Sha Sha Ribbon Bag
2 spools each of 5 colors of 3/8" ribbon. (mine: trip to Joann's. Offray Ribbon sold by the spool x 18 feet each, $1.99: lavender, moss green, burnt orange; burgundy; dusty blue)
1 1/2 yd. 1 " ribbon for long handle
One fat quarter for Lining
1/2 yd
Here is are the pattern dimensions:
Put 5 spools of ribbon on the handle of a wooden spoon and cut 19" lengths of ribbon
GET WEAVIN'!
On your cardboard, place a strip of double sided tape 20" across the top. Place second strips down each side to hold horizontal ribbon in place. KEY SUGGESTION: If there is a shiny side/outside of the ribbon, create this weave facedown. So that when it's ready, you can iron on the interfacing on the WRONG side without having to take it off the cardboard! Line ribbon vertically up across the top, about 19" across. Line them up very closely, but not overlapping at all.
Start weaving under-over-under-over, carefully pushing your ribbons up and tight against it's neighbor. You will have to do a lot of adjusting all through this weave...so don't be too anal right off the bat.
Unfold your iron on interfacing and hack out a rectangle the size of your pattern. Following the instructions of the manufacturer, iron-on apply interfacing to the WRONG SIDE (lacking manufacturers instructions: place shiny side of interfacing face down on wrong side of fabric; beginning in the middle, iron outwards holding iron in place for 10 seconds side to side. Ironing more does not make it stick better.).
TRY TO AVOID IRONING OVER the TAPE UNDER THE RIBBON.
This "Outside" is now strong and you can carefully peeeeeeeeeel it from the cardboard tape.
Unfold your Fat Quarter and iron it out. The rest of the instructions will refer to the Outside and Lining fabric in this way.
If you have good scissors, you can save a bunch of time by sandwiching your Lining onto the interfacing-applied Outside fabric, iron them nice and flat together, and then pin on the pattern & cut it out. This is only if you have good scissors! Otherwise, the cuts come out all jagged . If you have bad scissors, then cut the Outside and Lining separately from the same pattern Fold and pin right side flappies together.
Ok, take the Outside fabric and fold it together (right sides facing), longer straight edges lined up (the purse mouth). Pin the flappy edges together, and sew as shown. Again, seam allowance is built in at 1/4 inch.
Using a squooshing motion (and sound effect), smash newly sewn edges flat against the bottom opening. This will be referred to as the purse ass end. Pin. Repeat on other side. Sew a straight line, again allowing 1/4 inch.
Remove pins.
Repeat the 3 steps above on the Lining piece of fabric also sewing right sides together. You may wish to make the seam allowance just a touch wider, making the lining just snugly smaller than the Outside bag. Just increase your seam line by 1 or 2 16ths of an inch. (so that's 3/8ths, right?).
Turn Outside fabric outside in (or the right way). Poke out the corners sharply and check out your handy work. it's gonna be cute, huh??
Leave the lining fabric wrong side out.
CARDBOARD SUPPORTED BOTTOM.
I'd prefer a sugar daddy supported bottom so I could be crafting all the time, but we all have to make due with what we're given. Either tape together the light cardboard pieces that came packaged with your Fat Quarters, or locate a light weight cardboard that will support the dimensions of about of 4 1/2 x 8 inches. I'd recommend sealing the entire cardboard in a wrap of packing or duct tape for waterproof-ness. I have been pack ratting away these lightweight cardboard backings that come with packs of fingerprint cards at work they fit perfectly! I knew I was packing them away for a good use!
Poke holes in each bottom corner (not too close to the edge) through the fabric and cardboard and insert brass office brads (or use a nifty eyelet setter or other wildly imaginative idea you may have). Bend back the tines of the brad. [mental note: Don't show co-workers purse bottom, for fear they may recognize office brads.
Test sizing by shoving Lining (still wrong side out) into your purse carcass. Poke your fingers into the corners and see if it feels like a good fit. You can correct a Lining-too-big problem by yanking it back out and sewing a tiny bit more on each ass end. Remember that you want your lining inside the bag to be shorter at the mouth by a little bit, so eyeball how much you should fold over for the next step: Fold over about a 1/2 inch of the top of the Lining piece and pin down, iron. Fold in about 1/4 inch (or more, depending on your opinion) from the Outside fabric to match pin the Lining around inside the mouth.
Me hard at work. I craft so much, my husband is nearly a widower!
Decide what you want for handles. You can buy those plastic pre-made handles at Michaels & Joann's which are pretty cool too. I used 1 inch ribbon. Pin it in between the lining and outside. My machine has this end piece that is removable so I can sew tight, round things. Take that end thingy off now. Also, if possible, slide your machine so that it hangs over the end of the table. This will make turning your cardboard supported bag easier
With an exposed stitch, sew once all the around the mouth of the bag, capturing the Outside, Lining and handles all at once and VOILA!!! You have a Sha Sha Dream Bag!
Here was my closure: a lampwork glass bead I made and a piece of the 3/8" ribbon.
