½" from edge, leaving 2" opening so that you can turn the fabric right side out!
Trim seam allowance to 1/4 " to reduce bulk and turn rightside out.
Hand stitch opening shut and iron the seam flat. Make sure to iron on the lining side so that you won't damage the pretty outer fabric.
On the lining side, draw 2 stitch marks with chalk or colored pencil all the way around the circle, 1 ¼" and 2" from the edge. Make sure that the eyelets fall between the stitch marks. This channel will hold your ribbon.
Sew along stitch lines, all the way around.
Cut ribbon in 2 pieces, 1 yard each and wrap one end with tape like the tip of a shoelace. Make it sturdy.
Insert a piece of ribbon into one eyelet. String it all the way through the bag until it exits from the eyelet next to where it began. Do the same on the other side.
Finish the ribbon ends with a decorative bead, or tie a knot and fringe the tail.
To close the bag, pull ribbon in opposite directions.
