THE PLAITED HANDBAG

Here is a simple tutorial I have designed for a woven “plaited” handbag made with flat braid. Any type of non-fraying, flat-surfaced medium may be used, such as leather, suede, upholstery webbing, vinyl stripping, or straw plaiting to name a few. You may cut your own slats for weaving or purchase pre-cut ones by the roll. The shape and size of the woven handbag will depend on the scale of the slats you use. For the weaving, the wider you can cut the strips, the wider the size of the bag; and the longer you can make each strip, the more height (length) you with achieve to the bag. You will have to work with what you have available yet the style of weave is up to you. The uniqueness of this design is that no two bags are alike, as a wide variety of patterns can be made by changing the size, colour, or by placement of a certain style of weave.

Dimensions: 16″ high / 15″ wide / 2″ deep with a 42″ [1.1 m]  shoulder strap. [40.5 cm x 38 cm x 5 cm]

Construction Method: Plaiting  – this method may be recognized by noting the checkerwork: two elements are woven over and under each other at right angles, resembling a checkerboard pattern.

Material Used: 100% cotton drill, 54″ wide and 100% cotton flat braid, 1″ wide. Interior lining is 100% cotton percale.

You will need:

• 24 yds. [22 m] of flat braid, 1” wide [25 mm]
• 6 yds [5.5 m] of flat braid, ½” wide [12 mm]
• 1/2 yd. [0.5 m] of upholstery fabric, 54” wide [ 137 cm]
• 1/2 yd. [0.5 m]  of lining fabric, 45” wide [115 cm]
• 1/2 yd.[0.5 m]  of fusible interfacing, 45” wide [115 cm]
• 1  handbag zipper with O-ring pull
• india stay tape, ¼” wide [6 mm]
• alligator clips or clothespins
• string
• kraft paper

Designer’s Notes:

For the prototype, 12 yards each of black and white flat braid was used to show the over-under action of the weaving. Coloured weavers can add visual interest to the weave, as well as the placement of the weavers to create a pattern in the weave. Choosing a single colour for the plaiting is equally elegant.

CUTTING

Cut 20 strips of flat braid for the total weave; 10 slats and 10 weavers. Make them about 1” wide and 42” long. [25 mm x 107 cm]

For the shoulder strap, cut 4 lengths of narrow flat braid, about 54” long [137 cm].

For the bag opening, cut 2 solid panels with interfacing (front and back) following the pattern.

For the interior lining, cut 2 pieces equal to the height and width of the finished bag. Additional pieces may be cut for patch pockets and other compartments.

Design Note: If you are cutting your own weavers, use a metal yardstick and a rotary cutter (with a new sharp blade), and cut long, narrow strips for the slats.

PATTERN

Whether trued or free-form, the bag design will need a bag opening with a closure to attach to the woven section. The woven section of the bag will need to be completed first before the bag’s top pattern can be drafted to determine the parameters needed. For the bag closure, I am using a handbag zipper. At each end of the zipper, I will attach the 2-inch wide braided shoulder strap.

click on image to magnify

To draft the pattern, measure flat across the width of the woven bag section minus twice the width of the  shoulder strap. This is the length of the zipper needed.

Draw a rectangle on kraft paper to equal the zipper length plus the shoulder strap width across and two-thirds of the zipper length, up and down (you may wish it increase/decrease this vertical measurement to suit your own design). From the top corners of the rectangle, measure down one-eighth of the zipper length and square a line across the paper. On this line, measure half of the shoulder strap width from the sides of the rectangle. Join these points to the centerline at the bottom edge of the rectangle with a straight line.

Add seam allowance to all sides; label it CUT 2X FACE UP.

PREPARATION & ASSEMBLY

BRAIDING THE SHOULDER STRAP

Using the 4-strand braiding method, braid 4 lengths of narrow flat braid (½” wide [12 mm]) following the diagram below. Stitch across the ends of the braided strap to secure. Set aside.

WEAVING THE BODY OF THE BAG

Weave the flat-braid strips over-and-under one another (plaiting) using 10 strips of the same colour across and 10 strips of the same colour, up and down.

Keep the weave tight, squared (90º) and centred. If you have to join strips to get the desired length, do so with a scant 1/4-inch seam. When weaving, hide the seam by positioning it under a corresponding perpendicular slat in the weave, if possible.

Once the base is woven, make a keeper row with thin string using the twining technique. This will keep the base centred and fixed (the string will be removed later in the assembly). You need enough string to go around the base a little more than twice. Take the length of string and fold it in half.

Start in the center of the weave and lace the loop end of the string around a flat-braid slat. For right-handed people, work the doubled string from left to right. Both end-pieces of string are sitting above the surface of the woven base. Take the string length most to your left and twist it under the next strip to your right. Now the string length that was to the right is now on your left. Both strands of string stay above the surface. Take the string on your most left and twist it under the next strip of braid to your right and repeat until you get to the corner of the base. Keep the string tight, bring it close to the weaving. Once you get to the corner, wrap that bottom string length around the corner good and tight. The remaining strand of string gets twisted under the slat going the opposite direction at the corner. Keep it tight. Once you are around the corner rotate the entire base 90 degrees. Continue wrapping the string from left to right as before, keeping the string strands always above the woven base. At the corner, bring the bottom string length around the corner and keep it tight and take the top thread and wrap it under the perpendicular strip. Continue working the string most left under the next slat on the right. Each will create a half twist of the string. Keep the base squared. When you have gone around the base, tie the ends through the beginning loop and tie off. If you had to join strips to get the desired length for your weavers, adjust the slats horizontally and vertically to hide the join under a flat-braid slat wherever necessary.

