Tutorial: Pillow Cover to Messenger Bag!

When I ran across these pillow covers in the clearance section of Target, I couldn't pass them up.  I loved the dots and I loved the colors!  I wasn't sure what I was going to do with them, but they were only $2 so, what could hurt?  After I got them home and unzipped it, I realized I was staring right into a ready-made bag! Just add a strap and lining and we'll be good to go!  It'll be super easy and oh, so cute!

Pillow Cover to Messenger Bag

  What you will need:

• 3 ~ 16" square pillow covers (make sure heavy fabric, like home dec)
• Coordinating Thread

You will need one cover as the actual purse, one for the lining and one for the strap.  Since I purchased 2 oranges, I thought it would be good to use these for the base and strap, and keep the green for the lining.

Start by cutting the cover you chose for the handle.  Cut it 5" in width and the length will be approx 15" after you cut off the top and bottom seams.  Now you have 6 qty 5"x15" strips

Right sides together, piece 4 of the strips together to make one long piece.  Press seams open

Fold that long piece in half, right sides together and press

 

Stitch the raw edge of the entire length of the strap.  Leave both ends open for turning.  Attach a safety pin to one end and use that to turn the strap right side out and press

Stitch around each seam where you pieced them
together to reinforce

(you will have 3)

Now, turn in your short edges, pushing them down about

3 inches into inside and press. 
The 3 inches will be for reinforcement of the strap
(don't be hatin' on the fingernails!)

Now, edgestitch around entire strap

Now, take the strap and attach to the bag base.  Measure down 5" from the top of the zipper of the base.  This is where you want the bottom of the strap to be.  Center on the side seam and pin down

Here is both sides pinned

Stitch around the strap to secure to base.  My box was about 3 3/4" high (in other words,you will not go all the way to the 5" height).  Make a reinforcing X

Take one of the strips cut earlier (remember we only used 4 of the 6) and iron over 1/4" to the wrong side on all four sides.  Take one long side and iron over another 1/4 to 1/2".  Stitch down the side you ironed over twice, this is creating the top of your pocket edge

Take that and pin it to the right side of your lining pillow cover.  Just eye-ball the best place which is usually towards the top a little. Stitch the two sides and bottom of the pocket to the lining.  Don't stitch the top

The pocket is a little long, so I ran a stitch down part of it to have two separate compartments

Take your lining pillow cover and turn it wrong side out.  Slip into the purse with wrong sides together, matching seams and pushing the corners to meet at the bottom of the bag.  Since these are pillow covers, they both have zippers at the top.  I slid the lining zipper underneath the twill tape of the purse zipper and pinned it in...super easy and clean!

Starting as close to the side seam as you can with the strap pulled back so it doesn't catch in the foot, stitch using the presser foot as a guide.  I kept the edge of the zipper parallel to the foot.  You will have to stitch both sides separately.  It will not be one continuous stitch. 

Make sure to backstitch at all 4 start/stop points

And you're done! 

Check out how you can convert it too...

Messenger Bag with  the strap kept long

Tie up the strap for more of a purse look

Sorry to show this again, but I love this shot!

Here's the Messenger bag in action

...and, the purse style

Now, excuse me while I go put it to some good use!

Please post pics here if you make one, I'd love to see it!

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