Mystery Bag Sewing

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Here are instructions and a printable sewing pattern for making your own lined Mystery Bag.
This is used in the Mystery Bag lessons.

Mystery Bag Sewing 29.jpg

Materials Needed

  • Fabric for exterior of bag, at least 25" by 12" (denim, corduroy, or canvas)
  • Fabric for lining of bag, at least 25" by 12" (quilting fabric or some other lightweight smooth fabric)
  • Matching thread
  • Mystery Bag Sewing Pattern

Sewing Instructions

  1. Print the pattern. Cut it out (maybe leave an extra tab on some sides to make taping it together easier as shown in the picture).
    Mystery Bag Sewing 1.jpg
  2. Tape or glue the pattern together. Match up the corners that have the same letter.
    Mystery Bag Sewing 2.jpg
  3. Fold one of your fabrics and lay the top edge of the pattern on the fold. Cut the piece out. Do not cut across the top!
    Mystery Bag Sewing on fold.jpg
  4. Do the same with the other fabric.
  5. Put the right sides of the lining and exterior fabrics together.
  6. Sew along the curved sections that look kind of like arm holes (see picture). The pattern includes a 0.5" seam allowance.
    Mystery Bag Sewing 3.jpg
  7. Snip around the curve as shown.
    Mystery Bag Sewing 4.jpg
  8. Turn the bag right-side out.
    Mystery Bag Sewing 5.jpg
  9. Flip it so the lining side is up.
    Mystery Bag Sewing 6.jpg
  10. Take the two sides of the lining and bring them together and match up the corners.
    Mystery Bag Sewing 7.jpg
  11. Lift the whole thing up up and let two sides of the exterior fabric come together below.
    Match up the corners of the exterior fabric. (The corners in the photo are pulled up to shown that the right sides of the fabric should be inside. Also to show that both of the lining pieces should be on one side and both of the exterior pieces should be on the other.)
    Mystery Bag Sewing 8.jpg
  12. Pin the edges. (You can see the lump from the top part of the bag inside the side with the exterior fabric.)
    Mystery Bag Sewing 9.jpg Mystery Bag Sewing 10.jpg
  13. Sew along the edges of the rectangle. (The pattern includes a 0.5" seam allowance.)
    Leave an opening in the middle of the lining side to turn the bag right side out later.
    Mystery Bag Sewing 11.jpg
  14. Cut the corners as shown.
    Mystery Bag Sewing 12.jpg
  15. The next few steps are on how to box the corners:
    Flatten out the corner so that the seams meet.
    Mystery Bag Sewing 13.jpg Mystery Bag Sewing 14.jpg
  16. Pin flat.
    Mystery Bag Sewing 15.jpg
  17. Measure in one inch from the point.
    Mystery Bag Sewing 16.jpg
  18. Draw a line.
    Mystery Bag Sewing 17.jpg Mystery Bag Sewing 18.jpg
  19. Sew on the line.
    Mystery Bag Sewing 19.jpg
  20. Cut off the extra.
    Mystery Bag Sewing 20.jpg
  21. Repeat with the other three corners.
    Mystery Bag Sewing 21.jpg Mystery Bag Sewing 22.jpg
  22. Turn the bag right side out. (This will actually leave you with the lining on the outside.)
    Mystery Bag Sewing 23.jpg
  23. Sew the opening shut using a ladder stitch.
    Mystery Bag Sewing 24.jpg Mystery Bag Sewing 25.jpg
  24. Turn right-side out (lining on the inside). Top-stitch around the edges of the hand openings.
    Mystery Bag Sewing 26.jpg
  25. All done!
    Mystery Bag Sewing 27.jpg Mystery Bag Sewing 28.jpg