Sassy Bag Secrets and Sewing Tips Revealed in Video Demo

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Lazies, Grab a cuppa cuppa, there is a story behind why the Sassy Bag (LGD108) is so special. I designed Sassy for my first trip to Las Vegas, Nevada. I was concerned about the safety of my purse while traveling and being amongst the crowds. Sassy took care of all those needs.

Sassy Bag #LGD108

Sassy Bag Video Demonstration
You can watch a video demonstration of Sassy on the program Kaye’s Quilting Friends. All video links are located here. The demo takes you step by step through the bag construction and I share sewing tips along the way.

My Goals For Sassy
I wanted a purse that was small, safe and convenient. It had to travel and wear well, too. I didn’t think of it at the time, but when I leave the house, I’m traveling. So Sassy is perfect for every day use, too.

Here’s What I Wanted In This Design
– Wear across the chest or over the shoulder.
– Single-hand operation – easy in, easy out. A zipper usually takes two hands.
– Self-closing. The purse should magically close when my hand exits the bag.
– Small when carrying a few things, expand for more stuff.
– Organization inside the bag.
– Convenience of an outside pocket.
– Simple design and easy to make.

Details
Sassy can be made from three fat quarters of fabric, a bit of Velcro and a smidgen of batting. Finished size is approximately 8 inches wide by 9 inches tall and about one quarter inch thick. Rotary cut directions, no pattern pieces, basic sewing or quilting skills needed.

Saddle Bag Inspiration
The style of the flap closure mimics that of a saddle bag. The top edge of the flap is sewn flat against part of the bag. That forces the flap to close itself when your hand leaves the bag. Sassy hangs just at my hip, resting near or under my left hand. It’s like having a pocket right where you need it.Tricks Are Okay
Camouflaging techniques are acceptable practices here in the land of Lazy.

Back view of Sassy.

The flap closure for Sassy is wider than the rest of the bag. Here’s a peek at the back of the bag. Notice that you can see the black fabric of the flap extending beyond the body of the bag. By making the flap wider, it hides any possible inconsistencies or construction issues on the back of the bag. Sassy will always look wonderful from the front.

Pleats A Plenty
From the side view, an empty Sassy Bag looks pretty wimpy at just over one quarter inch thick. The front of Sassy is pleated to allow the bag to expand. Add what you want and the front of the bag will expand like your belly after Thanksgiving dinner.

View of the pleated front of Sassy Bag.

Velcro Strategies
I used a two inch piece of Velcro for the closure. When the bag is loaded and expands, the pleated fabric will pull away from the bag, which moves the Velcro, too. By using a long piece, I’m assured that some part of the flap Velcro will catch some part of the front Velcro at all times.

Round ‘Em Up
I use a template made from the pattern to round the corners of the bag. However, Creative Grids Rulers came out with a dandy ruler just for rounding corners. It is perfect for Sassy. You can read my post about that here.

Organization
I use the two inside pockets for my cell phone, pens, glasses, etc. I can reach in with one hand and find what I need without looking. My Wonder Wallet, keys, etc. go in the main part of the bag.

The outside back pocket is great for paper things, keys, or miscellaneous stuff. When traveling light, I can fit a bottle of water or paperback book in the back pocket.

What You’ll See In This Episode
– Many Sassy Bags (made by me, Lazies from my Yahoo group, and Just Another Button Company).
– Tips for sewing elastic.
– Tips for sewing a rounded corner. (It’s a really good tip.)
– Making easy pleats.
– Easy method for making a shoulder strap.

While I only get to broadcast the video for two weeks, you can watch this video, and many others, over at KayeWoodTV.com. A big ‘Thanks’ to Kaye Wood Inc. and Imageworks Ltd. for this special treat.

Enjoy!
Joan

PS: The Vegas-inspired working title for Sassy was ‘Viva Las Bagas’. Yes, you get extra credit for reading this far.

[tags]Kaye Wood, purse pattern, sewing tutorial, sewing, quilting[/tags]