Origami Bag tutorial

I would like to thank the kind lady who let me know that one of the tutorials I posted a link to online no longer exists.  If you want to see the first bag I made like this one it is here.

After looking for another tutorial to link to and not finding one I decided I had to make my own.

I now have a new appreciation of the generous people who make tutorials and post them on their blog.  Thank you. Tutorials are not as easy to do as I thought they would be.

Firstly I learnt I should have used a light plain fabric and clear contrasting thread so that everything was easier to see.  So bear that in mind when you read my tutorial.  Also that I have no time to do it again right now because I promised the kind lady I would make one as soon as possible.  It has already taken a week of slaving away at the tutorial at night after work when I was already exhausted from talking to clients all day.

What You Need

40cm x 40cm (16") of exterior fabric
40cm x 40cm (16") of lining fabric
two buttons
cord (or ribbon like I used)

Instructions

Step 1:

Cut out one 40cm x 40cm square from both exterior and lining fabrics.

Please be more accurate than I was.  If you think you may not be perfectly square when cutting out, then stay away from spotted fabric!

Step 2:

Pin and sew the two squares together.  Right sides facing.

I used a 1cm seam as you can see (above).

Leave a gap of about 5cm to 8cm in one side so that you can turn right side out.

See my fingers.  Am I doing bunny ears or the peace sign?

Step 3:

Clip all four corners to reduce bulk.

Step 4:

Turn right side out and press.

Ensure all four corners are pushed all the way out and are square.

Step 5:

Fold in half.

Step 6:

Fold the sides over until tip of triangle is flush to the other edge.

(This is where using a light coloured fabric would have been more useful to show what I am talking about!)

Fold the top corner down.  Press entire project.

Step 7:

Draw lines on the crease lines.  The lines on the sides will be your stitching lines.

Step 8:

Fold over the top and bottom flaps to the line marked and pin.

Sew across about 1/2" to form your casings.

My casing.  If I didn't use spotted fabric you would probably not notice it looking so uneven.

Step 9:

Sew the sides.  Follow those lines you drew in step 7.

Just wanted to show that not only do I cut wonky uneven squares of fabric but I sew wonky straight lines of stitching.

No don't do this.  Sew yours straight.

Step 10:

Origami fold the sides in to look like mini squares.

Step 11:

Fold the top flap of mini square over as in photo on left.

Step 12:

Stitch a button onto each side. 

Step 13:

Stitch an embellishment to the front.

After making a couple of flowers for the front that all seemed too big, I got lazy and went ahead and used one.  Personally I think a smaller flower would look better.

Step 14:

Pull your cord through the casings and voila!  Your done!!!



Hope you like this tutorial and can follow my instructions well enough.  If you can't my email is always a few clicks away.