Now that the keeper row is in place, turn the base 45 degrees and fold the lower point of the base to the upper point of the base with face side up. You are now ready to start a 3-dimensional weave.

At corners of the base on the left and right, begin to weave the flat-braid strips from front to back on each side. Use alligator clips or clothespins to hold the strips while weaving. While the weaving remains a simple under-over operation, now you are weaving one flat-braid strip from the ‘front’ with one strip from the ‘back’, which is a little more complex. Pay attention that you do not twist or mis-align the flat-braid slats. As always, keep the weaving tight and build the sides of the weave, alternating back and forth. Use alligator clips to hold the intertwining slats in place. Continue the weaving until you can go no further. Repeat this process on the opposite side of the woven base.

Baste across the ends of the flat-braids to hold the 3-D weave. You now have the “body” of the handbag. Carefully snip the string and remove the keeper row.

Along the top edge of the woven section, you can use a stay-tape to stabilize the woven edge and prevent the weave from stretching. You can square up the top edge of the bag and cut away the excess, or you may want to follow the shape of the top edge as I did to “keep” as much of the completed plaiting as possible. In this case, the bag sides are built up yet at the center of the front and back sections, it dips because I have run out of weavers. In many cases, you can premeditate a conceptual plan yet be prepared to be flexible to “allow” the design to develop as you style the weave pattern.

Measure the dimensions of your plaiting and draft the solid portion of the handbag (zippered opening).

MAKING THE BAG TOP OPENING

Iron fusible interfacing to the back of the upholstery fabric, following manufacturer’s directions, to stabilize the front and back panels of the bag opening. Cut out the desired shape from the pattern.

Turn under the top edge of the front and back panels and press along the fold.

Attach the bag zipper. On the interfaced static solid portion of the bag opening, center the zipper FACE UP. Using a zipper foot, topstitch the panels to the zipper.

Next, attach the shoulder strap. Place the ends of the shoulder strap across the ends of the zipper and stitch across the width of the strap. Carefully clip the fabric at a 45º angle between the shoulder strap and the front and back section (see diagram), stop at the outer edge of the shoulder strap.

At this point, bring the front and back sections, with FACE SIDES together, to sew up the gussets (side seams). Stitch up side seams and open flat. Fold the side seams back onto the zipper end with the strapping sandwiched between the two layers to create the gusset. Sew across the ends to mitre the corner and secure the shoulder strap in place.

To complete the bag, attach the top section to the woven base. Open the zipper and turn bag opening wrong-side-out. With FACE SIDES together, align and match the raw edges of the solid panel with the woven edge and stitch together, easing wherever needed. Turn right-side-out when completed and topstitch along the seamline.

INTERIOR LINING

For the interior of the handbag, you will need a strong fabric to support the contents of the bag. Suitability for a given purpose is my rational for using laminated or bonded fabrics for linings in my handbag designs. The woven section of the bag will not be strong enough to hold contents securely, so a reinforced lining is necessary. Some fabric choices are percale, faille, or moiré, which are tightly woven, then bond them with fusible interfacing. This special treatment gives the interior bag lining its strength and durability, while taking the strain off the plaiting.

For this design, I have chosen the drop-in lining method as it’s the easiest to make. Basically, you are making it separately from the outside of the bag. These lining pieces are more or less square grids with the bottom corners cut out. This gives a lining the same size and shape as the body of the bag before being inserted into the bag cavity and attached to the opening. You may decide to add interior pockets to the lining interior for security and organization, as I did.

For the lining, iron a light-weight interfacing to the back of the lining material. Mark out two rectangles equal to the height and width of the finished bag. Add seam allowance. Cut each of the bonded fabric pieces out.

For the lining pockets, cut 2 rectangles equal to 2 times its width, for the length with seam allowance.

Fold each patch pocket piece, with FACE side together, to form a square. Stitch on all open sides, leaving a small opening to turn out the fabric. Turn right-side-out and press square pocket flat. Slipstitch opening closed. Align each patch pocket to center of lining piece and secure in place by topstitch along sides and bottom of the square, then sew up the middle to create compartments.

Turn under the seam allowance along the top edge of the lining pieces and press flat. With FACE sides together, match and align the perimeter edges of the lining and stitch the sides and bottom. Insert the lining into the cavity of the bag and slipstitch the top edge of the lining to the back of the zipper tape at the opening of the bag.

