Monday, August 3, 2009

Tutu Dance Bag Tutorial

Tutu Dance Bag Tutorial

**WARNING~TONS OF PICTURES
Supplies:
2 coordinating fabrics
fusible fleece
roll of tulle
ribbon

Cut your outside fabric, lining, and fusible fleece to 27" x 13".

Iron on fusible fleece to your outside fabric.

If you are going to embroider or applique on the bag this would be the time to do it. You need to make sure you do it about 2-3 inches from the top. You don't want it to be to low or it will be in the way of the tutu.

I appliqued the name on both ends of the bag so that it will look the same on both sides.

Fold in half right sides together.

Cut a 2" square out of each folded corner and do the same thing for the lining.

With right sides still together sew just the sides of your bag. Repeat for lining.


Now you are going to take the corner and open it out and then flatten it out to meet up to the sides.

Sew across on both sides. Repeat for the lining.
Here is a side view after it is sewn.


Here is what it will look like from the bottom.

And here is what the bag should look like sitting on its bottom.

Turn the bag inside out and it should sit on its bottom like this.

Now you will need your tulle. I like to use the tulle on a tube for this project.
You want to take the tulle and just kind of fold it like you would a fan. Make sure you fold the raw edge under.

You are going to repeat the fan folding around the whole bag and of course pin it as you go. Lots and lots of pins.
When you get to the end you want to cut about six inches away from where you are going to place your last fold. Go ahead and fold it like you have done the rest making sure you fold the raw edge under and then pin it in place.
Sew the tulle on using a 5/8" seam.
Here is what it will look like all sewn on.
The edges are a bit rough so I trimmed up my tulle because my ribbon was not very wide and I wanted to make sure where I had sewn the tulle on would be completely covered.
Now you are going to pin your ribbon on. You want to cover the edge of the tulle and your stitching line. When you get all the way around the bag fold the edge of the ribbon under and overlap it slightly where the beginning of the ribbon is and pin in place.
Sew it on.
For the bow I just took a 4 1/2" piece of ribbon folded it and stitched down the center.

Take a smaller piece of ribbon and wrap it around your the ribbon you have just sewn. Pin it onto the ribbon that is sewn around the bag. I centered mine.
SORRY ABOUT THE YUCKY IRONING BOARD!
I originally cut my handles 27" by 3"~I ended up cutting about 3" off the length of the handles because I thought they were too long. You can do the handles at a variety of lengths.
Iron the handles in half lengthwise.
Then open and iron both sides to the center.
Then you want to fold it in half and iron again.
Sew the handles on both sides about 1/4" from the edge.
Pin the handles on the bag about 3" from each side seam. *I actually just eyeballed this part.
Sew them in place.

Now you want to take the lining that you previously sewed and stuff the bag in it right sides together.


 ****UPDATE**** Sew around the top leaving an opening of 3-4" so that you can do the next step!

Turn it right side out and pin around the top edge folding under the raw edges of the opening.

Top stitch around the top of the bag making sure that you sew the opening closed. I used about 1/4" seam.

That's it you are finished!!

24 comments:

  1. ur awesome brandi! audrey LOVES it!!!

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  2. I found your blog though the crazy cool Gina! Thought that I would pop over here! This bag you made for Audrey is so cute!!! It is even cuter in person. It makes me feel like I need a bag with a tutu on it!
    Erin

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  3. VERY cute...do you know what font that is?

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  4. Oh my !! How cute !!

    I'm going to attempt to make one next week !!

    I have all the materials but fusible fleece and will get some this weekend at walmart.

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  5. Angie: The font is called swirls. It was one of the fonts that came with my Pfaff machine. (and sorry it took so long to respond. My hotmail was hacked and so I wasn't receiving notifications of any comments that were posted to my blog.)
    Brandi

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  6. This is so perfect! Thank you!

    I googled "dance bag tutorial" and found you. So thanks :)

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  7. You can see the bag I made here:

    http://valscreations.blogspot.com/2010/09/dance-bag.html

    Thanks again!

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  8. It was all great except I got confused at the part where you sew the lining and bag together. I don't think you say to leave an opening for turning, so at first I thought I was sewing them together then was going to turn under the entire top...anyway, I figured it out, but someone without much sewing experience might run into a problem :)

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  9. You are my hero right now this is amazing!

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  10. Just bought material last night & can't wait to make a similar bag!

    A BIG thank you to Plowmanator's 9/8/10 5:40pm comment regarding sewing the parts together. I was just going to 'wing it' my own way since I just didn't get it, but her mention of leaving an opening and literally feeding the bag inside out through the opening helped tremendously.

    (I was picturing sewing the parts together, then just inverting the whole thing, which didn't seem right.)

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  11. Thanks for the tutorial! I left off the tutu and used the corner cut outs to make a pocket on the inside. My daughter loves the bag!

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    Replies
    1. I would love to see a picture!! Glad you were able to use the tute!

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  12. I'm Confused...How do you sew the two pieces together?? I tried and they weren't the right way they were both inside out :/ Please help!

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    Replies
    1. I hope you were able to figure out how to do the bag. If not please leave another comment and I will email you and walk you through it. Sorry it took me such a long time!

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  13. This is brilliant, thanks so much for sharing! Been on the hunt for the perfect ballet bag for my little girl and spotted one where you had to pay for the tute and then your amazing blog revealed itself to me with the very same bag! Love it xx

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  14. This is adorable. I am finished with straps..need to get help with lining as I'm stumped how to turn inside
    out..my email is karenhopkins7@charter.net

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    Replies
    1. I need to update my tutorial! Sorry! You need to leave an opening when sewing the lining to the bag about 3-4". Then you will right side everything through that hole. Then proceed as the tutorial says.

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  15. I love the bag, and I am going to buy the material today:) Although I'm a little confused on how to sew the lining together also, could you email me also? My email is alisha_johnson114@hotmail.com thank you:)

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    Replies
    1. You need to leave an opening when sewing the lining to the bag about 3-4". Then you will right side everything through that hole. Then proceed as the tutorial says.

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  16. Excellent tutorial!! I will be making several! thanks!

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  17. approximately how much tulle did you use

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  18. I am so making this. Thanks for posting. What size tulle did you use? 6 Inch? Please let me know. thanks

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  19. I came to this blog and it helped me to add few new points to my knowledge. Actually, I am trying to learn new thing wherever I find. Impressive written blog and valuable information shared here. t shirt printing sydney

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