How To: Mini Scrap Patch Bag

Hello quilters! These Mini Scrap Patch Bags make excellent gifts – they’re fun to give as a bag, or to gift small items to add an extra special touch. They’re also an excellent way to use scraps from your stash! With the holidays in mind, we’re sharing a step-by-step tutorial and video with you on this fun and easy gift idea.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1-2 Mini Charm Packs (we used 2 of the Pepper & Flax Mini Charm Packs for more variety)
• 1 By Annie 24″ Zipper (we used this one)
• Creative Grids Corner Cutter Ruler
• 1 scrap piece for the lining (we used a Fat Quarter)
• 1 Quiltsmart Original Fusible 2.5″ Grid Panel
• Aurifil 50 wt and 80 wt Thread

How to make the Bag:

1) Using the Quiltsmart Original Fusbile 2.5″ Grid Panel, cut out a 5 x 5 square piece and then cut the 4 corners out (it will look like a plus sign when you’re done). You’ll end up with a row of 3, then three rows of 5, and then another row of 3. You’ll be making two of these total for the project, one for each side.

2) Place your Mini Charm Pack precuts on the bumpy side of the Grid Panel so your fabrics will adhere to the panel when you fuse with an iron. You’ll end up with something like this:

3) Using your iron, press the Mini Charm Pack pieces so that they adhere to the Grid Panel. You might use a pressing cloth under your iron to prevent any glue from transferring.

4) Press the seams to create creases on the columns on the sides where you see the dotted lines. Then stitch quarter inch seams along all of the creases.

5) Repeat step 4 in the other direction, for the five rows. Once done sewing, press all seams in one direction.

6) Now that you’ve completed one side of the bag, repeat steps 1-5 to make the other panel.

7) Take a 6 1/2″ inch Creative Grids Ruler and put it on a diagonal, centered on the fabric as shown in the video.

8) Trim off off along the sides until you end up with a 6 1/2″ by 8″ rectangle. Repeat trimming to the other panel.

9) Cut lining fabric into two 6 1/2″ x 8″ pieces. You’ll end up with four pieces like this:

10) To add rounded corners to the bottom of the bag, use the Creative Grids Corner Cutter Ruler to make rounded corners on the bottom corners of all four pieces (you’ll be cutting a total of 8 times). Tip: when you cut on the corners, lean the rotary cutter at a slight angle to get a better finish. Your four pieces will now look like this:

11) Use the leftover mini charm pack to make tabs for the zipper. Cut the piece to 1 1/2” wide. Fold it wrong sides together and press. Then tuck in each side a quarter inch and press. Make 2.

12) Using the ByAnnie Zipper, cut off then end and place one tab over the end and sew.

13) Cut the zipper 7 1/2” in length (be sure to open the zipper pull to inside the cutting area). Sew on the edge to close the zipper. Then attach the second tab to the other end. Your zipper will now look like this:

14) To add the zipper to one side of the bag, place the front of the bag right side up, zipper right side down, and then lining right side down. Sew both pieces to one side of the zipper.  Tip: When you’re sewing you’ll have to stop mid-way and adjust the location of your zipper to allow your presser foot to clear it.

15) Repeat for the other side of the bag. To add a nice touch, top stitch the fabric along both sides of the zipper, as shown here:

16) Open zipper halfway and place outsides together and lining together. Stitch all the way a round with a quarter inch seam and leave a 3-inch opening at the bottom of the lining side to leave room to turn the bag right sides out.

17) Turn the bag out and use a pin to push out corners. Stitch the 3-inch opening closed (either by hand or on your machine), place the lining inside the bag and you’re done!

That’s it! You now have a super adorable Mini Scrap Patch Bag. Follow along with our video tutorial by Kimberly that will take you through how to make the bag step by step! Let us know what you think about this project in the comments! Scroll down for a look into a Quilt Along we did!

Quilt Along

We even had some awesome quilty friends make their version of the Mini Scrap Patch Bag!

Kristen King of Meadowbrook Kristen (@kkmeadowbrook) made this festive bag and said “This was a great bag to make.  I had never worked with zippers and between Kimberly ‘s video and the ByAnnie zipper it was a quick and easy bag to sew.  I used a Christmas Figs mini charm pack and a Chartreuse 24″ ByAnnie zipper.  The Quiltsmart 2.5″ grid panel was so easy to use, I’m actually planning to make more of these for Christmas gifts!”

Jen Van Orman of Heritage Threads (@heritage.threads) used scraps from her 2.5″ scrap bin (love it!). She said “if you don’t have the interfacing the video requires, batting scraps work great! I had no issues using them and it added a bit more stability than I would’ve otherwise had.” She quilted it by stitching in the ditch and result looks great!

Krystal used Sunny Side Up // Susan used Ombre Confetti Metallics

Lilly used Grunge Seeing Stars // Bev used Woof, Woof, Meow

Nancy used Twilight

 

We hope you give the Mini Scrap Patch Bag a try and if you do, share your work on social media using the hashtag #MiniScrapPatchBag on Instagram and Facebook so we can see and share your work! Happy Quilting!

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