HOW TO WEAVE A HANDBAG DESIGN: A Primer

Straw Bag Design: Rosa Cha

Woven handbag designs offer a sophisticated palette of colour, texture, pattern and scale for a truly unique fashion look. A wide variety of patterns can be made by changing the size, colour, or by placement of a certain style of weave. Many fashion designers feature woven styles of handbags in their Spring/Summer collections, with warm-weather favourites in neutral-coloured plaited straws and sisals, while supple tanned leather is a popular fashion choice for year-round use. Woven leathers are sold by the yard and are available in ten-yard rolls of various pattern styles, in 27-inch or 54-inch widths. Straw and raffia plaiting is sold by the linear foot and are available in 100-foot coils, in widths from 10 mm to 24 mm widths. Flat braids and ribbons, silk rouleau and cordings, and upholstery webbing are excellent materials to weave your own, as well.

You can make your own woven designs, using any non-fraying flat medium, employing the techniques described here. A rotary cutter and cutting mat will make easy work of it to create even-width uniform strips for weaving.

Another option is pre-cut garment-grade leather (3-4 oz. weight) strapping. It is commonly sold in 36 to 45 inch lengths and available in 20mm widths and 2 mm thicknesses. For a sturdier weave, try Latigo leather strips. They are made of oil-treated, tanned 8-9 oz. cowhide for belting and is available in lengths from 54 to 72 inches and range in widths from 12 mm to 50 mm.

Think basketry when thinking of bag construction. Rather than drafting a pattern and sewing it up, you are molding the bag like you would a sculpture. The parts of a bag cavity are the base, the side walls, and the rim. A bag may also have a flap, handle, or other embellishments. Like making baskets, most bag designs begin with a base. The base can either be woven or a static solid piece. A bag base can come in many shapes to make a wide variety of shapes of handbags. The ‘static’ pieces of the work are laid down first. In a round silhouette, they are referred to as ‘spokes’; in other shapes they are called ‘ribs’ or ‘slats’. Then the ‘weavers’ are used to fill in the sides of the body portion to create the shape desired.

Weaving techniques include virtually every possible way there is to attach one piece of material to another without using stitching, glue, or pins, although resins may be used to coat a bag’s surface to make it waterproof, or it may be cloth-lined to make it impervious.

Four basic weaving techniques are used in bag construction. Weaving, plaiting, and twining all interlace horizontal elements (wefts) and vertical elements (warps), but each technique brings to bag designing subtleties of design, colour, and form. On the other hand, coiling, used in making spiral-bound totes, is more like sewing, as the designer uses an awl to punch holes in the foundation through which sewing strands are drawn.

Each of the basic methods has numerous variations, and designers sometimes use several variations on a technique in a single bag style, or combine two or more techniques. Ultimately, the beauty of a handbag weave reveals the designer’s creative vision and technical adeptness at both preparing the materials and manipulating them into a ‘basket’ shape for the body portion of the design.

In looking at the common styles of weaving techniques around the world, I like to break them first into two categories – intertwined and spiral-bounded, and then further divide the lists into woven, plaiting, twining, and coiling (note: this is my own analysis for beginners, not a standardized ideal used by weavers).

I. Intertwined: using over-under techniques.

A. Woven: involves narrow strips overlapping one another, similar to the warp and weft on a loom.

1. Single/parallel strand woven: a single weaver goes behind one or more slats (ribs), then in front of one or more slats in an over-under pattern. The strands fill the space solidly.

a) Single strand/single spiral: a single strand goes around the whole circumference of the bag shape (or front to back) until it ends, then is joined or replaced. This is the technique used to create a seamless 3D-weave. It only requires that you use an uneven number of slats, so that each succeeding row of weaving goes over where the one before went under, so that the rows lock each other in place. Adding slats must be done two at a time to maintain the pattern. Often, the rib count will double at intervals, creating a design element as well as allowing the bag body to grow in size. The spacing between the slats is made as tight as possible to prevent large gaps in the weave, which small objects may fall through.

b) Multi-strand/multi-spiral: a separate strand starts behind each slat and spirals steeply upward paralleling its neighbour. Changing the slat count requires ending the weaving with a single solid row and beginning again. This technique has limited potential for use in bowl-shaped bucket styles, and is best suited to fill large straight-sided purse styles or basket-shaped panniers where the slat count is constant. A pannier shape can be achieved by using tapered weavers with the smallest end down. As the weavers get wider, they force the diameter of the “basket” outward. This same concept can be used in many of the woven techniques as an alternative to adding or subtracting ribs.

B. Twining

Twined work begins with a foundation of rigid elements, or warp rods—very often whole plant shoots—around which two, and sometimes three or four, weft elements are woven. The wefts are separated, brought around a stationary warp rod, brought together again, and twisted. The action is repeated again and again, building the cavity shape. Subtle and elegant patterns are made by changing the number of wefts (as in braiding and overlay), or the number of warps the wefts pass over (as in diagonal weaves). A weaver may use any number of twining variations in a single style. False embroidery, a technique in which a decorative element is wrapped around the wefts, on the outside face of the weave, is often seen on plain twining.

a) Single twined: two weavers alternate behind one rib at a time to create a basket-weave. Ribs can be added in at any time necessary to achieve the desired shape. Can be used to create open work patterns for lined bags and totes.

b) Double, or Diagonal Twined: two weavers alternate behind two ribs at a time, with succeeding rows offset like brickwork. To maintain the pattern, two ribs are added in on successive ‘stitches’. Patterning can also be achieved using a clockwise twist and giving an up-to-the-right pattern, or counter-clockwise twist to give a down-to-the-right pattern. Diagonal stripes are created when the two weavers are of different colours.

c) Three (or more) Strand Twining: three or more weavers alternate in a pattern such as over two, under one, giving a slightly raised texture and steeper slant to the weaving.

d) Overlay Twining: coloured strands are wrapped around the weavers to embellish the principle surface of the bag. Materials can be used that are too weak to use on their own, such as soutache braid and novelty yarns.

