It’s Day Eighteen of National Sewing Month! Too see the daily blog posts, projects of the day, and more National Sewing Month details, click here.
Hi! I’m Gloria from Domestic-Divaonline.com and I’m so happy to have been invited to celebrate National Sewing Month with you on this blog. Thank you FaveCrafts! In honor of this event I’m sharing a fun new project which I call, The Little Belt Bag. The strap is actually one of my belts. I like this design of this bag because it’s convertible. I can wear the bag hanging from my shoulder or remove the belt and carry the bag like a clutch. And when the bag isn’t hanging from my shoulder, I have another belt to wear! There are other great features like the fact that it opens flat for packing and it has outer pockets to hold items you want to access quickly. It’s the perfect size bag for when you don’t want to carry all those things you haul around daily. I’m taking mine on vacation this month. Look for a belt in your closet and give this project a try!
What You’ll Need
- A thin belt
- Faux Leather Vinyl
- Faux Suede
- Lining Fabric
- Fleece
- Fusible Interfacing
- 1” Flat Webbing
- Two Magnetic Clasps
- .25” Flat Brass Wire (optional)
Cut the fabric in the following sizes:
- Faux Suede and interfacing – top bag trim 18” x 3.25”, pocket lining 8” x 6.25”
- Faux Leather – pocket 8” x 6”, belt casing 6.50” x 1.25”, outer bag 8” x 13” (two pieces)
- Lining and interfacing – 8” x 12” (two pieces)
- Fleece – 8” x 5.5”
- Webbing – 6” x 1”
NOTE: The seams on this project are .25” to eliminate bulk and the need for trimming.
Finished bag measures approximately 6.50” x 6” with the flap closed.
1) Sew the short ends of the webbing to the belt casing. The webbing will give the casing support and allow the belt to glide between it easily.
2) On the right side of the vinyl, place a horizontal piece of painter’s tape four inches from the top of the vinyl. Align the long edge of the casing with the tape, centering it with equal spacing on the left and right.
3) Sew the casing to the vinyl. My belt is .75” wide. If yours is wider, increase the size of the casing to match. Be sure all the metal on your belt will fit through the casing.
4) If my pocket looks like it’s pieced together, that’s because it is. I made this bag with scraps from another project and didn’t have one piece big enough to cut out the pocket. I turned this potential problem into a design opportunity and top-stitched the pieced seams open. I like way it added to the finished look of the bag.
Sew the right side of the suede pocket to the right side of the vinyl pocket. Turn the suede to the wrong side of the vinyl. The seam becomes the horizontal trim and the rest of the suede becomes the pocket lining. Pin the two pieces together and top-stitch close to the seam.
5) Determine the pocket widths you want and sew the pocket to the vinyl piece with vertical top-stitching. I created a space for my iPhone, for my business cards, and for a pen. You can personalize your bag to suit your needs.
6) To create one side seam for the bag, place the second vinyl piece on top of the first with right sides together. Sew a .25” seam through all of the layers. Lay the work flat.
7) Sew the top suede trim across the entire width of the vinyl, both front and back pieces. This will be folded over to create the top trim later.
8) Stitch one side seam of the interfaced lining. Sew the lining to the suede piece.
9) Sew one side seam on the fleece pieces. Lay it across the lining with the bottoms matching and sew the fleece to the lining.
10) Fold the work in half, pin together, and sew the second side seam.
11) Temporarily turn the lining into the vinyl to check placement for the clasps. The top fold of the bag will create a one-inch suede trim. Place the matching clasp hardware inside the two trims pictured (red arrows). This will hold the large opening closed. The prongs for this clasp should only pierce through the suede layer inside the bag. An additional clasp holds the bag flap down. Half of that clasp is attached to the outside trim (green arrow) with the other half attached to the outside of the pocket. All of the clasp pieces are centered vertically on the bag and each should have a .75” square of thick cardboard between the clasp and the fabric when attached. This will give support and make the clasp easier to fasten.
12) Once all clasps are attached, stitch around the top of the bag .25” from the trim.
13) Pull the lining out of the bag. Stitch it together to close the bottom lining, as well as the fleece by turning the raw edges in .25”. Stuff the closed lining back into the bag.
