Messenger Bag

Pattern Markings

Transfer all pattern markings to the fabric using a disappearing ink pen or tailors chalk.

Interfacing

Use the manufacturer’s instructions to apply the fusible fleece interfacing to the to the wrong side of the following pieces: Side Panel, Zipper Pocket, Front and Back, Outer Pocket, Flap, and OPTIONAL Strap.

Mark the center points of Front Lining and Back Lining bottom sides.

Align Side Panel Lining short end with Front Lining top edge right sides together. Pin them together matching the raw edges. 

Mark the point of the Side Panel Lining that matches the midpoint of the Front Lining. 

Repeat steps 1.2 to 1.3 to pin the other Side Panel Lining to the Front Lining. 

Align the markings from steps 1.3 and 1.4 and draw a line across the Side Panel Linings started from this point at a perfect right angle across the width of the pattern pieces.

TIP – You may need to remove some pins to be able to draw this line.

Stitch along the drawn line to join the Side Panel Lining pieces. 

Press the seam allowances to either side. 

NOTE – The seam allowances are quite long, but they are supposed to be. They will be caught in the seam line to add support to the base of the finished bag. 

Pin the stitched Side Panel Linings back to the Front Lining, matching the seam line on the side to the midpoint on the Front Lining.   

Stitch using a ¼ inch seam allowance leaving a 5-inch gap on one straight side for turning. 

Pin Back Lining to Side Panel Linings right sides together. 

Stitch using a ¼ inch seam allowance. 

NOTE – Do not leave a gap on this seam. 

Mark the midpoint of the Main Front and the Zip Pocket short side. 

Aligning the midpoints pin Zip Pocket to Main Front right sides together. 

NOTE – In the photo you will notice that there is overlapping stabilizer.  This was simply to use up smaller pieces of stabilizer where it would not have been visible on the finished bag.  Yours may not look like this.

Align zipper pocket placement markings.

NOTE – If you cut the pocket piece using the cut chart, rather than the pattern piece, transfer the pattern marking to the Zip Pocket now. 

The rectangle should be 7” long and ¼” wide.

Shorten your stitch length and stitch around the rectangle, stitching exactly on the lines.  

TIP – When you reach a corner, leave the needle down, lift the presser foot and turn the pieces. Lower the presser foot and stitch down the short side.

Draw a line down the center of the rectangle, stopping ½ inch from each end.  

Draw a line connecting the end of the straight line to each corner, creating Y shapes at each end of the line.  

Carefully snip through both layers along the middle line, then the corners on each end. Take careful, slow snips to the corners, getting close to the stitches without cutting through them.

Push the Zip Pocket through the opening and press until the Front lays smooth and flat. Pin and press. 

OPTIONAL – Topstitch the Rectangle in place using a ¼ inch seam allowance. This will keep the seam allowance in place and can be especially helpful if you are using a heavy weight fabric.

Place the zipper behind the opening created. Pin. 

TIP – To help prevent the zipper from shifting or the fabric from distorting while sewing, apply washaway sewing tape to secure the zipper. 

Topstitch around the opening using a ⅛ inch seam allowance. Stitch slowly over the zipper teeth.

NOTE – Check you have stitched the little triangles at the end of the rectangle when topstitching.

If needed, trim the zipper tails.  

Fold Zip Pocket piece in half and match the raw edges (two pocket edges and the Bag Front top edge).

Stitch the two side edges using a ¼ inch seam allowance. 

Put the washer of the magnetic snap over the marking on Flap Lining. 

Using a fabric marker, mark the two vertical lines through the washer.

Using a seam ripper snip small holes for the connectors (on the vertical lines).

Push the connectors through the Flap. 

Place the washer on them, and fold the connectors toward the middle.

Iron a double piece of stabilizer over the washer. This will prevent the snap from rubbing against the fabric and will add to the life of your bag.

Place Flap main and lining right sides together and pin around the curved edges (not the top edge). 

Stitch using a ¼ inch seam allowance, leaving the top edge open.

TIP – Go slow when passing the magnetic snap. 

Cut into the seam allowance, to avoid bulks. Be careful to cut close to the seam line but not into it.