C. Plaiting

In plaiting, or checkerwork, two elements are woven over and under each other at right angles, resembling a checkerboard pattern. Twilled weave is much the same, except that the horizontal materials (weft) are woven over two or more verticals (warps). Plaiting works best with flat, ribbon-like materials. A common feature of plaited handbag projects is the formation of an edge by folding a strip at a 45-degree angle and sending it back in the opposite direction, forming a neat second layer for the bag opening. Plaiting also refers to flat braided strips (very long and narrow) used to make straw handbags and brimmed hats.

1) Simple Plaited: woven in ‘over one-under one’ pattern.

2) Pattern Plaited: woven in specific patterns such as ‘over one – under two’, which create various twill patterns, especially when different colours of weavers are used.

II Spiral-bound: working technique in the round.

a) Coiled/Spiral: a cordlike core is stitched in a spiral to the row below, creating a round or oval pattern that grows along its edge. Coiling begins at the center of a bag and grows upon itself in spiral rounds, each attached to the round before. Weaving coiled totebags is a sewing technique, as the bag-maker uses an awl to punch holes in the foundation through which sewing strands are drawn. These strands are single pieces of plant fibre, such as jute, hemp, or flax for example, that have been twisted to a uniform size. The foundation is made up of one, two, three, or sometimes more slender plant shoots such a bamboo, bundles of grass or shredded plant fibres, or a combination of grasses and sisals. In coiling, designs are not made by changing the weave, but rather by using a different colour sewing thread. Think of a braided rag rug configuration.

The shape and size of a woven handbag will depend on the scale of the slats you use. For the weaving, the wider you can cut the strips, the wider the size of the bag; and the longer you can make each strip, the more height (length) you with achieve to the bag shape.

Here is a simple tutorial designed to show the how-to’s for weaving a handbag, yet the style of weaving is up to you, as a wide variety of patterns can be made by changing the size, colour, or by placement of a certain style of weave.

KEEP AN IDEABOOK

Photo Credit: Moleskins

Inspiration is in every direction. With no limits to creativity, let the shapes, colours, and textures around you contribute to the bag designs in your mind. Fashion need not be inspired only by fashion. Fashion designers often get their ideas from current events, entertainment, art, the environment, or cultures around the world. Brainstorming, imagery, awareness, and observation can be very powerful in any of your artistic endeavours. This way of seeing is ideal for enhancing your creativity. Next, you need a method to capture and remember your creative visions.

Keep a Fashion Idea Sketchbook

Sketch, sketch, sketch – There’s no risk involved in a sketch. If it doesn’t work out, just turn the page of your sketchbook and start again. Not much of an artist? Use a grid template. A grid template is a linear layout of intersecting horizontal and vertical lines. Use them to sketch your bag design’s stylelines and overall appearance while maintaining accurate proportions and dimensions. Graph paper makes a good template so that you always have copies of this grid to draw your designs. Gather newspaper and magazine clippings, photos, drawings or make photocopies of favourite bag styles as well as ideas and details for colour palettes, fabrications, etc. and paste them in your sketchbook. Your ideabook will be constantly evolving just as fashion does. Update it often, removing those ideas that aren’t as inspiring and adding new-found creative ones. When “shopping the shops” make a note of any details or design ideas you discover in the marketplace. Look closely at the construction, shapes and proportion of the details. Draw/sketch, and write down as many notes as you can remember for later use. Sketch the detail over and over again, varying the shape and design to improve on it. Make it your own and let it generate many more great ideas.

Redesign – redraw – renew.

I’ll let you in on a trade secret. Sometimes designers are fortunate enough to develop a “runner” in their collections. A runner is marketing jargon for a style that is an instant seller and is reordered over and over again by the retailer. Whenever a runner is developed, designers do not discard it at the end of the fashion season; we alter it slightly… perhaps changing the hardware or possibly re-fabricating the popular style in a new material for the next season. You can do the same. If you have developed a bag design that you really enjoy, do not start over from square one; instead sketch it out and re-work it with new hardware, new colour scheme, or new materials. Let one single good design idea morph tenfold.

Visual Cues

It is said that “a picture is worth a thousand words”. Use this philosophy in your sketching. Often there is no “real” pattern-drafting needed to produce a basic bag silhouette. Draw out your design based upon its specifications. Patternless designs (a simple block grid) can be plotted directly onto your material as long as the fabric is square and on-grain. Once the design specs are communicated visually, you are ready to cut out the shape, sans pattern.

