Top Handle Bag with Side Drawstrings
Introducing a versatile bag pattern featuring a structured silhouette, elegant top handles, and functional side drawstrings for adjustable shaping.
When To Wear
This stylish bag is suitable for various occasions, offering both practicality and a refined aesthetic:
- Everyday Elegance: Perfect for daily use, adding a touch of sophistication to your business casual or polished ensembles.
- Professional Settings: An ideal accessory for work or meetings, comfortably carrying essentials with a professional look.
- Sophisticated Outings: Elevates your style for brunches, dinners, or other social engagements where a chic accessory is desired.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: a structured, medium-sized bag featuring a flat, rectangular base that subtly widens towards the top with gently rounded corners.
Handles: Equipped with two sturdy, comfortable top handles for easy carrying.
Closure: Features a secure top zipper closure for the main compartment.
Side Details: Functional side drawstrings with metal rings allow for cinching and adjusting the bag's overall shape and capacity.
Interior: Fully lined interior includes internal zippered pockets and a practical divider pocket for organization.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Requires precision in handling specialty fabrics like faux leather, accurate zipper installation, and constructing a fully lined interior with pockets.
Fabric Recommendations
Choose materials that provide structure and a refined finish for the main body of the bag:
- Artificial leather
- Natural leather
Additional Supplies
- Lining fabric
- 1 main zipper
- 2 zippers for internal pockets
- 4 rings
- Decorative cord
Cutter's Must
If the patterns have a double contour, they include seam allowances. If the contour is single, the patterns do not include seam allowances. Seam allowances: all seams 1 cm, on rounded sections – 0.5 cm; upper edge of the divider pocket 2 cm. Attention! First, print out the paper patterns and lay them out on the fabric width (fabric width can be from 90 cm to 150 cm) to determine how much material you will need (do not forget to account for paired and symmetrical pieces).
- From main fabric:
- Central – 2 pieces
- Bottom – 1 piece
- Strap – 2 pieces
- From lining fabric:
- Lining – 2 pieces
- Large pocket lining – 1 piece
- Small pocket lining – 1 piece
- Divider pocket – 2 pieces
Sewing Instructions
When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match!
- Stitch the side edges of the central. Stitch the side edges on the self-facing.
- Fold the self-facing to the right side and stitch along the rounded sections, not stitching the loop sections. Clip the seam allowances on the rounded sections.
- Turn the facing to the right side. Straighten the loops for the rings. Insert the ring into the loop.
- Topstitch 0.2 cm from the edge.
- Mark the pocket placement on the lining. Cut an opening along the pocket entrance, make diagonal cuts 1 – 1.5 cm from the end of the pocket. Fold the seam allowances inwards. Place the zipper under the edges of the pocket entrance so that the teeth are visible. Topstitch the pocket entrance close to the edge at a distance of 0.2 cm. Stitch the large pocket lining to the upper zipper tape, and the small pocket lining to the lower zipper tape. Stitch the edges of the pocket lining.
- Cut out zipper flaps from the lining, 4 cm long and 2 cm wide. Fold the upper seam allowances of the divider pocket to the wrong side, fold inwards and topstitch. Fold the flaps in half crosswise and place them on the zipper from both sides. Place the divider pocket pieces on the zipper so that the lining does not cover the zipper teeth and topstitch.
- Stitch the side edges of the lining, inserting the divider pocket into the side and bottom edges. Leave an opening in the bottom edge of the lining for subsequent turning. Stitch the corners of the lining.
- Place the bag and lining right sides together, insert the zipper between them and stitch along the upper edge. Before reaching the end of the zipper by 0.5 cm, clip the seam allowances and finish the stitch.
- Stitch across the zipper, catching the seam allowances of the self-facing and lining.
- Fold the strap lengthwise, stitch along the long edge. Turn the strap to the right side. Topstitch 0.2 cm from the edge. Thread the ends of the strap through the rings, fold the allowance and topstitch.
- Punch eyelets. Cut the cord into 4 equal parts. Thread the cord as follows: tie a knot at the end of the cord, thread it through 4 eyelets and tie it to the cord on the opposite side.
