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Sewing Patterns

The Graceful Kelly Bag

This gorgeous vintage style purse frame bag looks sooooo professional! It’s got
everything; a beautiful 3D shape, loads of room and film star looks!

Pattern notes:
•
All seam allowances are 0.5cm unless stated.
•
Pattern pieces have 0.5cm seam allowance included.
•
WSO/RSO/WST/RST = wrong/right side out/wrong/right sides together.
•
Right side = front or pattern side of fabric
•
Finished size: 15 1/2in (W) x 10 1/2in (H) x 2 1/4in (D). (39.5cm x 26.5cm x 5.5cm)

What you’ll need:

•
1 x Grace Kelly purse frame
• 1/2 yrd x Fusible woven interfacing
• 1/2 yrd x Fusible fleece
• 13in of 2 1/8in wide (33cm x 8mm) elastic
• 3/4yrd of 44in wide (75cm of 112cm) lining fabric and matching thread
• 1/2yrd of 44in wide (50cm of 112cm) exterior fabric and matching thread
• Disappearing fabric marker or chalk
lorem ipsum dolor met set
• Strong fabric glue – we LOVE Gutermann CGHT2 glue
quam nunc parum
• Pins or sewing clips
2007

©2011 U-Handbag.com Patterns

 How to make the purse

Steps to prepare:

1. Before you begin have a read through the

instructions and follow them in order.
Top side edge corner
2. The pattern pieces will need to be joined
and taped together (to make 2 separate
pattern pieces). Join the pattern tops to the
bottoms so that the dashed lines are
concealed and the grain line arrows are
perfectly aligned. Both pattern pieces are Excess fabric for gathers
halved so you will need the fold the fabrics,
interfacing and fleece in half before cutting.
Cut the fabric, the interfacing and fleece
pieces as instructed on the pattern.

3. Iron the fusible interfacing pieces to the WS

WS exterior fabric pieces. Then iron the
fusible fleece pieces directly on top of the
Fig 1. Pin (or use sewing clips, as I have done) the gusset piece
fusible interfacing on the WS exterior
to the main body. Pin the sides and centre bottom edges before
pieces. pinning the bottom corners. At the bottom corners evenly
distribute the excess gusset fabric around the main body bottom
corners, to get yourself some nice-looking gathers.
Pin gathers in place.
Steps to exterior purse:

4. Pin the exterior gusset to a exterior main

body piece RST. Pin on the gusset side (it’s
easier). Begin by matching the little top side
edge corners of the gusset to the little
corners (which jut out) on the exterior side
edges. Then match the long edge centre of
the main body and the gusset before
pinning towards the bottom corners. You’ll
now notice that there is excess gusset fabric
at the corners. This is so we can form
gathers at the bottom corners. See fig 1.

5. Stitch the exterior gusset to the exterior

main body RST. Stitch on the gusset side
(it’s easier). As you approach a curved
corner lift up your presser foot (with needle
in the down position) and reposition the
gathers with your fingers as necessary
before commencing sewing. Continue to Fig 2. Pin and stitch the other main body piece to the gusset in
stitch in this ‘stop and start manner’ for the the same way as in Step 4-5. Be sure to pin
curved corners. Iron the seams open - this and stitch on the gusset side as before.
is a bit fiddly as the seam allowance is
small, but try your best anyway. :)

6. Pin and stitch the other exterior main body

piece to the exterior gusset. Follow steps 4
- 5 to stitch the other main body piece. See
fig 2. Turn the exterior purse RSO.

©2011 U-Handbag.com Patterns

Steps to the purse lining:
6. Make the elasticated lining pocket. Bring the
lining pocket pieces RST. Stitch at the top
edge with a 3/8in (1cm) seam. Iron the
seam open and flip the layers over to the
RS. Make a casing for elastic by topstitching
the RS top edge of the pocket 5/8in
(1.5cm) from the top edge. Cut off a .....
length of elastic and thread it through the
casing. With 3/8in (1cm) of elastic sticking
out of both casing ends, stitch the elastic
down 3/16in (0.5cm) from the side edges.
See Fig 3.

7. Stitch the elasticated pocket to one of the

Fig 3. To prevent the elastic from escaping back into the
lining pieces. Place the pocket onto one of
casing stitch the elastic into the top side edges as shown.
the RS lining pieces. Neatly match the
bottom and side edges of the pocket and
lining pattern piece. See Fig 4. Pin and
stitch the pieces together all around the side
and bottom edges of the pocket with a 1/8in
(3mm) seam.

