DIY Cross Body Bag

A tutorial about how to sew a chic cross body bag from an old tablecloth

Cotton batting (or felt or polar fleece)

Printed tablecloth from a charity shop (or printed cotton fabric)

Sewing pins

Sewing thread and needle

Printed templates

Strip of cardboard 20 x 4 cm

Ruler

Pen

Pattern pieces. Right click on image and save to your computer. Open a word processor such as the free Jarte. Insert the image and enlarge to your desired size (I printed mine A4 size).

1.

 Cut out templates and trace onto cotton batting with a pen. Cut out.

2. 

Iron table cloth. Use your strip of cardboard to measure 25 strips on tablecloth. Cut out.

3. 

Working left to right, cover bag pieces and flap pieces with tablecloth strips. Use a sew, flip and iron method.

4.

Sew very closely around the edge of batting. Trim so the strips overhang batting by 1.5 cm.

5.

Sew darts and iron.

6.

Sew patched bag pieces right sides together, leaving top open.

7.

Cut two bag pieces from tablecloth for your lining. Sew right sides together, leaving top open.

8.

Cut two flap pieces from the tablecloth. Sew right sides together, leaving top open.

9.

Turn patched bag piece right side out and iron. Tuck top edge in and iron.

10.

Leave lining piece as is and iron. Fold top edge out and iron

11. 

Turn flap right side out and iron.

12.

Sew top edge of flap closed.

13.

Cut a strip of fabric 4 cm x 124 cm to use as a strap. Fold in half lengthways and iron. Open out fold edge to the centre crease and iron. Fold other edge to meet the centre crease and iron.

14.

Fold along the centre crease and iron again. 

15.

Sew along edge. 

16.

Measure 1 cm from end of strap. Mark with pen. Pin to inside of bag on left side. Sew. Pin other end of strap to inside of bag on right right side, also 1 cm from the end. Sew.

17.

Pin flap to lining piece (to the wrong side of fabric). Sew.

18.

Put lining piece inside patched bag piece.

19.

Sew around top edge by hand using a running stitch. All done!