Simplification of Ideas

If you’re happy with your first attempt, well done. I would caution you however, do not expect perfection for your first trial or you might end up disappointed with the end results. I often find novices put too many of their ideas into one sketch. My advice is take your original design and simplify it by redrawing the concept eliminating any parts of the design that cannot stand on its own. Keep simplifying each progressive sketch until you can no longer simplify it without changing the prime concept. Often it is that sketch of the bag style that should be put into production. Designing is a evolutionary process, so practice make perfect. If you continue to keep on sketching and improve it for every new attempt, soon enough you will have a collection of bag styles in your repertoire worthy of the production stage.

Drawing your design ideas takes concentration. A defined work-space and a preplanned time frame are often helpful. Try to plan sketching time every day, or whatever time is available to your lifestyle to sketch. Planning a time frame in a space where you can concentrate will help slow down your ideas and draw them out so you can actually be productive with them.  If you’re in a hurry or if the ideas come too fast, it’s difficult to convert them into a good design.

PAILLETTE EVENING BAG

A little sparkle for a night out.

Dimensions: approximately 15 cm high X 30 cm wide X 5 cm deep

Construction Method: Turned finish – this method may be recognized by noting the lack of machine-stitching that is visible at points of assembly on the exterior side of the bag. This is possible by placing the material, or parts, face to face, machining and turning right-side out. It is the most commonly used assembly process.

Material Used: 100% polyester-backed paillette fabric, 112 cm wide; 100% polyester sateen lining; 100% polyester Pellon® fleece interlining, medium-weight; 100% polyester Knit-fuse® interfacing.

You will need:

• 30 cm of paillette fashion fabric, 112 cm wide
• 30 cm of sateen lining, 112 cm wide
• 30 cm of needle-punched fleece interlining, 56 cm wide
• 30 cm of knit-fuse interfacing, 75 cm wide
• 1 metal purse frame with double loops, 30 cm x 6 cm
• 1 metal purse chain, 50 cm
• 2 metal jumprings, 5-6 mm dia.
• 1 spool of coordinating thread
• 1 tube of clear-set bonding adhesive
• kraft paper

PATTERN

The size of the frame determines the size of this evening bag.

The width is equal to the width of the purse frame. The height is equal to half the width and the depth is 1/6 of the width. The dimensions of the purse frame used is 30 cm X 6 cm.

Take the purse frame and draw around the outer perimeter following its shape onto kraft paper, including the points where the hinges stop.

Square down vertically from the hinge points, and measure 15 cm from top of frame to base line for the finished height.

To create the depth, add a 25 mm gusset on each side. Extend the baseline outward on either side of center and join to the top edge with a straight line.

The distance from the top corner of the purse frame to its hinge equals 6 cm. Transfer this amount to your pattern draft plus add seam allowance and fit ease (this equals 1 cm for the seam allowance and a few millimetres more from end of the purse hinge location). Indicate the hinge locations with a notch. Label O. This is where the purse hinges will sit on the fabric.

Cut out pattern and label INTERIOR with cutting instructions for lining/interfacing and add a vertical grainline for the marker.

Trace draft onto a folded sheet of paper with the baseline aligned on the fold. Cut out pattern and label EXTERIOR with cutting instructions for paillette fabric/interlining and add a vertical grainline for the marker. Label the notches, X.

CUTTING

Cutting Tip: Do not use your best fabric scissors to cut the paillette fabric; the plastic will dull them quickly.

Exterior Bag: cut 1X the paillette fabric and the Pellon interlining.

Interior Bag: cut 2X the sateen lining and knit fusible.

Slip Pocket: cut a square from remaining lining fabric – 22 cm long X 22 cm wide

Sewing Tip: Use a roller foot attachment on your sewing machine for more control and less friction when sewing the paillette fabric. The metal roller will not imprint the fabric.

CONSTRUCTION

a) Preparation

Iron the fusible knit-fuse interfacing onto the wrong side of the lining fabric, following manufacturer’s directions.

Baste the sew-in Pellon® interlining to the back of the paillette fabric, by hand, around the perimeter.

b) Exterior

To construct the exterior of the bag, fold the paillette fabric FACE SIDES together and match the X notches. Sew from the X, down to the fold of the fabric, using a 1 cm seam allowance.

Create a flat bottom for the purse by mitering (see: mitering). Take one of the corners of the exterior bag and match the sideseam with the foldline of the bag. Flatten to form a triangle. Measure 25 mm from the tip of the triangle  and mark the line with chalk and pin. Stitch along the marked line perpendicular to the seam and trim the excess fabric 1cm from the seam to create a mitered corner. Repeat for the opposite bottom corner of the exterior. Turn exterior bag right side out.

c) Slip Pocket

Make a slip pocket by folding a square of lining fabric in half with FACE SIDES together. Stitch up sides from fold, using a 6mm seam allowance. Turn fabric right-side-out and press flat.

d) Interior

Center slip pocket on one section of the lining and match the raw open edge of the pocket to the base of the lining fabric. Edge stitch along the 2 sides of the slip pocket to attach the pocket to the lining. Stitch across the bottom of the pocket. (as an option, this slip pocket can be divided into 2 smaller compartments by stitching through the center of the slip pocket, if desired).

Place the 2 lining pieces, with FACE SIDES together, and align the bottom edges and the O notches. Sew from the O, down to the bottom corner of the lining, using a 1 cm seam allowance. Then, sew the bottom seam of the lining, using a 1 cm seam allowance, except you have to leave an opening in the bottom of the lining to allow for turning.

