Pattern Download
You can download the pattern for this Anti-pickpocket bag from our account at Craftsy.
For help downloading and printing PDF patterns, please CLICK HERE.
Pattern Layout
Step One: Preparing The Fabric
Apply the fusible interfacing to the lining (3 pieces) and the facing (2 pieces). Sew the soft sewable interfacing or fleece to the main fabric (2 pieces). Sew the thick sewable interfacing to the bottom (1 piece).
If you are using canvas as per the recommended fabric options, there is no need to use any interfacing or fleece. For your reference only, the following picture will show you the right side and the wrong side of the fabric I am using. Because it is batik, both sides are the same, so I have applied the thinnest fusible interfacing I have so you can differentiate the right and wrong sides more clearly. All other directions are on the pattern. Please follow closely.
Step Two: Making the Inner Pockets
Place the lining(main pattern piece) right side up. Place the pocket piece to which you have ironed a rectangle of fusible interfacing that is the same width of the pocket 10″ x 3 1/2″ in length centered on top of the lining and draw a rectangle 2″ from the top that is 7″ x 1/2″. 
Draw a line in the middle of the pocket that stops 1/'4″ from the end. This line will be your cutting line.
Sew with a small stitch (I am using #2) all around the pocket. Please follow your drawing exactly. This will ensure you have perfect corners.
Cut the line in the middle stopping 1/4″ from the end. Cut to the corner without cutting the stitching line.
Pass the pocket piece through the cut you just made and iron. Place the zipper under this opening and pin the zipper. Make sure the zipper is centered. 
The zipper is larger than the opening and so will have to make sure the little handle is not underneath the lining. Stitch very close to the edge you need to adjust while sewing 
Change to a zipper foot and stitch very close to the edge. 
You can make two pockets or just one. Personally, I like pockets, so I am making one on each side.
thanks for responding to Michelle. I now have a downloaded copy.
For whatever reason, I cannot copy/paste. Is there a download button.
That’s a lovely bag –great fabric!– and worth making but a word of caution: To be truly theft-proof a bag needs a more narrow opening, locking zippers (the pull clips onto a ring so the zipper can’t be eased open by a thief in passing), a slash-proof fabric and an RDIF lining to prevent your credit cards from being “read” electronically. Thieves sometimes use box cutters to slash the bottom of a purse and make off with the contents, in which case quilting fabric will not be sufficient protection, even if padded and you fortify the handles with chains. When my daughter, granddaughter and I went to Europe last year, we first purchased anti-theft bags online (there are a variety available) and left our other purses (including the ones I had made myself) at home. When I make this bag, it will be for local use.
Hi Mayra,
This is the first pattern I have tried to print. When I open the file either in downloads or documents I do not get my usual print dialogue choices. The only choice I get is “Allow the app to change my printing preferences”. Whether I allow this or do not allow, my test box is only 1.5 inches. I am running windows 10, if that matters. How do I get my regular print dialogue ? I made one of your , well actually I made 2, purses & love it. However I did not have to download a pattern, just use measurements. Thank you for your assistance.
Hi Marilyn, are you using Adobe Reader to download, Actual Size and Portrait?
Thank you so much for the pattern Mayra, one can’t let crime win!! Greetings from a struggling (against crime) South Africa
For the handles, you could also insert the small cable in the tube when making them if you didn’t want it to show.
Hi! Gorgeous pattern! One thing that I did with a bag that I made a few years ago to make it even more difficult for the pickpockets who have a sharp knife and slash the handles and take the whole bag: when braiding the handles, braid a chain in with the fabric so that there is muchas less of a chance of the pickpocket bring able to complete the job! Thanks for all your efforts!
If you don’t like the way a chain looks, a short piece of the braided stainless airline cable that some guys use as a wallet chain could also work. Even the very thin 1/16″ ones would deter a knife, and be close to invisible.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Custom-Cut-1ft-70ft-Stainless-Steel-1-16-core-7×7-Wire-Rope-w-Loop-Options/152892062010
That is an excellent idea!
This is wonderful. Can’t wait to make this. Thanks so much!
I don’t see any pictures of the inside of this bag, so I don’t know if I want to make it. Help.
You can watch the videos, they are free as is the pattern and all the instructions.
Help Please! I cannot find the “second page” on which this pattern is on! Thanks!
Here it is Beth, you have to scroll to the bottom of the page and you will find a row of numbers, those are the pages.
https://so-sew-easy.com/anti-pickpocket-bag-twisted-fabric-handles/2/
Mayra, thank you so much for the pattern and directions. Shopping tomorrow for the “perfect” fabric.
Looking forward to your picture Joanne 🙂
Hi
I’m having great difficulty finding the correct type of grommets. Amazon.com supplier you link to does not sell outside USA. Can’t find them anywhere else. Wish I’d looked before making bag. So I have a lovely finished bag except it has holes where grommets should go!
Is it possible for me to buy them from you? I will send a photo of the bag once it’s finishedif I get it finished!
Hi Elizabeth, Where in the world are you? Perhaps I can find a supplier closer to your town.
I’m in New Zealand. I’ve looked all over the internet and most have the screw in grommets. I’ve bought some from China but they are not as nice on both sides. The back I saw not the same as the front.
Hi EB, try Spotlight stores, in the handbag/millinery section.
I have,oozed there. They do not have them I have had to use the metal ones from China! I’ve finished it and will send a photo later.
