The I Heart You Bag - probably one of the easiest pattern and a great starting point if you never inserted a zipper before... it's so easy! Let me show you!
Fancy making a cute, little heart-shaped shoulder bag for a precious little girl in your life? Or stock up on little heart-shaped purses for next Valentines? Then this project is just right for you...! I love making them as they come together so quickly and work great as little party treats. And let me be honest - if you have to make over a dozen, you want them to be made quickly... (from one tired mom to another). Personal gifts but made in no time! Win win.
I will show you how to make the cutest heart-shaped purse but as always, I would encourage you to put your own twist on it! Why not change up the shape a little? Make a cupcake purse. Or an ice cream version? How about a cloud purse...? The heart is just a starting point but you can literally customise it into any shape you wish.
So, what do you think? Fancy making an I Heart You Bag with me...? Let me show you exactly how I make them and I promise you will be super excited, bursting with confidence to create your very own version of the bag!
Are you ready?
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.
In the pattern I show you how to create the template yourself. It's so super, duper easy - I promise! And then nothing is stopping you anymore...! Make bags in all kinds of sizes and shapes. You will see, it's so easy to customise this pattern. Make one in the shape of a cupcake, ice cream, pineapple, star, cloud, flower, moon, owl,... whatever you crafty heart desires, really! And I am sure the little ones in your life will have great ideas for your next I Heart You Bag!
Make a large or small one...
About the I heart You Bag...
The I Heart You bag is not only the perfect gift for every upcoming birthday from now on but also a great project for everyone new to sewing. An easy project for absolute beginners! Why not use this bag to teach your daughter how to sew? Or your niece who might be too cool for homemade but in fact, deep inside will love making things all by herself... If you can teach her how to sew a straight line - she can insert a zipper! And then she can definitely make this bag. And then the next... and it's not long till she starts quilting and, as we all know, there is no way back from there!
We love sewing - no question about that - but this is the perfect project to spread the love for sewing! So easy and everyone will feel empowered to tackle anything from here on...
Ok. Let't talk a little more about the I Heart You Bag. Are you ready?
- You will make your own template - therefore you are in charge of the size and shape of your bag. Mine roughly measures 9"(w) x 7.5"(h) but yours could obviously be much smaller, bigger or a completely different shape altogether. You are the boss, my friend!
- They are super easy to make and you'll quickly pick up how they are constructed. At that point you can start customising. And that's where the fun starts!!! Pick your favourite shape, create a template and you're ready to go... Ahh, I can't wait to see the first pineapple bag! Please tag me if that's yours!
- Or why not make a scrappy I Heart You Bag, using up all those precious little scraps from your last project?! Or even better - add a layer of vinyl to the front to make it see-through? Or leave out the straps to turn it into a coin purse. You see... the possibilities are endless.
And if you're wondering about the pattern itself - let me tell you more about the actual pattern.
- The pattern is a digital file (PDF) and you can easily get your copy from my shop. After purchasing your copy it will be ready for instant download. Make sure to save it and you're ready to go. Super easy! I show you how to create your own template from scratch. And from there the pattern is a measure and cut pattern, meaning all pattern pieces are cut using a rotary cutter, cutting mat and ruler. There is no need to print it unless you wish to do so. So you can start today!
- The pattern is consisting of 5 pages, includes loads of pictures and detailed instructions. I carefully talk you through, step-by-step. It's like I am sitting right next to you - cheering you on!! Remember, if you can sew a straight line - you can insert a zipper! I wrote the pattern with absolute beginners in mind but if you are a confident maker, I am sure you'll still love making one as well... or a dozen for the next party you're hosting.
If you like to know more about teaching classes or your local guild, selling finished bags, need more information on buying, saving and printing the pattern - please hop over to my FAQs, there I try to answer all your questions in more detail.
Materials needed...
Before we start cutting our hearts and insert zippers, let's talk a little about the materials you'll need. Shall we?
First of all - you will need a copy of the pattern. Remember, no need to print anything, unless you wish to do so. So you can start straight away picking your fabric!
So here a list with all the things you'll need:
- I Heart You Bag pattern
- Paper or cardboard
- Fabric
- Interfacing
- Zipper
- Cord
- Thread
- Notions
- Sewing Machine
Paper (or cardboard):
You will create your own template (don't worry, in the pattern I show you exactly how to) using some paper. Make sure it's big enough for the size of bag you're planning to make. I would recommend to use paper in A3 as A4 might just be a little small for a shoulder bag... But don't worry. If you don't have any leftover art supplies at home, that's fine. You can easily use cardboard from your cereal box or cut into the box of yesterdays amazon order... No need to go and buy anything.
Fabric:
You will need fabric. Obviously. As always, I am sure you have plenty at home but if you need an excuse to go fabric shopping. You go, girl! You can blame me if anyone is asking...
For my I Heart You Bag I used some of my most treasured prints by Heather Ross. A mix of the classic pink strawberries and the lilac strawberries that came out recently again (I might or might not have bought half a bolt of those...). The cats on pink from Tiger Lily by Heather as well and some pink solids.
