Sew Leftover Fabric Scraps into a Patchwork Gift Bag

I hate waste. Holidays that require a wrapped gift make me cringe with the amount of wrapping paper that is used once, ripped apart and thrown away. Gift bags seemed like the perfect idea to use up leftover fabric scraps from previous small quilt projects. Setting myself to the challenge, I created this patchwork gift bag that can double as a hanging bag organizer or child's purse. More importantly, it can be used over and over again.

Using what I have for my crafting, rather than purchasing new supplies, forces me to stretch my imagination. Anyway, I am usually to impatient to begin a project, without wasting time on a trip to the store. I poured the scrap fabric pieces out on a table and sorted the colors I wanted. There was really no rhyme or reason to how I sewed them together. I just pieced together scraps until I liked the look. The parts for the bag were then cut from my new fabric piece.

Things You Need:

Small fabric scraps
Iron
Sewing machine
Scissors
Straight pins
Ruler
Lightweight cardboard
Pen
Lining fabric, small amount
Fusible interfacing, small amount
Hand sewing needle and thread

Step 1
Iron your chosen fabric scraps. This is a small bag, so itty bitty pieces will allow you to use more and have more variety. Sew the pieces together in any arrangement you want until you have a piece approximately 10-inches wide by 20-inches long.

Step 2
Draw a 10-inch square on lightweight cardboard. A recycled shirt gift box works well for this. Cut out the square. On one edge, mark 1 1/2-inches in from each corner. The marks will be 7-inches apart. This edge is the top of your bag. Place your ruler at the left top mark and the bottom left corner. Draw a line to connect the points. Repeat on the top right mark and the bottom right corner. Cut along these lines. This is the pattern for your gift bag sides.

Step 3
Place the pattern on the stitched scrap fabric and trace around it twice. Cut out the traced fabric shapes. Cut two pieces of the same shape from a lining fabric of your choice and two pieces from fusible interfacing. Cut two strips of the scrap fabric, 2-inches wide by 14-inches long, for the gift bag handles.

Step 4
Iron the fusible interfacing to the back of each outer bag side. Place the outer bag sides together with the right sides facing. Pin the side edges and the bottom edge together. Sew the pinned edges using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Repeat with the lining, leaving a 3-inch opening, centered on the bottom edge.

Step 5
Cut a 1-inch square from each of the bottom corners, on both the outer bag and the lining bag. Separate the fabric at one corner of the outer bag. Match the corner side seam and the corner bottom seam together and pin. Sew the two raw edges together. Repeat on the other outer bag corner and the two corners on the lining bag. Turn the outer bag right side out.

Step 6
Fold one handle piece in half, with the wrong sides together and matching the long edges. Iron the fold to crease. Open the handle piece. Fold the long edges to the center crease and iron. Fold the length in half again, matching the long edges and sandwiching the raw edges inside. Top stitch the long edge closed. Repeat with the other handle piece.

Step 7
Lay the outer bag on your table. Center, space and pin the ends of the handle 4 1/2-inches apart on the top edge of the outer bag. Note: The handle is upside down, laying on the bag and the ends of the handle are even with the top edge. Turn the bag over and pin the other handle in the same way.

Step 8
Slip the right side out outer bag, inside the wrong side out lining bag. The handles are sandwiched in between. Match the side seams and the top edge. Pin the raw edges together. Sew around the pinned edge using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Turn the gift bag right side out through the opening in the lining. Hand sew the opening closed.

Step 9
Iron the top edge of the bag. Top stitch around the top edge, 1/4-inch from the edge.