Tutorial - Anthro inspired Denim Farfalle bag

I'm very excited to share my latest handbag creation, a project I recently guest-posted on Someday Crafts. A few months ago I fell in love with this Anthropologie handbag: 

The Farfalle Handbag

Did you know that Farfalle means butterfly in italian? Unfortunately, a three-hundred dollars purse, even this cute, does not fit in my budget. No matter. I decided to make my own. Not in leather but in denim. And here's is how:

Supplies:
NOTE: Measurements account for 1/2inch  sewing allowance around the sides and bottom seams
- Two pieces of 16x12&1/2 inch denim- new or upcycled (new will be stiffer than upcycled)
- Two 3x25 inch strips of denim for the handles
- Two pieces of 6x12&1/2 inch of your choice for the lining, cotton or satin
- One 2x3 inch piece of card stock for the bow template
- 43 to 48 2x3 inch rectangles of denim for the bows
- 1 yard of coordinating blue satin ribbon
- Fray Check
- Sewing machine and sewing supplies
- Glue gun and glue sticks
- Magnetic snap (optional)
- Extra material for inside pocket
- Medium weight interfacing (optional)


How-to steps:

• Round the edges of your card stock for the bow template 
• Use the bow template to cut the pieces needed for the bows and apply fray check on the edges
• Make an accordion with 4 fold "peaks" on the side that will be up

• With a matching thread, secure the fold by threading through the folds twice 
• Secure with a knot

    

• Cut the pieces of matching ribbon for the center of the bows (1.5" long)
• Put a dab of hot glue on the back of the bow tucks

 

• Put the end of the ribbon on the hot glue let it cool for a couple of minutes 
• Put another dab of hot glue on the end of the ribbon and fold over

 

• You will need roughly the same number of light and dark bows
• You will save time by stitching all the bows then applying the ribbons in batch of 6-8 bows 

Make the bag shell - I didn't make a detailed tutorial for this part as there are a number of very good existing ones around the blogosphere. There is a very detailed one HERE.

• Cut the fabric pieces for the outside shell and the lining
• Sew the outer shell and the lining for a basic bag. 

•  Tuck in the top corners of the outer shell as shown on the picture below i.e. 2" wide x 3" tall
• Pin the sides and bottom of the shell
• Optional step : add one or 2 inside pockets to the lining

•  Add a pin a the corner of your tuck
• Top stitch the fold all the way around

• Once top stitched, the outer shell should look as shown below
• Optional step : fuse the interfacing to the outer shell

• Pin the lining and outer shell right sides together along the top of the bag lining up the side seam
•  Don't forget you will need a hole in the bottom of the lining to turn the bag right side out

• Stitch along the bag opening with a 3/4" seam allowance and turn the bag right side out
• Optional - Place a magnetic snap for the bag's closure using the 3/4" fold of denim as support
• Close the opening in the lining of the bag

• Cut and fold the straps for the bag  as shown - first in half, then fold the edges in like for bias tape
• Tuck the short edges in
• Top stitch all sides of each strap

• Pin the straps about 1 1/2" from the top corners
• Stitch the handles on the bag 

• Layout the bows evenly on the front side of the bag alternating dark and light ones
• For the layout below you need 43 bows (21 light and 22 dark) 5 across by 9 high (minus 2 at the top corners)
• You will need more 5 bows for a tighter layout

• Put a dab of hot glue on each side of the center ribbon 
• Secure all bows to the bag's outer shell

All done - Good news, it cost under $20 even with new denim and interfacing