This month’s blog hop theme is Market or Shop. What do you always need to bring to a shop? A reusable bag, of course! So I am not offering a block this month. I am showing you a cute bag you can use at a market (with handles) or for gifts. I am showing a smaller size below so you can practice or use them for gifts, but a chart for making it larger is at the end of this tutorial. Be sure to visit the other designers at the bottom of this page to see their market block.
These bags are great for gift bags, candy dishes, thread catchers, or whatnot bags. I’ve made several of them, but never the larger size. I thought those would show better in the pictures for this tutorial, so here we go. I have included a size chart at the end of this tutorial and, of course, there is a pattern for you to download and treasure forever.
This size uses four fat quarters (FQs) , two for the inside of the bag and two for the outside. It will finish about 12″ tall, which is almost big enough to add handles and call it a purse.
Cut (4) 16″ squares. If you would like a stiffer bag, you can press fusible interfacing to the wrong side of the 16″ square that you will be using for the bag exterior. Follow manufacturers instructions. For this bag, I used a lightweight fusible, which I think makes it a little soft. But I still might add handles.
Place the matching squares right sides together. Sew a 1/2″ or 5/8″ seam along three sides. Make two sets, one for the outside and one for the lining. I used a 5/8″ seam because that line was easier to see on my machine’s needle plate.
BUT…
you must leave an opening for turning on the lining set. In other words, partially sew one side, skip two inches, then finish the seam.
Cut a square out of the two corners where the seams overlap. Thank it for it’s service and throw it away. Do this for both sets. Press all seams open.
Now comes the tricky part…
Open up one cut corner with your fingers. Match the two pressed-open seam allowances and sew a 1/2″ or 5/8″ seam. Sew both cut edges and you will see that you have just made one-half of the bag. It should stand by itself. Do the same with the other set.
Turn the outside of the bag so the right side is out. Leave the lining turned inside out. Place the BAG inside the LINING.
Using a 1/2″ or 5/8″ seam, sew the top edge all the way around in a circle. Pin those opened seams so they line up.
Now reach your hand in through the opening in the lining. Gently pull the bag out. It’s just like giving birth, isn’t it?
Stop throwing things! I was kidding!
Close up the hole in the lining either by hand or by machine. Put the lining inside the bag and smooth all lumps and bumps. Press the top edge and topstitch the circle opening if you like. Do you have a fancy stitch on your machine that would look good?
You can use the bag as it is, or roll the top edge over to make a cuff. Now that you have the basic process down, you can make another one with variations. How about piecing the outside of the bag, prequilting it, or adding a pocket to the outside or the lining?
The dimensions I have given you in this pattern are not absolute. Did you notice that I changed the size of the corner square? Feel free to experiment with different size squares and/or different size cut-outs. Would it make a pencil carrier if you started with a rectangle? Try it and see!
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Other Designers
Money Themed Quilt Block by Carolina Moore
Pet Shop by Patchwork Breeze
Quilt Shop by Crafty Staci
Santa’s Toy Shop by Inquiring Quilter
Market Bag by Scrapdash
Concession Stand by QuiltFabrication
Wedding Bells by Patti’s Patchwork
Lucky Clover Quilt Block by Brown Bird Designs
GIft Card by Tourmaline & Thyme Quilts
Flower Shop by Cristy Fincher
Pinching Pennies by Elizabeth DeCroos
Gift Bag by Oh Kaye Quilting
Ice Cream Cart by Appliques Quilts and More
Market Stall selling Gifts by Victoria Peat
Bag Lady Market Bag by Around the Bobbin
Very pretty bags!
I love how you make it easy to make things different sizes!
Happy Quilting! 🙂
Very cool idea. Love how you can make different sizes.
Put some cookies in a plastic bag and into the fabric bag and what a great gift to let someone know you are thinking about them!
These would make great gift bags, as well as having many other uses. Thanks Kris.
Great bags; so many potential uses for those!
Cute bags, thanks for the tutorial.
Wow you made that so easy. Thank you.
Oh, I need to add this idea to my stash of quick projects. Thanks for sharing!
Great bags for gifting and your tutorial makes it look SEW easy. Love that this a practical gift as well as pretty. Thanks for the inspiration!
these are wonderful. thanks for sharing. I can see putting something inside and giving the whole thing as a gift. Thanks for inspiring.
There’s always a need for bags like these and you made them look so easy. Love them all! Thanks for sharing!
Love these! You can gift something in them and then they can be used to organize stuff afterwards. Great idea!
Great bags, thanks for the tutorial and cutting measurements!
Hey, these are great! I have made several bags but trimming out the corners beforehand is genius!
I’ve seen people cut them out before sewing them, too, but this way is just as easy for me. The size of the cut-out controls the size of the interior of the bag.
Thank you!
I’m working on a shallower one now for dinner rolls. I am using really stiff interfacing – I suppose you could make bowls this way too. Hmm….
I was a bit embarrassed by how quick and easy these are. I thought maybe I was cheating the blog hop a little bit by not making something more elaborate. But we all need easy from time to time!
Absolutely! Those last minute gift ideas, quick and simple, but look like you spent hours!
Kris these are the perfect gift bag! If you don’t put interfacing on it and add a tie to the side seam it will make reusable gift bags. See how you inspired me to think outside the box? 😉. My families are using recycled gift bags for their Christmas gifts. Every year I wind up making stacks for their households, but if I make them using your tutorial they should last for years!
I’ve made them without interfacing and they are outright floppy. But adding a tie to the outside is clever – oh, I know! Wine carriers! I will have to experiment with shapes, that can’t be square:-))
Great containers with many uses. Well done.
These fabric bags are so handy!! Thanks for sharing your idea with us!
Those bags are really useful, aren’t they? I’m going to make myself some for my scraps.
I can see how just making one will never work. Those bags are the so fun, lovely and perfect size for so many uses. Thanks for the step by step tutorial. I love making things when I have visual guidelines to work with!!
Perfect. These are great gifts or fun to put a gift inside. Thanks for the tutorial and the different size chart. Love that HeatNBond interfacing!!!!!!
These little bags are perfect for those little things we don’t want to loose around the house. Great gift giving bags yoo
Great bags! Thanks for sharing them with us 🙂
Those bags are wonderful and the fabrics you used are gorgeous!
Love these bags, and will keep them in the “bag of tricks” for when I need something fast – a gift or sewing entertainment!
I love making these kind of bags! Thanks for the chart with the different sizes, very handy! xx
Very cute
Your probably didn’t get many takers as this is a bag not a block.