Create a miter by matching the side seam with the bottom seam on each bottom corner of the lining and proceed in the same manner as described above.

e) Assembly

Slip the exterior section in between the lining. The FACE SIDES of the interior bag and the exterior bag should now be touching each other. Match up the X and O notches. Sew the two flaps of the purse. On one of the flaps pin the lining to the exterior bag at the top and sides. Begin sewing where the stitching starts on the lining, sew all around the sides and top edge stopping at the stitching on the lining. Repeat with other purse flap. Clip ‘V’ notches at the X and O in the seam allowance to aid in securing a smooth edge and trim the excess Pellon from the seam allowance.

Gently pull the exterior of the bag through the opening left in the lining. Drop the lining into the cavity of the exterior section and smooth everything down with a wooden creaser, as a hot iron will melt the plastic paillettes.

f) Purse  Frame Attachment

To complete and before applying the glue, dry-fit the bag into the frame to check the fit. Check the bulk of the seam and trim seam allowance if necessary. The thickness of the layers at this point should fill the cavity of the frame nicely.

Then, remove from the frame and sew up opening in the lining closed. Stitch the gap in the lining closed by pushing the raw edges into the gap and edge-stitching close to the edge for a neat finish.

Apply clear-set bonding glue to the channel of one of the sides of the frame. Start at the hinge and work your way to the other hinge. Go easy on the glue and only do one side of the frame at a time! Use a craftstick (or something similar) to spread the glue around inside the frame. Don’t let it form “globs” or it will ooze out on your fabric. Allow the glue to become tacky for 5 minutes.

Insert the purse into the frame. Start by inserting the sides of your purse into the frame (hinge end first) then work your way up to the top corners. Use a pointed tool to poke and stuff the fabric evenly into the frame – a crease presser/turner is perfect for this job. After you have inserted the sides of the purse into the frame, start inserting the top edge of the purse into the frame working reasonably quickly before the glue dries. Turn the purse over to check that the lining side is also inserted evenly into the frame. Leave to dry for 15 minutes before tackling the other side of the frame and purse in the same way. Let everything dry for about 30 minutes or according to manufacturer’s directions.

g) Finishing

Add the purse chain to the double loops on the purse frame by threading the jumprings onto the chain links and the frame loops, then closing with pinch-nosed pliers.

DESIGNING A CLASSIC

Metal framed handbags are the quintessential classic bag design for professional accessory designers and small leather goods manufacturers. Yet many new designers and craftspeople shy away from designing their own framed styles because the concept looks complex to produce, in addition to finding a source for the bag frames. Let me assure you that the design process for these traditional bags is quite easy to do and simple to sew. Making this purse style isn’t nearly as tricky as you might think.

Here is an easy tutorial for a framed evening bag.

SOURCING

The whole design of your handbag is based upon the metal frame. Before beginning to draft your pattern, you must select a bag frame. There are many collections of purse frames on the market for design-it-yourself projects. This hinged hardware come in a wide range of styles, rectangular or curved in shape, in various metal colours and finishes. You will find classic vintage frames with kiss-lock closures and intricate scroll details, to the versatile sleek modern metal frames with ball-lock closures which may or may not have a convertible carrying chain.

The size of the frame determines the size of the bag. Small frame widths (65 – 100 mm) are the right size for coin purses, while medium frame widths (1oo – 150 mm) make up wallets and pocketbooks nicely, and large frames widths (200 – 300 mm) are ideal for clutch bags and purses. The frames are attached by using clear-set bonding glue for adhering porous and non-porous materials; or, framing scrim, a dense twisted paper cord or pliable rubber filler that fills the frame channel; or, using a crimping tool that gently crimp the metal of the purse frame to the cloth.

Depending where you live, availability and selection may be a limitation but demand is making it a popular seller for retailers and availability is growing. Fashion accessory designers have the benefit of access to trade-only suppliers and often years in advance, before these raw materials become common in the marketplace. So, you will have to work with whatever is available through your favourite retailers. In larger urban areas you may find specialty retailers like MacDonald-Faber Ltd. that carry many of the items you will need, while in smaller towns you may have to depend upon catalogue mail-order, such as A Great Notion. Many suppliers can be found on-line through Etsy® , Ebay®, and the like such as Mikke, offering variety and quality, allowing you to eliminate the “middle man” by buying direct from the source.

PATTERNDRAFTING

The main reason why handbag patterns are not available for purse frames is because there are so many different purse frame shapes. This means you have to draft your own patterns. The design concept needs to have height, width, and depth to create a style. The size of the frame determines the width of the bag; height and depth can be whatever dimensions you wish.

Take your frame and draw around the outer perimeter, including the points where the hinges stop.

From the hinge points, square down vertically to the desired height of the bag.

To create the depth, you must add a gusset on each side. Extend the baseline outward on either side of center to half of the finished depth measurement and join to the top edge with a straight line. The pattern is now wider than the right angles of the frame. The wider the angle the more deeper your purse will be.

Next, measure the distance from the top corner of the purse frame to its hinge. Transfer this amount to your pattern draft plus add seam allowance and fit ease (this can be about 1 cm for the seam allowance and a few millimetres more from end of the purse hinge location). Indicate these locations with a notch.

