At Christmas time last year, I had embroidered pillow cases for two friends who live out of state. I wanted to enclose the cases in something that could be mailed in a padded envelope and that might be useful after the gift was opened. I designed a flat bag with a deep pocket to hold the gift and the bag could be used to store many items throughout the year.
In this case I used some pretty Amish fabric for the outside of the bag and assorted scraps for the pocket and lining.
For Easter, I made dishtowels with an appliquéd bunny. Once again, I turned to the flat bag design for a nice gift bag, using orphan blocks for the outside of the bags.
This is an easy bag to put together, can be done in a short amount of time and makes good use of scraps, embroidered pieces or orphan blocks.
Here is how I made the bags (my example finished at 7-½ x 7-½ inches. It’s easy to change the dimensions to fit whatever item is going into the bag – flat items like books, Cds, DVDs, towels, pillow cases, etc., work best.
You will need:
A piece of focus fabric, quilt block or embroidered piece the size of the gift plus an additional 1-½ inches to width and length. (Example: gift is 7 inches square. Front piece = 8-½ inches square.
A piece of fabric for the back of the bag that is the same size as the front plus ½ inch lengthwise. (Example: Cut back fabric 8-½ inches wide by 9 inches long.)
Sew the front panel to the back with ¼ inch seam, joining at the top of the front panel.
Press the seam toward the front panel.
Cut a piece of fabric for the lining that is the exact size of the joined front/back panels. (Example: 8-½ inches wide x 17 inches long.)
Place lining and front/back panels right sides together, pinning from just below center seam on front/back panel, along side, across bottom of front/back panel and down other side to just below center seam, back-stitching on each side.
Cut ½ inch from edge just below sewing at center seam on both sides and trim corners of sewn portion.
Turn sewn portion and press.
Cut pocket fabric the width of fabric and the length doubled. (Example: 8-½ inches wide x 17 inches long).
Fold pocket fabric in half lengthwise and press. Line up fold of pocket with clipped sides and raw edges on the lower part of the front/back panels. Pin in place or baste.
Beginning at the folded edge, sew ½ inch seams down the side, across the bottom and up the other side, back stitching on each side. Trim corners and trim the clipped pocket portion on a diagonal.
Turn pocket portion and press. Top stitch 1/8 inch from edge around piece …
…and fold in half to form flat pocket bag.
LILLIAN'S CUPBOARD 
What a great idea! Two gifts in one, really. I am saving this as a .pdf on print friendly so I can print it out and use the step-by-step you did so well. Thank you!
This is such a sweet project! =)
Have a wonderful weekend!
Those are the fanciest dish towels ever! 🙂 The mint green block is so lovely and Easter-looking. Maybe I should start out sewing these………I just got my very first sewing machine and am determined to learn to sew………Maybe it wouldn’t be too difficult and I have plenty of my Nana’s orphan blocks.
These are such personal gift bags – a gift in a gift! Even though your step by step is very helpful it does seem a lot of work to a starter like me!
So cute! This is one of those projects you can use over & over.
Those dish towels are incredible, I love them! And the bags are truly a gift in themselves. You have some very lucky people in your life.