AND YOU ARE DONE!!! This project was contributed by Birgitta
By Shellie Wilson. Shellie is the chief creative editor for Craftbits.
Great ribbon method for a purse! I was expecting it to be bigger but good job overall especialy in the instruccions.
P.S.Try adding a little pocket on the inside or outside and maybe buttons as well.
-Tinta
Wonderfully creative idea!! I have seven children and would love to have the time for this !!!!!
that is soooooo cool!
GORGEOUS!!
Oh, I love it! Love the color combination. Will definitely try this, as soon as I learn how to sew. :))
so adorable!!!!! i am an aspiring purse designer. i will not take credit for creating this design, but i thank you very very much for showing me how to make fabric out of ribbon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Its beautiful! Thanks for sharing! I am inspired to give it a try.
This looks like a great project. I have a quart Ziploc bag full of grosgrain ribbon from my sister's bridal shower, and plan on making a small bag for my daughter to carry the day of the wedding (she's the flower girl). If you know anyone who's registered at Williams-Sonoma or Pottery Barn, their gift wrapping service comes with these gorgeous hunter green ribbons. $200 for ribbon? Really? Free is WAY better....and much more fun.
trying this out now.....thanks for the great tutorial......
I intend to try this bag for summer. I think it's fab
Claire From MALTA
I made a tissue pouch using weaved ribbons,( before I saw this article) , it is easy to make, bit fiddly, but well worth the end result and nice compliments I have received.
so cool! can i get a pattern for a bigger one? i usually carry alot of crap, so this wont work for me. thanks for the pattern!
hard to do and take a long time to do it
Really cool looking project but it looks like it would take a lot of time. Christmas is 5 days away plus I would have to wrap it so I need a fast project. But my mom loves purses.
Love it! Instead of using ribbon I used thinly cut stips of fabric. It looked the same but with a bit more pattern. <3
This is amazing! and such a sense of humor!
This is darling, Ribbon is extremely cheap, if you know where to look. I don't know where the guest that said it would cost $200.00 but you can get GOOD ribbon for 50 Cents and super stores, in the crafts isle :)
culd you use strips of cloth instead of ribbon?
Its really cute and awsome. My friends love it.
Gorgeous! Was thinking of using this technique to make a cute pocket on an apron so I didn't need so much ribbon.
I think this bag is REALLY pretty, but I was going to make it and buying that much ribbon is over $200, so naturally I didn't want to.
Great description!
So i just finished making 2 of these bags. I made on smaller than the pattern here from ribbon and one twice the size from strips of denim.. they are amazing. and super easy to make.
I am Deffinetely making that!hmmm.. im thinking blues browns and whites and creams for my ribon....so many options and such a cute bag! thank you!
that is soooooooo cute!
creative. never have seen that done before props
Totally awesome! I've got to try it!
This bag is awesome! Maybe if I start making it now, it'll be done by spring! :) I especially love the woven outside- that's super original! Great project!
Great Instructions, Fab Pictures, Wonderful Bag!!
Saved my bu__ while trying to figure out an awful pattern...plus great read!
OMG I want it!!!!!
That looks cool!
It also looks pretty hard but I'll try!
WOw, that is so cute, i am going to try to make one, sooo adorable. You are sooo great at this and super talented...
I made one for myself and now all my friends want one.
You are SUPER, EXTREMELY talented!!!!!
i love it its genuias
That is awesome and I love the humor-injected instructions, too! I'm going to have to try this one! You rock!
IM SO MAKIN THAT!!!!!!!
im goin out to buy ribbons now and cant wait to get started but it will take me AGES!!!!
I was wondering if you could do this with wider ribbon but less than five colors?
I think it's really cute
thats cute... great idea!
Beautiful project! I love the weaving idea.
I love the look of this bag!! I'm not very good with the sewing thing yet and have a question. Can you enlarge or reduce the foundation pattern to any size to make a large or small bag? Does enlarging/reducing it affect any of the steps?
You need half a yard of fabric for the lining. The lning gives it strength
would you be able to make it without the fat quarter?
Lokk great! But also looks quite hard... I'll have to give it a try.. Zoe xx (age 11)
This looks very cute! I can't wait tto make one!
very cute. i love the purse. excellent instructions and pictures also. i will definetly have to give this one a try.
Loved loved and loveed IT!!!!!! so hot for the summer
Totally cute for spring/summer picnics!!! =3
sorry, I forgot again
sorry, ment to give it five stars
Cute! You could also use a different, very simple pattern and just weave your own fabric out of ribbons. Very creative and inspiring!
A real Beauty!! Love it!!
you are my hero! with five stars baby fiiiiiiive stars
I love the look. I began making duct tape purses last summer and they look much similar. Love it. Ribbon is sooo much dressier! I agree, excellent directions and great pictures!
Great I piece purse pattern, chose to make it without weaving the ribbon, but sewing on a few strips, came out cute.
Fantastic! Great instructions and photos!
Wow! So very cute! And the directions are *excellent*!!