Sew a fold-over clutch bag :: Free handbag sewing pattern

Faux leather clutch bag with tassles, make a handmade bag with allaboutyou.com

You will need:

● Faux leather fabric: 35cm x width of fabric
● Lining fabric: 35cm x width of fabric
● One zip measuring 12in from end of tape to end of tape (we used a metal zip, but a plastic zip will work too).

Cutting out

These measurements make a bag of approximately 29 x 29cm
Faux leather:
● 2 x squares measuring 31 x 31cm
● 2 x rectangles measuring 3 x 4cm (these are for the zip ends)
Lining:
● 2 x squares measuring 31 x 31cm

Covering the ends of the zip

Step 1
Take one faux leather zip end piece and lay it right side down over the end of the zip. Stitch across the teeth, using a back stitch at beginning and end to lock the stitching. If you’re stitching over a metal zip, go slow or turn the machine wheel with your hand in order to avoid breaking a needle.

Step 2
Trim the excess and then fold the zip end over the end of the zipper and secure underneath with clips. Topstitch across the zip.

Step 3
You need the zip to measure a total of 11in when the ends are covered.

Inserting the zip

Step 4

With right sides together, lay the zip centrally along one edge of one of your squares of pleather. There should be a little bit of the main bag fabric showing at both edges.

Step 5
Place a piece of lining right side down on top of the zip – forming a zip sandwich.
Pin or clip into place. Stitch from side to side (backstitching at beginning and end to lock into place), and make sure you don’t stitch too near to the zipper teeth.

Step 6
When that’s done, make another zip sandwich with the lining and pleather on the other side of the zip.

Step 7
Flip the bag over and with right side uppermost, top stitch along each edge of the zip, making sure that the lining is lying flat.

Stitching the bag body together

Lay the bag on a flat surface with the pleather sides together on one side and the lining fabric together on the other side.
NB: Very important. Saves struggling later… open the zip so the slider is halfway.

Step 8
Pin (or clip) together, matching the seams where lining and pleather meet. Push the pleather lining seam so it lies towards the lining.

With chalk, mark a 10cm gap at the bottom edge of the lining – this will be used to turn the bag the right way after stitching. Starting from one edge of your gap, stitch all the way around the outside of the bag about 0.5cm from the raw edge, being careful not to catch the pleather zip ends into the stitching.

Finish sewing at the other end of your gap. Backstitch.

Step 9
Clip the corners of the pleather and the lining fabric.

Turn the bag the right way round

Put your hand into the gap in the lining (if you forgot and sewed it together, never mind, just find your unpicker!) and pull the bag through so it’s the right way round.

Step 10
Use a blunt knitting needle to poke out the corners so they’re nice and square (don’t use anything too sharp as you don’t want it to go through).

And that’s it! Attach a tassel or a trinket to the zip pull and enjoy!