Bucket Bag Pattern for Fabric or Leather: Part One

This bucket bag pattern is the ideal project for those of you who would like to experiment with different materials.  A couple of weeks ago I showed you a round bag made with cord.  This time I am using upholstery fabric which is a very short pile velour to see how hard it is to work with to make bags.  I think it came out pretty well!

The bucket bag can be carried as a cross body, or as a pail (which means by hand).  Bear in mind, the definition of bucket applies here and if you want to carry the bag on one shoulder, then perhaps you need to make the straps a little longer.

This type of bag is not new at all.  It first came to fashion in the 1900's, from a pouch with a string and a hardened bottom.  However, this bag style is still largely accredited to Coach, who first launched a collection of bucket bags in 1963.  These bags became popular because of the easy-going nature of the bag.  You can just throw things in and go. By 1967 all the major accessory houses had versions of the bucket bag.

What made me think of this bag? Well, I was watching the Bucket List with Morgan Freeman, my favorite actor.  The first time I made a bucket list, I was seven years old, then again at nine, and 15, 19, 21, well, you get the picture.  I have plenty of lists, but no bucket.  So here is mine!

As you make it, just keep in mind, that as I predicted when I was designing the bag, the combination of velour and the lining made it a little difficult to sew.  Using lots of clips (many) or pins (even more) is highly recommended.  The dimensions of the bag are 15 inches wide and 11 inches tall.  There are seven pockets inside.  We will finish the last pocket in the second and final part of this tutorial next week.

Materials:

• 1/2 yard, 54″ wide upholstery fabric, thick canvas (see recommendations below)
• 1/2 yard, 54″ wide Lining fabric
• 1/2″ Bias tape, one roll (approx 2 yards)
• 17 mm Grommets 
• Polyester Thread for sewing canvas
• Double sided tape 3/8″ wide
• One large bead for the tassel with a 10mm hole
• Pellon Peltex 
• Magnetic bag clasp (optional)

My Fabric Recommendations

Tools:

• Kam tool
• Zipper foot
• Jeans needle
• Inches to centimeters converter (Optional)
• Rotary cutter (Optional)
• Exacto or craft knife (Optional)

Pattern download

Layout for the bucket bag pattern

How to use and cut your bucket bag pattern:

Print the pattern using Adobe Reader.  This is the only program you need to download and print the pattern.

Print using Actual Size and Landscape Mode.  There are additional instructions for printing on the pattern.

Cut the fabric on a straight grain.  The following instructions are for making a bag in fabric. For leather, the instructions differ a little and will not be covered in this tutorial.  Seam allowances vary.  Please check the tutorial below.

This project is for intermediate sewers that have experience with sewing zippers, applying biastape, sewing curves and who have made handbags and handled thick fabric before. 

Step One: Fusing the lining

Apply the fusible interfacing to the lining and to the outside fabric.  The type of interfacing you need is one that is not so stiff.  This is a soft bucket bag and it is not meant to be a rigid design.  Check your pattern and you will see the interfacing is 2″ shorter than the outside of the bag.  This is to avoid making the rim too thick when you fold the top in and when you apply the grommets.

Step Two: Making the pockets

I am using one side of the pocket in the fashion fabric and the other side in the lining fabric. You can use both lining or both fashion fabric depending on the thickness of the fabric and the capabilities of your sewing machine.

Place the lining and the fabric right sides together. Sew at the bottom which is one of the long edges and iron the seam allowance open.

Repeat the above steps with the other pocket.

Bring these two pockets right sides together and sew at 5/8″ along the narrow edge making a long rectangle.   Iron all the seams open.  You will have the lining on one side and the fashion fabric on the other.

Apply bias tape to the raw side of the pockets.  Starting on the right side of the fabric, place the right side of the tape and sew on the crease.  At this point, you need to change the thread to match the bias tape.Trim the fashion fabric 1/8″ being careful not to cut the bias tape. Fold the tape over to the lining side and topstitch very close to the edge on the right side of the fashion fabric.

Step Three: Sewing the lining, lining the pockets and bottom

Place the right sides of the lining together and sew at 5/8″ only one side.  Iron the seams open.  (No pictures of this step.)

Place the lining right side up, and pin the pockets following the pattern.  This will be 1/2″ from the bottom. Align the seam of the pocket with the seam of the lining and sew the pocket down to the lining. 

Make two stitching lines from the top of each side of pockets, five inches apart from each other to make three pockets.  You will be sewing four lines total and this will divide the pockets into a total of six.

Sew the bottom of the pockets 1/8″ from the edge making sure the bottom of the pockets is at 1/2″ from the bottom of the lining.

At this point, you can add an internal pocket with a zipper if you like.  This is optional.  Here's how:

Step Four: Sewing the bottom

These instructions apply to both the lining and the outside of the bag.  They are basically copies of each other that we will fit together in Part Two of this tutorial.

Pin the bottom of the bag on both sides seams first, then pin from the side where you topstitched the pocket to the lining in Step Three and work your way to the other side.

Work from the seam to right and then again from the seam to the left.  Sew at 1/4″ first. Then sew at 3/8″.  Use your zipper foot to be able to navigate better around the rounded corners. Trim the seam allowance to reduce the bulk. Top stitch on the side to keep the seam allowance open.  Trim the upholstery fabric to reduce the bulk.

Step Five: Sewing the outside

Place the ride sides together and sew at 5/8″.

Apply the bias tape to the top as you did with the pocket in the lining.

Attach the bottom to the bucket.  Pin at the seam first then work your way to the right and to the left as you did when attaching the bottom to the lining.  Sew at 3/8″ then reduce the seam allowance to 1/4″ and turn the bag right side out. Apply the bias tape to the top as you did with the pocket in the lining.

END OF PART ONE

Next week I will show you how to join the lining and the outside, add the pockets to the bag, and make the zipper pouch.  I'll also give you some pointers on how to make a leather version of the bag.

Until Next time!

Proceed to Part Two HERE