Sew Quilted Bags Using Fabric Leftovers

Make quilted bags for gift bags, small purses or miniature storage bags using your scrap fabric. One-of-a-kind bags can be constructed by mixing and matching a variety of fabric leftovers to create new fabric pieces. Simple enough for a novice to sewing, a quilted bag can be completed in an hour. Make several to have on hand for packaging your holiday gifts or organizing hair or fashion accessories.

Supplies Needed:

Fabric scraps
Ruler
Scissors
Straight pins
Sewing machine
Iron
1/3-yard prequilted fabric
2/3-yard, 1/2-inch wide grosgrain ribbon
Hand-sewing needle and matching thread

Step 1
Cut a 3-inch wide by 20-inch long strip from each of five different fabric scraps. Lay the strips side-by-side and horizontal. Place the top two strips together with the right sides facing. Pin one long edge. Sew the long edge using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Press the seam open. Attach each of the remaining three strips to the first two in the same way to create a 13-inch wide by 20-inch long rectangle of fabric.

Step 2
Fold the fabric rectangle in half, matching the two short ends. Press the folded edge to crease. Open the fabric. Cut the fabric in half using the crease as a cutting guide. You now have two, 10-inch wide by 13-inch long pieces. These are the outer sides to your quilted bag. Cut two, 10-inch wide by 13-inch long rectangles from prequilted fabric for the lining. Cut two, 12-inch lengths of 1/2-inch wide grosgrain ribbon. These are your bag's handles.

Step 3
Place the two outer sides of your bag together with the right sides facing. Pin the two, 13-inch edges and one, 10-inch edge. These are the side and bottom edges of the bag. Sew the pinned edges using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Place the two quilted lining pieces together and sew in the same way. Leave a 4-inch opening along the bottom edge. Trim the seams of the quilted lining bag to 1/8 inch.

Step 4
Turn the outer bag right side out and lay flat on your work surface. Center the ends of one ribbon handle on the center-top-edge of the bag. Separate the ribbon ends by 5-inches. Pin the ends of the ribbon to the bag edge. The ribbon will be shaped like a "U" and laying on the bag's side. Turn the bag over and pin the remaining ribbon handle in the same way.

Step 5
Place the right-side-out outer bag inside the wrong-side-out lining bag, sandwiching the handles in between. Pin the matching top edges of the bags together. Sew the pinned edge all the way around the top opening using a 1/4-inch seam allowance.

Step 6
Turn the bag right side out through the opening in the lining. Sew the opening in the lining closed using a hand-sewing needle and matching thread. Press the bag.