PLEAT

PLEAT

A
FOLD

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 B
FOLD

PURSE LINING (CUT 2)

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 C
FOLD

PURSE TOP

SOLID or COORDINATING FABRIC (CUT 4)

FUSIBLE INTERFACING (CUT 2)

D E
POCKET STRAP
10” x 6” 24” x 6 1/2 “

PIECES D & E NOT TO SCALE. CUT ACCORDING TO DIMENSIONS:

- POCKET (Cut 10” x 6” rectangle of printed cotton)

- PURSE STRAP (Cut 24” x 6 ½” rectangle of solid or coordinating fabric)

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 Pleated Purse Instructions

Materials:

♥ 1 Purse Snap Magnet

♥ 1/3 yard cotton fabric for purse body
♥ 1/3 yard coordinating or solid cotton for top of purse and strap
♥ 1/3 yard fabric for lining: may be polyester lining, cotton muslin or print fabric
♥ 1 yard Fusible Interfacing
♥ Optional: any embellishments you want to add to your purse

Seam Allowance: 1/2 inch

Instructions:

Step 1: Cut your pattern pieces. Using the pattern provided, cut your pattern pieces (Note
that most of them are on a FOLD). Fuse interfacing to backside of the 2 purse body pieces
(A) and 2 purse top pieces (C). On the purse body pattern (A) I used notches to indicate
where you should make your pleats. For ease of making your pleats, be sure to include those
when cutting your pattern pieces.

Step 2: Make the pleats. Press pleats as notches indicate. The center pleat is pressed the
entire length of the purse body, but the side pleats gradually fade midway. Stay-stitch your
pleats in place by stitching close to the edge. This will ensure that they don't come undone
while you're working on your purse.

Those dainty little side pleats are going to make your purse top bend up... Trim the corners
slightly level to out the top.

Step 3: Make your pocket. On the pocket piece (D) press sides and bottom once about 1/4
inch in. Then fold the top in twice and press. Stitch across top only. Position your pocket on
one of the lining pieces (B), about 2 inches from top of lining and centered. Pin in place and
topstitch close to edge on sides and bottom. Leave the top open. You may leave it as a big
pocket, or you can divide your pocket into compartments by sewing straight down as
desired.

Step 4: Make your purse strap. You should have cut a 24" x 6" piece of fabric (E). Fold and
press it long-ways. Open it up and fold in the sides (one at a time) to match the center
pressed seam. Press. Refold on the center seam and press again. This will give you a 4-layer
thickness, therefore, you need not worry about interfacing the strap. Finally, topstitch along
both sides of strap.

Step 5: Piece together your purse shell and lining. Place interfaced purse body (A) and
interfaced purse top (C) right sides together along top. Pin and stitch along top. Repeat for
lining (B) and non-interfaced purse top pieces (C).

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Press open the purse shell (2 pieces) and the lining (2 pieces). Topstitch the purse shell above
where the purse body (A) and purse top (C) meet. You can topstitch the lining as well, but I
usually don't bother.

Now you will need to attach each shell piece to a lining piece. Match up purse shell to a
purse lining, right-sides together. Pin in place and stitch along the top nook of purse. Repeat
for other shell and lining piece. Snip along curves so it'll press nicely when you turn it right-side
out.

Step 6: Stitch your purse shell together. Lay both purse shell pieces right-side together. It is
important to match up the seam where the purse top and body meet up. So start your
pinning there, then adjust the rest accordingly. I don't worry too much if the bottom of my
pleats don't match up with the other side.

Now you're going to stitch around the entire purse shell, starting at the top (where the strap
will eventually go) all around. You're going to repeat this for the LINING side as well, except
be sure to leave a nice 5-inch opening at the bottom of the lining.

Afterwards, you should have 3 openings. One at the bottom of the lining and one where
each of end of the strap goes. Turn purse right-side out through the 5-inch lining opening.

Step 7: Press. Tuck in the lining and press the purse top well. It should press smooth if you
remembered to snip your corners in Step 5. Press the rest of the purse shell.

Step 8: Attach the purse strap. Tuck in the purse top ends about 1/2 inch and press. Center
and pin the strap in place on each side. Double check that you don't twist the strap! Now
topstitch close to the edge around the entire purse top (straps and nook). It may be a good
idea to double stitch over the straps to reinforce them.

Step 9: Put on the magnetic snap. You'll want to cut a little piece of heavy fabric to reinforce
your snap. Don't worry, it'll be between layers and nobody will see it. I just used wool felt. Pull
out your lining... that's where you'll be attaching your snap. Use the snap back to mark your
snap placement. I used a white-out pen. Chalk or pencil is good too. Repeat for other side.

Using a seam ripper, CAREFULLY make a tiny opening so your snap prongs can go through
the fabric. The holes don't need to be as big at the prongs... they just need a little give so
they can work their way through nice and snug. Do this to the felt pieces too.

Work your snap piece through the holes. Now dig through your opening at the bottom of the
lining so you can work on the inside. Feed the felt onto the prongs, then the snap backing.
Now bend the prongs (in or out) to secure the snap in place. Repeat for the other side.

Stitch the lining opening closed. Tuck lining back into purse and give your purse one last
pressing. Embellish your purse if desired.

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