This is where the purse hinges will sit on the fabric.

Label your pattern with cutting instructions and add a grainline for the marker.

Depending upon your fashion fabric choice, you may need to add interfacing. Interfacing creates structure if it is used on the body of the bag – but is entirely optional here, and using it depends on the weight of the fabric and the finished look that you require.

INTERFACING & INTERLINING

Interfacing adds “body” to the bag’s shape and using it depends on the weight of the fabric and the finished look that you desire. Bag facings and the underside of flaps are major structural pieces in bag construction and often carry hardware; they should always be interfaced. Framed clutch purses go great with evening gowns or dressy outfits. Since clutch purses are usually made from fancy fashion fabrics such as silk or satin, you’ll need to add interfacing to make the fabric more stable. By fusing interfacing to every piece of the outside of the bag you add a lot more structure to the fabric. Some fabrics won’t need it, but most medium-weight or lightweight fabrics will benefit from it. Also be aware that any fashion fabric with a nap, pile, or relief surface will be subjected to sew-in type interfacings only, as not to destroy the beauty of its surfaces with heat and pressure.

I like to interface the lining as well to strengthen it against wear and tear in use, but it shouldn’t be the main support in the bag. A knit-fuse type interfacing is ideal to stabilize it without adding stiffness.

It’s important to remember that by adding an extra layer of interfacing to a bag piece, you are also increasing the bulk of the fabric. In this case, this is a good thing as the layers will fill the channel of the purse frame. Be careful when you are using heavy fabrics, for instance canvas or denim, that your sewing machine will be able to sew through all the layers at points where several seams converge.

Sometimes it takes making up a “test” bag or two (see: making mock-ups) in different weight fabrics to understand the balance that has to be struck between the look you require and the capabilities of your sewing machine.

Whenever designing an evening bag with beading, sequins, sheer or lacy fashion fabric, the best thing to do is to interline it with a more solid fabric, and in turn interface the solid fabric (a stable, woven fabric is best as a base for sheer fabrics). You may or may not have to use Pellon®. First you sew or iron on the interfacing to the back of the solid fabric, then lay the sheer fabric over the top of the right side of the solid fabric. Stay-stitch the sheer fabric in place all the way around, and then make up the bag treating the layered pieces as if as one.

USING WADDING OR FLEECE INTERLINING ( PELLON® )

Iron-on or sew-in wadding (Pellon®) can give extra structure to fabric bags and is available in different weights and thicknesses. This plush needle-punched fleece interlining is great for bag-making because it sticks to the fabric and makes the pieces very easy to sew together, and it holds the shape of the bag beautifully, while being lightweight. Similarly like when applying interfacing, by adding this extra layer to your fabric you are creating more bulk. You may have to check that your sewing machine will sew through several layers of the fabric and wadding before you proceed with making up the bag.

CONSTRUCTION

Cut out your fabric pieces. From your pattern, cut: 2 pieces each of the fashion fabric, lining fabric, and fusible or sew-in interfacing. Iron the fusible interfacing onto the wrong side of your exterior fabric, if using.

To construct the exterior of the bag, create a “sandwich” with the fashion fabric (FACE SIDES together) in the middle and the sew-in interlining on the outsides. Pin/baste all layers together. Starting from one of your hinge markings sew the sides and bottom of the exterior finishing at the other hinge markings.

Create a flat bottom for your purse by mitering (optional) or round off the tips of the triangle to create nice curved corners. To miter, take one of the corners of your exterior bag and match the side seam with the bottom seam line. Flatten to form a triangle. Measure the desired depth amount down from the tip of the triangle mark the line with chalk and pin. Stitch along the marked line perpendicular to the seam and trim any excess fabric 1cm from the seam to create a mitered corner. Repeat for the opposite bottom corner of the exterior. Turn exterior bag right side out.

Sew up the lining. With FACE SIDES together, mark the flap opening/hinge bit on the lining to match the notch made on the exterior bag. Sew the lining bag in the same way as above except you have to leave an opening in the bottom of the lining to allow for turning.

With FACE SIDES OUT, slip the exterior section in-between the lining. The face sides of the lining bag and the exterior bag should now be touching each other. Sew the two flaps of the purse. On one of the flaps pin the lining to the exterior bag at the top and sides. Begin sewing where the stitching starts on the lining, sew all around the sides and top edge stopping at the stitching on the lining. Repeat with other purse flap. Clip ‘V’ notches in the notch locations and any curved areas of the seam allowance to aid in securing a smooth edge.

Gently pull the exterior of the bag through the opening left in the lining. Drop the lining into the cavity of the exterior bag and smooth everything down, press if necessary.

To complete and before applying the glue or framing scrim, dry-fit the bag into the frame to check the fit. Check the bulk of the seam and trim seam allowance if necessary. The thickness of the layers at this point should fill the cavity of the frame nicely. If the seaming is thin or not sufficiently bulky, use framing scrim to fill it out.

Then, remove from the frame and sew up opening in the lining closed. Stitch the gap in the lining closed by pushing the raw edges into the gap and edge-stitch close to the edge for a neat finish.

