Ali Cat & Co.: Swoon Amber Sewalong Day 4: Finish

Welcome back! Last day! You're almost done and today is super easy!

With the lining wrong side out and exterior right side out. Put the exterior INTO the lining.

Match side seams and pin together.

Pin around entire top. If one is bigger than the other try to ease it in. If for some reason one is much larger than the other, take the bags apart. The one that is larger sew the top 1-2" with a larger seam allowance, slowly meeting back to the original stitching line. Then put the bags back together.

Sew around the top of the bags with 1/2" seam allowance. Trim allowance.

Hopefully you left an opening in the bottom of the lining. Birth your bag out of the 5" hole (flashbacks anyone???)

With the lining still pull out, pin the lining hole closed. Either machine or hand stitch the opening.

Push the lining into the exterior so it looks like a bag.

Press the top of the bag so the lining is fully inside the exterior. Press well. I even like to pin the top together.

Top stitch along the top of the bag.

You will have this.

Slide the bag on the end of the ironing board and press the bag. No one likes a wrinkly bag.

Handles and strap: same instructions for all of them.

Fold in half, hot dog style.

Press.

Unfold. Fold up one long end to meet the crease you just pressed.

Repeat for the other long end.

Then fold in half along original middle crease.

Edge stitch along both long sides. Repeat process for other handle/strap pieces.

For the handles:

Slide handle piece through loop. On the wrong side (the bag side) fold end of handle in 1/2" and then fold again 1"

Make two lines of stitching to secure handle. Repeat for other end of handle. Make sure not to twist the handle. Repeat for second handle and other side of bag.

Strap:

Pull one end of strap through the clip.

Fold end over 1/4" then again 1". Make two rows of stitching again like before.

If not doing an adjustable strap, repeat for other clip. Clip to your D-rings and you're done!

See below if using a strap slide.

If you are adding a strap adjuster, take the end that is not already connected to a swivel clip. Slide the raw end up from the bottom through one side of the slide and down through the other side. Slide on the next swivel clip.

Tell me I'm a fab graphic artist.

Push the raw edge back through the bottom of the first half of the slide. Make sure your swivel clip is still hanging down there in free land.

Push the raw edge down through the second half (again). Basically you are looping it through twice.

Swivel clip is still hangin' out.

The raw edge will be stitched to the left loop-the one you just pushed back up through the slide. Fold raw edge under 1/4" then again 1" and stitch . Clip to your bag, adjust the strap and carry on!