Interfacing:
As always, my interfacing of choice is SF101 by Pellon. It gives the fabric a little more structure - your standard quilting cotton almost will feel a little like canvas, which is great for bag and pouch making. Especially if you have picked thinner fabric like Liberty lawn, Heather Ross' munki munki or linen...
Zipper:
Yay, let's talk about zippers. One of my favourite topics. I buy mine in bulk in the US. They are here in the UK in absolute no time, super cheap if I buy a pack of 50 or more and the colour choice is amazing (cotton candy pink, bubble gum pink and gray are my faves if you were wondering). Always 10" zippers as they go with pretty much alllll my patterns. If they are too long - you can easily chop them down or sew over the plastic teeth. I loooove them!
For the larger bag I used a zipper with two pulls in pink (unfortunately I can't remember where I got mine from but I try to find a similar one for you) and added some zipper charms. There is no such thing as too many charms, right?
Cord:
About cord. There are literally so many options out there. I like to use this shiny, flat cord for bags - making the cord a bit of a feature. But I am afraid this specific one I am using is a little tricky to source. A friend of mine in Tokyo is kind enough to send me some once a year and I can tell you, it's always the happiest of happy mail when they arrive. But there are so many other cute options our there. You could use some pre-made bias tape or go for it and make it yourself. Maybe using some of the fabric you already used for your I Heart You Bag...? Or have a look into parachute cord, they come in various sizes and colours. How about cutting strips of your left over knit fabric (similar to pre-made hoooked zpagetti). Seriously, there are so many options out there and I am sure you'll find something you'll love.
Thread:
For the I Heart You Bag, I am using two kinds of thread weight. For the construction of the bag I am using Aurifil 50wt in dove - that's for steps like installing the zipper and assembly of the bag. Literally all the seams that have to last but are hidden at the inside of the bag. And for seams that will be seen later on - like the the topstitching along the outside of the zipper - there I use Aurifil 28wt in a corresponding colour. Always a couple shades lighter than the actual fabric, so that the thread nicely blends into the overall look of the bag. But that is personal preference of course...
Notions:
Next to basic sewing tools such as your self healing cutting mat, rotary cutter and ruler - I like using wonder clips instead of pins. For pretty much all my projects and here as well. They are just so much faster to use and I tend not to lose them as quickly. But of course, if you are more into pins you can totally use those as well... These are my favourites as they go through anything without problem and they are super cute!
When it comes to marking I am using a pretty basic fabric marker for the I Heart You Bag. All the marking in this pattern is located at the inside and will later be hidden.
Sewing machine:
As always, I am using my Janome MC 6700p and she's such a dream to work with. A real work horse, super reliable and the seams are always pretty. Never skipping a stitch. And she loves Aurifil - what else could I wish for...
And when it comes to making the I Heart You Bag there is one, very basic feature I love. And that is the zipper foot. No need to be intimidated by it, I promise!! It's just a very narrow foot that easily glides along the edge of your zipper - skinny enough not to interfere with your zipper teeth. Helping you create a straight and even seam. And after installing the zipper, keep on the zipper foot for just a little longer... Carefully change the needle position a little to the right, just above the gap in your zipper foot. Now line up the right edge of your zipper foot with edge of your fabric for topstitching. And there you go... zippers are super, duper easy. Just a couple straight lines!
And now...
Making the I Heart You Bag is super easy, right? You make your template. Assemble the zipper sandwich. Trace your heart. And you're done! And now times 10, 20 or however many you are going to make for the next party you're hosting...! Or even better. Use this project to teach your daughter how to sew... It's so rewarding to bring in the next generation of seamstresses.
And as you are already creating fun bags for little ones... why not try yourself at the Glitta Pouch? A pouch that literally sparkles... yes you heard it right! This pouch is, in fact, sparkling and shiny and ohh so fun. And let me tell you a secret - it's not only wee girls that love a shiny pouch! In fact, big girls love them just the same. Head over to my post on the Glitta Pouch, there I share all my best tips and tricks with you, a list with all the materials you'll need and lots and lots of inspiration. Are you ready...?
Community...
Community. Probably the one thing I love the most about sewing. This industry is so unique - not only super creative but also caring, kind and giving. So obviously I also want this for you!
I would like to invite you to join me over in our private Facebook group, with rules in place so you can feel safe. I make sure of that! There we get to hang out, chat directly without barriers, I can hear your questions and help you. We get to admire each others projects and I can cheer you on! Dang girl, you can insert that zipper! And best of all - you will meet a whole group of makers from all over the world. Making friends along the way.
So, what do you think? Fancy joining us...?
As always - please find me over on Instagram or Facebook for even more inspiration or send me a DM to say hi! I'd love to hear from you.
And finally I like to take the chance to thank Janome UK for for working with me. I love my Janome MC 6700p and don't want to miss her anymore... So thanks so much Team Janome for having me!
Take care and Happy Sewing!
Love, Laura x
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