Small Gift Bag

This small gift bag is a great size for many gifts.  It is 6″ x 6″, so it could hold candles, mugs, coffee, chocolate, body lotion or even jewelry.

To make this, you will need three different colours of fabric – a 14″ x 8″ piece of each of the main colours, and a 14″ x 11″ piece of the lining (which is also the trim at the top of the bag).  I used red and gold for the bag and white for the lining.  You also need two pieces of coordinating ribbon, 20″ long.

The template you need is a diamond with 6″ long sides and 6″ tall.  Go HERE to see how to draft this template.  Cut it out of a cereal box.

1. Mark and cut out one diamond of each of the main colours

The 6″ side should be along the grain line of the fabric.  Using a Hera, press firmly around all sides of the template to leave a crease in the fabric.  Cut out leaving a 1/4″ seam allowance beyond the creased line.

 2. Finger press the crease lines

3. Join the two diamonds

Join the two diamonds on the long sides on the creased lines using the traditional lined pojagi stitch.  Be sure the top and bottom creases also line up.

4. Join on the other side

Join the other sides of the diamonds to form a loop.

5. Lay flat

Lay the piece flat, matching the points of the diamonds on the top and bottom.

6. Sew the bottom seam

Fold in the seam allowances on the bottom, and pin together, matching the diamond points from the two sides.  Sew closed using the same overcast pojagi stitch.

Now it’s starting to look like a bag!

And the two sides line up perfectly.  That’s one of the advantages of this technique.

7. Mark the lining fabric

On the wrong side of the lining fabric, mark two rectangles 6-1/2″ x 10″. Be sure to leave 1/4″ around each one for seam allowances.  That means there has to be at least 1/2″ between the two rectangles.

On the top of each rectangle, mark 1/4″ and 3/4″ from  the top edge.

8. Sew the lining seam

Sew right along the marked line around the sides and bottom of the lining.  At the top, sew through the seam allowances as well, but DO NOT sew between the 1/4″ and 3/4″ marks.  Leave this section open.

9. Crease the top

With the Hera, crease the line marking the top of the bag.

10. Fold down

Fold the top seam allowance down toward the wrong side of the lining.

11. Fold in

Fold the lining fabric in to make it small enough to fit into the bag.

12. Attach the bag to the lining

Match the top of the lining to the top of the bag, making sure the sides are aligned.  Pin well to keep everything in place while you sew.

Use the same pojagi stitch, removing pins as you go.

 

13. Pull out the lining

After stitching, pull the lining out and make sure the seam where the bag and lining meet is smooth and flat.  The lining should be bigger than the bag.

14. Make the top trim

Fold the lining back into the bag, lining up the bottom seam.  The excess lining makes the trim at the top of the bag.  When everything is lined up nicely, press the fold at the top of the bag with an iron.  Pin the outside of the bag and lining together to stop it from shifting.

Remember that piece that we didn’t sew in the side seam?  Now is when we need it.

15. Stitch the channel

Stitch around the bag with a running stitch through the outside and lining of the bag, at the top and bottom of the openings.  This will make a channel.

16. Thread the ribbon

Using a safety pin or large needle, thread one piece of ribbon so it goes in one side, around the bag and back out the same side that it went in.  Knot the two ends.  Thread the other piece of ribbon through from the other side of the bag.

These ribbons can be used as a draw string to close the bag.

Enjoy this beautiful bag!

If you enjoy this project, don’t forget about the other projects in the Pojagi Christmas Countdown.