Must say it’s very good bag and I’m very pleased with it after all my struggles. Thank you!
I am so happy you managed to find some grommets and after all the struggles you are happy with the results, congratulations on your perseverance. Looking forward to the picture.
Mayra I have put the photo on the “So Sew Easy” Facebook page.
Thank you EB will look for it!
Elizabeth,
I use Dritz curtain grommets for my purses. They work great! They snap together so it makes it easy, and you can pull them apart if you need to.
Jenny W
Joanne fabrics carries them. You could go to thrift store and recycle a. Hand bag that has the same hardware
Please help! I’m halfway through but I don’t understand the part above where you pin the facing but it looks like the lining in colour. You don’t show attaching the curved parts to the curved parts of the lining once the zip is in. Really want to complete it as have got this far so would be very grateful if you could help. Is the picture above showing facing or lining? If facing is it sewn in? I only able to get fusible facing here.
I am not sure I understand your question, the facing is attached to the lining first. Then this is attached to the outer fabric. Have you watched the videos on YouTube yet? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfqGSFGanJ0
I think I have worked it out! Sorry for panic!
Mayra, this is a beautiful handbag and the videos are very well done! Just one thing I thought you and others would like to know is that RFID fabric is no longer needed…
Why is RFID no longer needed?
Mayra
Please could you give metric measurements as well with your patterns? It’s very time consuming to have to convert everything!
Gorgeous! Thank you I am waiting for my fabric to arrive so that I can make this. Perfect for my holiday to Vietnam.
I am new to your free patterns. I cannot figure out how to print the patterns. I see lots of ads for pdf readers but I don’t want to download these to my computer. Is there another way to print them?
Hi Linda those are just ads, I do not ask you to download anything, all you need is adobe reader to be able to print the pattern in a PDF format.
I have been trying to download the antipickpocket bag for days. I sent it to the cart and then returned to look at something else and now I can’t get back to the cart. At this point I would pay someone to download this for me and mail it, I`m so frustrated
Hi Judy if you downloaded the pattern you will find it in your pattern library. If you can not get to your cart log out and sign back in.
I tried to just start over and put it in my cart, but it said you already had this in my cart and wouldn’t let me go any further. Quite frankly ‘m so frustrated with the whole thing I’m ready to just cancel out. I also can`t enter the free giveaways.
If it says it is in your cart then it should be there. If you do not see it, there is a glitch and perhaps you need to log out. Go to History in your browser and empty your cookies, clean your history. Then log back in. That should fix it. Regarding the giveaway, read the instructions carefully, if you already follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest all you have to do is add a comment on what you would do with a fabric or better load a picture of a project you have done using our patterns. Good Luck!
I would love a pdf of this, that I could access. I don’t have access in my sewing room to a computer, so cannot watch these. As I am on public transportation, a pdf of this so I could sew it would be awesome! I love it!
Hi Catherine, the instructions are all on our the website. However, if you want to print, you can use the sharing buttons on the left, choose the three dots to see more options, choose “printfriendly” and you’ll get a printable .pdf if that’s what you need. Hope that helps and happy sewing. Mayra
Great bag, thank you.
Hi Mayra,
I’m a relatively new sewer so it’s taken me a while to get this bag done. I ended up making it bigger than the original pattern so it’s more useful for me.
I LOVE the pattern on yours, but now that mine is finished I really don’t like the pattern any more! Are there any easy ways to change some of the look (for example I’m going to redo the handles with a slightly darker colour) without undoing everything?
Sorry for the strange question and thanks for the lovely pattern
Thanks!
HI Shilpa, a picture, in this case, would help me a lot. You can load one with your phone. You can do any changes, but You need to keep the proportions in mind. Let me see yours and see what we can do with it. Kind Regards,
I am confused about the lining. The pattern shows that the lining includes the rounded top of the back, but in looking at the photographs in the tutorial, it looks like the lining is just a rectangle. If so what are the dimensions of the rectangle?
If you want the zipper to and the lining to fit together it is best to print the pattern.
Thank you so much for this beautiful bag. When we were in Rome several years ago, the pick-pockets were terrible. We are planning a trip to Ireland and Scotland so this bag is perfect and perfect timing. Thank you again, I’m excited to try sewing it.
Looking forward, to your picture. I have made a sew-along on YouTube hope you understand my accent.
Hi, Mayra , what is the name of the grey fabric you have on the table?
RFID is a shielding fabric. The color in the picture is off
I can’t find the link to the pattern.
Hi Michelle, the pattern download is on the second page of the article. Here’s a direct link to page 2: https://so-sew-easy.com/anti-pickpocket-bag-twisted-fabric-handles/2/
You can move to subsequent pages by clicking the page numbers at the bottom of each page. Happy sewing!
Thank you so much for beautiful bag. I cant wait to give it a try.
You are welcome, Sandra. Enjoy:)
it will not let me go to second page
The second-page button is under the Pinterest button.
I don’t see a link for the pattern. The “gallery for more fabrics” I don’t see also.
Where can I download the pattern?
Second Page Diann, thank you 🙂
I like the look of this bag so I have just downloaded it. My favourite bag has started to look quite worn and shabby and I have been looking for something to take its place. This looks like it. Thank you very much for your generosity. Suzy.
Hi Mayra
what is the fabric for this bag?
Many thanks
Regards
Evelyne
Hello Evelyne, the fabric suggestions I give are cotton quilting or canvas, under the fourth picture there is a gallery for more fabrics.