Turn Flap right side out and press.

Topstitch all the way using a ⅛ inch seam allowance.

Fold Bias strip in half lengthwise. Press.

Place the folded Bias strip on outer side of Flap top edge aligning raw edges. Pin.

Wrap the edges of Bias strip around the Flap sides, and fold up the corners as shown in the picture. Pin. 

Stitch using a ¼ inch seam allowance. 

Fold the Bias strip up and press. 

Fold Bias strip over enclosing the raw edge. Pin.

Topstitch using a ⅛ inch seam allowance.

Set aside.

Take the Back piece. Using your fabric marker, draw a line 5 ½ inch from the top straight edge.

Mark the midpoint of the drawn line and the Flap Bias, then aligning these points place Flap along the drawn line. Ensure that Flap lays straight on the line. Pin.

Stitch, creating a rectangle of stitching over the bias tape edge of Flap.

Using the method in steps 3.1 to 3.5 add a magnetic snap to Outer Pocket Lining at the marking.

Pin Outer Pocket Main and Lining right sides together.

Stitch along the top straight edge using a ¼ inch seam allowance.

Turn the pocket right side out and press.

Topstitch using a ⅛ inch seam allowance.

Using the method in steps 3.1 to 3.5 add the other side of the magnetic snap to Back Outer at the marking.

NOTE – The snap will go through all the layers holding the flap to the Back piece.

Close the snap and match all the raw edges of Back and Outer Pocket. Pin.

Baste them using a ⅛ seam allowance.

Fold Tab right sides together in half lengthwise and press.

Stitch one short side and the long using a ¼ inch seam allowance.

Trim the seam allowance and the corner to avoid bulks, then turn Tab right side out, using a blunt object e.g. a chopstick. Press.

Repeat steps 6.1 to 6.3 to create the other Tab.

Double check that you have the markings on the Side panels transferred.

Thread D-ring on Tab and fold it. The sewn edge should be about 1 inch from the raw edge. (The sewn edge is longer.)

Pin.

Stitch a line to hold the ring in place, as close to the ring as possible (depending on the foot you have).

Line the fold of the Tab up with the marking (2 inches from the edge of the Side Panel). Align the center of the Tab with the center of Side Panel.

Lift the top part of the Tab to expose the raw edge of Tab and pin.

Stitch that edge with a rectangle of stitching.

Fold the loose end over, and stitch with another rectangle of stitching, adding a cross in the middle for security. Stitch the rectangle as close to the D-ring as possible.

Repeat steps 6.6 to 6.11 to the other side.

Following the method in steps 1.2 to 1.8 pin the Side Panels to the Back and stitch the Side Panels using a ¼ inch seam allowance.

NOTE – Do not leave a gap.

TIP – Be careful to keep the Flap out of the way so it will not get caught in the stitching.

Set aside.

Add the second side of the magnetic snap to the Front at the marking, using the method in steps 3.1 to 3.5. (This should be the other side of the Flap snap.)

NOTE – Make sure that you make snips only through Front and zip pocket is out of the way. Be careful, not to cut into the zip pocket.

The back of the snap will lay under the zip pocket.

OPTIONAL – Cover the connectors and washer with stabilizer for extra protection.

Mark the middle of the curved Back edge. Aligning this point and the seamline of the Side Panels, pin the Front to the Side Panels.

Stitch using a ¼ inch seam allowance.

Turn Bag Outer right side out.

Place Bag Outer into Lining so the right sides are together.

Pin the top edges aligning the seams.

Stitch using a ⅜ inch seam allowance.

Turn the bag right side out through the gap you left on the lining.

Press the top seam open flat.

Fold either side of the gap under ¼ inch, pin and stitch closed by hand or by machine.

If you stitch by machine, skip to step 8.8.

For hand stitching with a ladder stitch, follow below.

Use a slipstitch (also called a ‘ladder stitch’) to stitch the gap closed.

Fold your fabric under by ½ inch. You will be stitching along this folded edge.

Thread your needle, tying the two thread tail ends together in a knot. This will provide added strength to your finished seam.

