Another project, this one written in February, so it seemed fitting to make it in red!  If you don’t have a sew in style frame you can order this one from A Threaded Needle. It is a 3 1/2 inch antique gold metal clasp frame.

Here is the picture:Here are the materials you will find in the kit:

And here are the directions:

First
1. Lay one piece of white fusible featherweight interfacing over the paper pattern piece (it is in the bag with the frame you bought) glue side (rough side) down.  Trace the outline of the pattern, and all the other markings onto it. You may find it helps to tape the corners of the pattern to your worktable.  Repeat with second piece of interfacing.

Take your piece of interfacing with the purse pattern traced onto it, and lay it over the sashiko design.  Position it to suit yourself and trace the sashiko design onto the interfacing. I put mine on an angle. Repeat with second piece.
When the tracing is done on both pieces, lay each piece of interfacing over a piece of your fabric (rough side down) and use your iron to fuse them to the fabric.

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Second, sashiko stitch the fabric
Important:  Do not cut the purse pattern out of the fabric at this point. We are going to stitch the sashiko first. Don’t throw the paper pattern away either. You may want it again later.

If you have done sashiko stitching before, you can just go find a comfortable chair and stitch away.  When you are finished you can continue at part 3.

If this is your first sashiko stitching project go to “How to do sashiko stitching” under the How To menu at the top of this page. Scroll past the interfacing transfer part to the how to begin stitching section.  Thread your needle and do the stitching as shown.

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Third, make the purse

Now that you sashiko stitching is complete, cut out the purse pieces. Cut out two more pieces of fabric for your inner purse lining.
Lay your outer (sashiko stitched) purse pieces with their right sides together and sew along the the area indicated on the paper pattern by the dotted line. Use your shortest stitch length.  Repeat with remaining inner purse fabric pieces.

Place the outer shell inside the inner lining bag. Right sides will be together.  Match the raw edges.

Match and pin the side seams on both sides.  Sew across the seams.
Back stitch to make this tiny seam strong and secure.

Turn the fabric pieces right side out (the corners will be sewn together).  Do this by pushing both pieces through the opening on one side, then separate the two parts as in the picture. Now push the lining inside the outer part.

Work your fingers along the inside seams to make them matched and flattened. Your two side stitched seams should be exactly at the top.
Match the raw edges carefully, and then stitch them together, staying near the raw edge so your stitching will be covered by the frame.

Final step, attaching the fabric to the frame:

Open the frame out flat on your work table with the side with the holes against the table.

Turn your fabric wrong side out and place it over the frame to get an idea about how it is going to go together.

Okay, the bit you’ve been waiting for! Thread your needle with the strong bag making thread. Note the needle must be small enough to go through the holes in the frame. Make a small knot in the end of the thread and, in the center for the fabric on one side, just under the line you machine stitched, push the needle and thread through.

Find the center hole in the frame and push the needle through it.

From the other side, push the needle back through the next hole in the frame. Continue until you reach the corner.

I’m switching to pictures from the same purse in a different fabric now, so don’t be disconcerted. You didn’t mysteriously loose your place (-:

Take a little extra fabric in your stitches at the shoulder curve of the frame, adjusting as needed until the end of the frame and the end of the un-stitched fabric meet.  Be sure to pull the stitches tight.
When you have reach the hinge corner of the frame, stitch back to the center.  Your stitches on the front of the frame will now make a solid line.  Be sure you are pulling each stitch tight, and that the raw edge of the fabric is well inside the frame.  It is this second row of stitches that lets you catch and fix the fabric anywhere it is not secure in the frame.

Note: Just to be sure we are clear, remember the tiny seam we made earlier across the side seams that now is a little finished seam at each corner of the fabric? This part is NOT going to be stitched to the frame. It provides the ease needed for the purse to open and close.

Stitch the fabric to the frame on the other side in the same way.

Here is a picture of the same clasp purse made in blue.

I hope you are as pleased with your little clasp purse as I am with mine!  What, I wonder, will you use it for?  I made several from and so far one has embroidery thread in it, one is just sitting around being pretty (-: and one I gave away for a gift.

My next one is going to be made from the scraps of a woven fabric I made years ago. They are tussah silk, too beautiful to throw away, too small to use.  I think I will stitch them to a linen fabric first…  it gives me that sick with excitement feeling thinking about it, which generally means I’m on to a good idea!

Happy stitching,

Susan