Our elegant gift bags come in three useful sizes and are a great way to use up larger fabric scraps. The fabric we selected for our bag trio is from Joel Dewberry's Heirloom collection for Free Spirit Fabrics, which we originally featured in our recent Thanksgiving Series. The exterior and lining of each bag are both made up of two fabrics, which gives them a beautiful finish inside and out. We added glittery rick rack for a dash of holiday sparkle. You could substitute other trims, such as piping, pom poms or or even wide ribbon to give your bags a different seasonal appeal or to coordinate with the colors of a special event, such as a wedding or graduation. Make one or make them all; they're a trio of terrific totes to carry your treats and treasures!

Joel Dewberry's Heirloom for Free Spirit Fabrics is a sophisticated collection that pairs traditional florals with contemporary graphic motifs in three lustrous colorways: Ruby, Sapphire and Citrine. Check out the beautiful interview with Joel.

Our thanks to Free Spirit for sponsoring this series with Joel Dewberry, as well as our other 2011Artist Trios, featuring Anna Maria Horner.

Sewing Tools You Need

• Any Sewing Machine (we recommend the Janome DC4030 Pink Ribbon)

Fabric and Other Supplies

FOR EACH BAG:

• Scraps or ½ - ¾ yard of 44-45" wide fabric. Exactly how much you need will depend on which bag(s) you choose to make as well as the size and direction of the motif on the fabric you use. Check out the Getting Started section below for exact cuts needed for each bag.
  NOTE: We used a cotton sateen weight for the bag bottoms and a quilting weight for the bag tops. This is optional, but does give the bottom of the bag a bit more heft to be able to hold heavier items.
  
  For our three mix-and-match bags, we used six different fabrics from Joel Dewberry's Heirloom Collection for Free Spirit Fabrics:
• Small Bag: Paisley in Garnet from the Ruby palette in quilting cotton for the top with Tile Flourish in Fuchsia from the Sapphire palette in cotton sateen for the bottom and the handle.
• Medium Bag: Chrysanthemum in Blush from the Ruby palette in quilting cotton for the top with Rose Bouquet in Garnet from the Ruby palette in cotton sateen for the bottom and the handle.
• Large Bag: Rose Bouquet in Gold from the Ruby palette in quilting cotton for the top with Empire Weave in Blush from the Ruby palette in cotton sateen for the bottom and the handle.
  
  
• ½ yard of crisp fusible interfacing at least 24" in width; we used and recommend Pellon Decor Bond
• One package of jumbo rick rack; we used Wrights jumbo rick rack in gold metallic
• ¾ yard of ⅛" ribbon; we used a gold metallic to match the rick rack
• All purpose thread in colors to match fabrics
• See-through ruler
• Fabric pencil
• Seam gauge
• Iron and ironing board
• Scissors or rotary cutter and mat
• Straight pins

Getting Started

Small Bag, which finishes at 5" wide x 7" high x 2" deep

1. From the quilting cotton for the top (Garnet Paisley in our sample), cut TWO 15" wide x 4" high rectangles.
2. From the cotton sateen for the bottom (Fuchsia Flourish in our sample), cut TWO 15" wide x 6" high rectangles and ONE 10" x 3" strip for the handle.
3. For the crisp fusible interfacing, cut the following:
   ONE 15" x 4" rectangle
   ONE 15" x 6" rectangle
   ONE 10" x 3" strip
4. Cut the jumbo rick rack into ONE 16" length.
5. Cut the ribbon into TWO 11" lengths.

Medium Bag, which finishes at 6" wide x 8" high x 2" deep

1. From the quilting cotton for the top (Blush Chrysanthemum in our sample), cut TWO 17" wide x 4½" high rectangles.
2. From the cotton sateen for the bottom (Garnet Rose Bouquet in our sample), cut TWO 17" wide x 7½" high rectangles and ONE 12" x 3" strip for the handle.
3. For the crisp fusible interfacing, cut the following:
   ONE 17" x 4½" rectangle
   ONE 17" x 7½" rectangle
   ONE 12" x 3" strip
4. Cut the jumbo rick rack into ONE 18" length.
5. Cut the ribbon into TWO 11" lengths.

Large Bag, which finishes at 8" wide x 10" high x 3" deep

1. From the quilting cotton for the top (Gold Rose Bouquet in our sample), cut TWO 23" wide x 5½" high rectangles.
2. From the cotton sateen for the bottom (Fuchsia Flourish in our sample), cut TWO 23" wide x 8" high rectangles and ONE 16" x 3" strip for the handle.
3. For the crisp fusible interfacing, cut the following:
   ONE 23" x 5½" rectangle
   ONE 23" x 8" rectangle
   ONE 16" x 3" strip
4. Cut the jumbo rick rack into ONE 24" length.
5. Cut the ribbon into TWO 11" lengths.
   NOTE: The Pellon Decor Bond gives our bags their sharp shape, but can be a little thick to work with. If you want your seam allowances to be more managable, you can take the time to cut each of the interfacing pieces ½" smaller all around and, before fusing in place, carefully lay each interfacing piece on its appropriate fabric piece so the interfacing is centered side to side and top to bottom.