Push your needle up from the inside of the lining to the outside, through one of the folds, pulling the thread tail completely through. Your knotted end will now be nicely concealed within the seam on the inside.

Directly across from your starting point, push the needle down and then back up through the opposite seam fold to create a stitch that is between ¼ – ½ inch long. When you pull the thread through, you will notice that the stitch you just made is concealed within the seam crease, and there will be a horizontal stitch connecting the left and right sides of your opening.

Pull the thread through so that it is taut.

Turn lining into bag and press top seam flat.

You can choose from three OPTIONAL Straps, for the OPTIONAL Leather Strap, follow below. For the OPTIONAL Webbing Strap, skip to step 10. For the OPTIONAL Fabric Strap, skip to step 11.

TIP – Any Strap OPTION can be finished with a fixed length. In this case, measure the desired length, cut the Strap, then continue, skipping the steps of adjusting the slider.

Fold a leather Strap end around the remaining opening on a metal slider.  Mark the point the strap folds back on itself.

Remove the Strap from the slider.

Mark the placement of the rivets, ¼ inch from each edge.

Punch the rivet holes, making sure each pair is perfectly parallel.

Use those 4 holes to mark the holes on the other side of the Strap, and punch those, too.

Thread that Strap end through the free side of a slider joined to the bag, and rivet in place.

If making a fixed Strap, repeat to attach second end of Strap.

Thread the free Strap end through the extra slider from below, then over the center bar and back through to the bottom side. You should be able to see a full rectangle of the slider from the right side of the Strap.

Thread the free end through the other slider and back under towards the bag.

Thread Strap end around the middle bar of the strap slider, starting closest to the side which is already sewn to the Bag. Then looping over the center bar on the return path, folding the strap end back on itself.

Aligning holes, attach rivets to secure Strap end.

Slide one end of Webbing through metal slider on Bag.

Fold Webbing end over itself 1 inch, then 1 inch again. This will conceal the raw edge of the Webbing.

Stitch a ½ inch box shape though all layers to secure the end of the Webbing Strap in place.

Thread the free Strap end through the extra slider from below, then over the center bar and back through to the bottom side. You should be able to see a full rectangle of the slider from the right side of the Strap.

Thread the free end through the other slider and back under towards the bag.

Thread Strap end around the middle bar of the strap slider, starting closest to the side which is already sewn to the Bag. Then looping over the center bar on the return path, folding the strap end back on itself.

Fold Strap back on itself and follow steps 10.1 to 10.2 to stitch the second end.

Fold the Fabric Strap in half lengthwise, wrong sides together.

Press.

Open the Fabric Strap then fold the two long sides into the middle and press.

Refold the Fabric Strap along the center edge, folding the raw edges to the inside.

Press again to set the folds.

Open Fabric Strap and fold right sides together along one short edge.

NOTE – This will be folded opposite of what we just pressed.

Stitch along short edge using a ½ inch seam allowance.

Clip corners and trim seam allowance to reduce bulk.

Turn Fabric Strap right sides out, refolding along pressed lines and tucking the raw edges inside the strap.

Pin along open edge.

Topstitch ⅛ inch from each edge.

TIP – Sew one long edge and one short edge, then flip your strap over and sew the opposite short edge and long edge. This will add strength and prevent your strap from twisting due to topstitching.

Slide one end of Strap through metal slider on Bag.

Fold Strap end over itself 1 inch, then 1 inch again.

NOTE – This double fold helps with stability and structure for the strap.

NOTE – The Photos shown in the remaining steps show webbing rather than the fabric strap, however, the construction is the same.

Stitch a ½ inch box shape though all layers to secure the end of the Strap in place.

Thread the free Strap end through the extra slider from below, then over the center bar and back through to the bottom side. You should be able to see a full rectangle of the slider from the right side of the Strap.

Thread the free end through the other slider and back under towards the Bag.

Thread Strap end around the middle bar of the strap slider, starting closest to the side which is already sewn to the Bag. Then looping over the center bar on the return path, folding the Strap end back on itself.

Fold Strap back on itself and follow steps 11.8 to 11.9 to stitch the second end.