Flower Bag

The flower ruffle is one of the easiest techniques to add personality to anything. This is my new church bag.

What you need:

2- 17x14" rectangles for main bag fabric

1- 11 x 14" rectangle for inside pocket (When cutting the 17 x 14" rectangle, you should have this amount left)

2- 17 x 14" rectangles lining fabric

3- 6 x 45" strips for ruffles (cut one of these strips into one 12 x 6" and one 33 x 6")

1- 4 x 45" for strap

Total Fabric Requirements:

1/2 yd outside bag fabric (you only need 14" so you will have some extra)

1 yd of lining fabric

Fold the four 6" strips in half and press. Then gather all four pressed pieces. Want to know the easy way to gather? (This is my favorite sewing secret.) Take a piece of string and place it on the raw edge of the fabric. Zigzag stitch across the string the length of the fabric.

Hold one end of the string and pull the other. (Simple right!)

Start making the flower by pinning one gathered 45" strip in a spiral. When pinning, fold under the beginning and end of the strip so that raw edges are hidden.

When you use one strip of fabric, start using the other 45" strip to spiral. Use the 12" piece to make the center of the flower.

Pin the 33" gathered piece onto the other outside bag fabric and sew using 1/2" seam allowance.

With right sides together, sew outside of bag together along the three edges leaving the top open using 1/2" seam allowance.

With right sides together, fold the pocket in half. Sew all three sides leaving a 2" opening to turn right side out. Turn and press. Pin on the inside of bag piece of fabric and sew along three edges, leaving top of pocket open.

Sew the lining of the bag together along the three edges, leaving a three inch opening at the bottom. Make straps by folding the 4 x 45" strip in half, wrong sides together, and sewing closed one short side and the long side using 1/4" seam allowance. Turn strap inside out placing sewn short side over a pencil and pulling fabric down, turning it inside out. Press. Top stitch along both long edges and pin to the outside of bag.

Place the outside of the bag into the lining of bag with right sides together. Sew lining to the outside of bag along the open edge using a 5/8" seam allowance. Pull the outside of bag through the hole left in the lining. Sew opening closed. Press and top stitch around the opening of the bag.

I would love to see your finished bags! Head on over to facebook and post them.

Lesson One: Getting to Know Your Machine

All right ladies, it is time to get sewing and just like your first day of school, we need to get to know each other and the tools that will help us get where we want to go. My name is Michelle. I am passionate about sewing. I try to make sewing as simple and easy as possible. That is why I began Oh, So Sassy. I promise to show you the right AND the easy way to do things so that you will enjoy sewing as much as I do.

Now let's get to know your machine. Let's face it, your sewing machine can be your BFF or it can be like that girl in your fourth grade class that looked and acted like your friend, but when it came right down to it was never there when you needed her. (I have had friends and sewing machines like the latter and there not worth having if you ask me.)

My favorite machine has been my old Bernina that we got off ebay. It is an old work horse of a machine, not too fancy but gets the job done. It has become my BFF.

You really can sew on any machine, just like you can be friends with anyone, but some take care of you better than others.

If you have a manual for your machine, get it out and look over each part on the outside of the machine. You can go to sewusa.com and order a manual if yours is lost. Here is a basic picture and explanation of each part you will use.

1. Power Switch: This turns the machine on.
   
2. Presser Foot: Holds fabric in place while you sew. It can go up and down. Lower the foot while sewing and lift to take fabric out.
   
3. Presser Foot Lifter: This is the lever that lowers and lifts the presser foot.
   
4. Throat Plate: Metal plate between needle and presser foot.
   
5. Feed Dogs: Pulls the fabric forward and backward during sewing.
   
6. Needle: Goes up and down through fabric to make stitches. Needles come in different sizes. The bigger the number the bigger the needle. For sewing cotton fabrics use size 10 or 12.
   
7. Thread Take-up: Part of threading the machine. Moves thread up and down while sewing.
   
8. Upper Tension Regulator: Determines tension on thread. Set on middle setting for cotton fabric and all purpose thread.
   
9. Thread Guide: Guides the thread while sewing. This is part of threading the machine.
   
10. Spool Pin: Where you place the spool of thread.
    
11. Bobbin Winder: Used to wind bobbin.
    
12. Balance Wheel: When turned, moves needle up and down.
    
13. Stitch Length Regulator: This determines how long your stitch lengths will be. Set at 2.5-3 for sewing most seams and 6-8 for basting or gathering.
    
14. Stitch Width Regulator: This determines how wide you zigzag stitch will be. During normal, straight stitch sewing this will be on zero.
    
15. Bobbin: Holds the thread that goes underneath the presser foot.

16. Foot Control: Press this with your foot to make your sewing machine go.