At Your Sewing Machine & Ironing Board

NOTE: Our sample steps show the creation of the medium bag. The steps are the same for the small bag as well as for the large bag. The only difference is the depth of the large bag, which finishes as 3" instead of 2", requiring a slightly larger boxed bottom. This difference is noted below.

1. Press all your fabric pieces so they are nice and flat.
2. Find one top exterior fabric panel and one bottom exterior fabric panel as well as both large interfacing pieces.
3. Following manufacturer's instructions, fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of each piece. The photo below shows all four of the main pieces -- the two lining pieces and the two exterior pieces with the fused interfacing in place
   
   NOTE: The Decor Bond from Pellon that we used fuses best when pressed beneath a damp pressing cloth. It also adheres best if you iron from the center out to each end.
4. Place the length of rick rack along the top edge of the bottom panel (you have a 'top' if you are working with a fabric that has a directional print; if you aren't, simply choose one long edge as the top)
5. The middle of the rick rack should run ½" from the top raw edge.
   
6. Pin in place.
   
7. Machine baste in place approximately ⅜" from the top raw edge. You just need to catch the top of the trim. The basting simply holds the trim in place until you sew the panels together
   
8. Place the two fused panels right sides together to create a horizontal seam, sandwiching the rick rack in between the layers. Pin in place.
   
9. Using a ½" seam allowance, stitch together.
10. Open the sewn panels, pressing the seam allowance up and the rick rack down.
    
11. Fold the assembled exterior piece in half, aligning the raw edges and being particularly careful to match up the horizontal seam and the rick rack.
    
12. Using a ½" seam allowance, stitch together down the side and across the bottom, pivoting at the corner.

Box the bottom corners

1. With the exterior bag still wrong side out (interfacing side out), the next step is to box the bottom corners.
2. Using both hands, pinch and pull apart one bottom corner.
3. As you pull, the fabric will begin to make a little peak with the corner point at the top with the seam line running down the middle of both sides. Precisely match the seams front to back.
4. Repeat for the opposite corner. There is no side seam on this side, but there will be a bit of a visible crease, so use this is align with the bottom seam.
5. Our bag is sized for 2" sides and base. To create this width, you need to figure your boxed corner seam at half that finished width. Therefore, in our sample, we measured 1" from the tip of each corner peak. This is the same measurement to use for the Small bag. For the Large bag, the sides and base are 3", so measure at 1½".
6. Pin your folded and measured 'peaks' and draw a horizontal line at 1" (or 1½") measurement on each side.
   
7. Stitch along the drawn lines. Remember, your seams should be perfectly lined up. Stitch back and forth along the line two or three times to reinforce.
8. Trim away the peak on each side to about ¼" from the seam line.
   
9. Turn right side out and push out the corners to form the box.
   
10. Repeat all the above steps with the remaining top and bottom exterior panels, but without applying the interfacing and the rick rack.
11. For sharper sides, press the side edges of both the exterior bag and the lining. In other words, with the bag right side out, fold in each side as if folding a paper lunch bag - 1" to either side of the seam/side crease (1½" from the seam/crease in the case of the Large bag). Press while folded.
    

Make the handle

1. Fold the 3" strip in half lengthwise. Press to form a crease.
2. Unfold and with the wrong side facing up, align the interfacing strip along the center crease line.
3. Following manufacturer's instructions, fuse the strip in place.
   
4. Re-fold the handle in half right sides together.
5. Using a ½" seam allowance, stitch the long side. Leave both ends open.
6. Trim the seam allowance back to ¼".
7. Turn the handle right side out through the open ends.
8. Roll the seam so it is at the back and the top of the handle is smooth. Press flat.
   
9. Set the completed handle aside.

Finish the bag

1. With the exterior bag right side out and the lining bag wrong side out, turn down the top raw edge of both ¾" and press well.
2. Pin this folded edge in place all around the top of both bags.
   
3. Slip the lining inside the exterior so the two bags are wrong sides together. Push the lining all the way down to the bottom and make sure it spreads out at the bottom corner to corner.
4. Match up the side seams of both bags. The top folded edges of the bag and the lining should be flush with one another as well.
5. Pin the lining to the bag along these top folded edges all the way around the opening of the bag.
   
6. Slip one end of handle in place in between the exterior and the lining. Align the handle's seam with the side seam of the bag. Insert the end of the handle approximately ¾" - 1". Pin in place.
   
7. Slip the other end of the handle into place at the opposite side and pin.
8. Find the two 11" lengths of ribbon. Slip one in between the two bag layers at the center front and one at the center back. Pin in place.
   
9. If your machine has a free arm, this is a great time to use it.
10. Topstitch all around the top of the bag, through all the layers. First stitch approximately ¼" from the top folded edges.
    
11. Then, as an option, stitch around again approximately ⅛" from the folded edges. This second round of topstitching is a good way to insure the ends of the handle and the two ribbon ties are well secured.
    

Contributors

Project Design: Alicia Thommas
Sample Creation: Liz Johnson

Other machines suitable for this project include the Baby Lock Audrey and the Brother Laura Ashley Innov-is NX800.