FRAME ATTACHMENT

A clear-set bonding glue designed for adhering to porous (fabric) and non-porous (metal) materials is used to attach the frame to the cloth bag. Read manufacturer’s instructions for glue application of adhesive. Apply the bonding glue to the channel of one of the sides of the frame. Start at the hinge and work your way to the other hinge. Go easy on the glue and only do one side of the frame at a time! Use a craftstick (or something similar) to spread the glue around inside the frame. Don’t let it form “globs” or it will ooze out on your fabric. Allow the glue to become tacky for 5 minutes.

Insert your purse flap into the frame. Start by inserting the sides of your purse into the frame (hinge end first) then work your way up to the top corners. Use a pointed tool to poke and stuff the fabric evenly into the frame – a crease presser/turner is perfect for this job. After you have inserted the sides of the purse into the frame, start inserting the top edge of the purse into the frame working reasonably quickly before the glue dries. Turn the purse over to check that the lining side is also inserted evenly into the frame. Leave to dry for 15min before tackling the other side of the frame and purse in the same way. Let everything dry for about 30 minutes or according to manufacturer’s directions.

Framing scrim, a dense twisted paper cord or pliable rubber filler for frame purse-making, can be used for thin fashion fabrics in conjunction with the bonding glue. It is ideal for standard-to-wide channeled purse frames or purses with thin fabric layers. Using the framing scrim strengthens the bond between the fabric and the frame and fills the channel of the frame. Insert the scrim between the exterior bag portion and the lining side of the purse using a pointed tool, such as a wooden creaser, and push it up into the channel to secure the top of the bag onto the frame before closing up the opening in the bottom of the lining. The thickness of the scrim will plug up the channel and stabilize the edge of the cloth.

Some purse shapes require the use of purse frame crimpers, but the 75mm to 200mm range of frames available on the market do not require this tool. The crimpers gently squeeze the metal around the top edge of the bag encasing the fabric into the frame. There are often instructions included in the kits outlining how to use the crimpers so follow manufacturer’s directions for using this tool.

BRAIDED LEATHER STRAPPING

‘Braided Rawhide Strapping’

Leather strapping for handbag design can be made by braiding using the same leather skins used in the construction of the body of a handbag. Often rawhide thong (string) is used in leather braiding.  Rawhide (also called leather) is an animal skin (pelt) that has been stretched to dry and had its hair removed.

Rawhide is “raw” because it has not been tanned. To create tanned leather, a chemical is applied to the hide to relax the skin and make it soft. Most of the leather we use today in handbag design is tanned leather, but rawhide is still used to make many products; everything from handbags and clothing to building materials and tools.

Photo Credit: Justin McInteer, Autry National Center.

To prepare the rawhide string for braiding, a large circle is cut from the stretched animal skin. (Fig. 1) This circle is then cut in a spiral pattern creating a long continuous strip. (Fig. 2).

Braiding involves using a pattern that is repeated over and over again. As you work through these design styles, try to recognize the different patterns. Once you understand the pattern, the braiding will be easier to do. Braiding is a difficult skill to learn, so remember to be patient.

Before beginning braiding, try these helpful tips:

• Take your time.
• Look closely at the illustrations.
• Read the instructions aloud.
• Label each string with a letter (as shown in the illustrations) on a piece of masking tape.

THE THREE STRING “HAIR” BRAID

If you have ever braided someone’s hair, you might recognize the Three String Braid shown in the illustration below.

Photo Credit: Justin McInteer, Autry National Center.

Start with a strip of leather that has been cut into three strings. (Fig. 1)

Begin by pulling string A over string B.

Next pull string C over string A. (Fig. 2)

Then pull string B over string C. (Fig. 3)

Repeat until completed.

Can you see the pattern? The outside string always crosses over the middle string.

THE FOUR STRING BRAID

The Four-String Braid is similar to the Hair Braid except for the addition of an extra string. You can use this braid to make beautiful bag handles and straps. Remember, labelling your strings with letters will help you through the braiding process.

Photo Credit: Justin McInteer, Autry National Center.

Start with a strip of leather that has been cut into four strings. (Fig. 1)

Begin braiding by pulling string C over string B and under string A.

Next pull string B over string D.

Then pull string D over string A as shown in Fig. 2.

Pull string B under string A.

Now pull string C over string D and under string B.

Then pull string A under string C as shown in Fig. 4.

Next pull string D over string B and under string A as shown in Fig. 5.

Now pull string C under string D.

Next pull string B over string A and under string C.

Pull string D under string B.

Now pull string A over string C and under string D.

Next pull string B under string A.

Now pull string C over string D and under string B.

Can you see the pattern? The string on the right is pulled under the string closest to it. Then the string on the far left is pulled over one string and under one string, stopping in the middle.

Practice your rawhide braiding and add some leather details to your handbag designs.

Technical Information Source: Autry National Center’s Museum of the American West

MACRAME BAG STRAPS

This design inspiration demonstrates how to make macrame bands in different styles. They can be used as bag straps, handles, or just for embellishment. Under each image is indicated what knot is need to make the band and colour-coded to show its manipulation.

I can envision this in a leather lacing or ornamental rope.

Photo Credit: Stefan