14) Chances are you don’t have the same belt I do so you won’t be adding the metal piece on the flap that I did, but it was created simply by cutting the wire to 2” long then folding the ends into 90 degree angles. I cut little slits in the suede, inserted the wire ends, then folded them with pliers to squeeze the fabric and hold them in place. I liked that the wire just happened to match the metal pieces on my belt.
Remember to see all of Gloria’s beautiful sewing projects on her blog, Domestic-Divaonline.com!
What does your go-to purse look like?
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My go to purse has three zippered pockets and is pink. I am not really in love with the look of it, but the zippers really are nice.
I have a turquoise leather purse that I love. It’s just the right size with the perfect amount of pockets. It has a single wide shoulder strap which I prefer over two straps. It seems like if there are two straps one always falls off my shoulder.
My go to purse is a burgundy with 3 sections and 4 pockets 1 on the outside and 3 on the inside. It is a bigger purse so it carries everything.
Mine is a black leather structured bag. It always makes me feel classy and put together!
I love clutches. I like purses that are smaller and compact that can carry the essentials. This is really creative. I like it.
My purse is brown leather with three inner compartments. Must have plenty pockets/compartments!
Mine is a purple leather purse,
big enough to hold my day
planner, wallet and my
Diabetes blood meter.
Do really need a new one
though, have to start looking
for one.
Carla from Utah
What’s a go-to purse? I change mine depending on the season, event, my outfit, etc!
A med sized quilted zip bag…big enough to hold all my essentials +tablet and small enough that I can’t overload, LOL! Thank You!!!
My go to everyday purse in a browm/tan leather patchwork pattern purse my father got me.
My everyday purse is a blue jean purse I made.
My go-to purse is actually a crossbody messenger bag that I use for a book bag. I’m a teacher so I have a thousand things I need at a time.
As a result, I don’t even have a nice purse for non-school occasions. 🙁
It’s my refashioned hand embroidered dress recycled to a denim bag. It contains memories of days gone by.
Large, Hunter green with LOTS of pockets
I like a hobo bag with straps that will fit over my shoulder & lots of pockets inside!
My current go-to purse is one I made myself with one of the AllFreeSewing patterns. I made it slightly larger and added the organizer but it is sewn into the purse, not snap in. Am going to make another in a different color, this one is grey denim.
My go to is denim with lots of zippers and pockets. I need something lightweight with my arthritis.
I love purses.. Have quite a few and I change them often! Many different shapes and colors and sizes!
My go-to purse is short and squat with lots of pockets inside and out.
My go-to purse is a ratty old black thing that is falling apart, and has needed to be replaced for at least two years now!
My go topurses are cloth purses with lots of pockets and zippers. I like to keep things separated in my purse and keep them secured.
My go to purse would be my brown leather large size bag. I love it but can never find anything in it. I find a purse I like and use it until it’s falling apart. I’ve been using this one for over a year.
I own 1 purse. It is black leather medium to small with interior, and exterior pockets, a special zippered area fitted for credit cards, change, a place for checkbook and much more. Very well used with the shoulder strap so worn it is about to break.I love the quality of this tutorial. Since I can not find anything close to what I have I am trying to find one to make.
My go to purse is a a small leather backpack, great when I am holding a child’s hand. What presser foot would you use with the vinyl?
My go to purse is made from a heavy cotton and has pockets all around the outside and 3 pockets inside. It helps to keep me organized. It gets heavy though loading it up like I do. LOL Thanks for the purse tutorial!!
My go too purse is a black cross body. It has 6 pockets. A zippered middle pocket perfect for my wallet and iPad. It has metal buckles which give it character.
My go-to purse is a small red vinyl number my Mom gave to me because she knows I love red and I love small purses. Even when it doesn’t match my apparel I pretend it gives me a pop of color. Truth is, I just love it. So why change?
My go-to purse is a black leather belt bag (fanny pack) that I can carry over my shoulder, or put around my waist.
My go-to purse is a black leather mini-backpack. It’s beat up and too small, but I’m hanging on to it until I find another I like as well.
Neutral and small, with compartments.
pockets, pockets, pockets! are we organized yet? no. lol
My go to is a small Bagalini with lots of pockets to keep things organized,
a badly twisted back means I have to keep it small.
My go to purse is a hand made burlap material bag, I love it because I made it on my own and it takes everything I need to go with.
My little go to bag is black faux leather with brown faux leather trim. I used the snaps. So far I really like mine.