8. Stitch a divider/dividers into the lining

pocket. Find, mark and stitch the vertical
centre of the pocket. See Fig 5. If you
prefer, you can stitch 2 dividers, it’s up to
you.

9. Make up the lining purse as in Steps 4 - 5

except you do not need to turn the lining
RSO. Iron the lining.

Steps to constructing the purse:

Fig 4. Topstitching the lining purse to the exterior
10. Fully insert the RSO purse exterior into the
purse will make the layers easier to work with
WSO lining purse. The right sides of the
when inserting your purse into the purse frame.
lining and the exterior should now be
touching each other. See fig 6.

11. Neatly match the side top edges of the

lining and exterior (in other words the top
edges of the gusset) and pin. See fig 7.

12. Stitch the exterior to the lining along the

top edge of the gusset only. Repeat for the
other side. See fig 8.

13. Gently turn the purse RSO through the gap

in the top edge of the purse. Iron the top
edge of the gusset on both sides. See fig
9.

Fig 5. Stitching through all layers, stitch a divider into the vertical
centre of the lining pocket. For extra reinforcement be sure to sew
a few securing stitches at the top edge of the pocket.

©2011 U-Handbag.com Patterns

 14. Carefully match all remaining seams and
edges of the lining purse to the exterior
purse and pin and stitch together with a
1/8in (3mm) seam. Stitch along the sides
and top edge. Do not stitch along the top
edges of the gusset. See fig 10. Repeat for
the other side of the purse.

Steps to gluing the purse:

15.Working with one side of the purse at a time
we are now going to glue the purse to the
frame. Have tissue handy just in case. Apply
glue to the channel of one of the side of the Fig 6. Insert the RSO exterior in the WSO lining as shown.
purse frame. Start at one hinge and work
your way to the other hinge. Be quite
generous with the glue (but not enough to
create an ‘ooze’ scenario!) or the purse will
not bond to the frame. See fig 11

16. Now immediately apply glue to the sides and

top edge of one side of the purse. See fig
12. If you are a bit nervous you can protect
the purse fabric that will not be inserted into
the purse frame with masking tape. Leave
the glue to dry (& go tacky) for 6-8 mins on
both the frame and the purse. At this point,
I actually go away and make myself a cuppa
(milk & 1 sugar for me please).

17. When the glue is almost touch dry (tacky) on

both the purse and the frame; insert the Fig 7. Carefully match the top edges of the gusset on both sides of
purse into the frame. the purse. To reduce bulk at the side seams be sure to open the
side seams of the gusset before matching. Pin/clip in place.
a. Start by inserting the sides of the
purse into the frame (hinge end
first). Ensure the hinge (side seam)
on the purse is aligned with the hinge
on the frame then work your way up
to the centre top. Use a pointed tool
(such as small scissors) to firmly
poke and stuff the fabric evenly right
into the frame. See fig 13 & 15.

b. After you have inserted the sides of

the purse into the frame, start
inserting the top edge of the purse
into the frame. Use the pointy tool to
slide the purse fabric towards the
centre top of the frame so the fabric
forms soft pleats/gathers. Turn the
Fig 8. Stitch along the top edge of he gusset from one side seam
purse over to check the exterior side
to the other. Be sure to sew securing stitches at both ends.
is also inserted evenly into the frame.
See fig 14. S

©2011 U-Handbag.com Patterns

c. Look at the front of your purse and
check that gathers look even and all
looks centered and neat. Ensure the
purse frame hinge is tucked into the top
edges of the gusset. See fig 15.
Adjust/correct as necessary before the
glue dries.

d. Leave to dry for 15mins before tackling

the other side of the frame and purse in
the same way.
Fig 9. There! Nicely concealed seams on the gusset top edge.
e. Cut the cord into 2 equal lengths. Take Iron the gusset top edge on both sides.
one of the lengths and using a pointy
tool, stuff the cord firmly into the
channel of the purse frame on the
lining side. Repeat with the other side
of the purse and other piece of cord
See fig 16.

f. Let everything dry for about 30 mins

and then pick off any stray glue from
the frame. Ta dah! Grab your film star
scarf and glasses and out the door we
go!

Fig 10. Topstitching the lining purse to the exterior purse will
make the layers easier to work with when inserting your
purse into the purse frame.

Fig 11. liberally apply glue to the channel of one

side of the frame.

©2011 U-Handbag.com Patterns

 Fig 15. Tuck the purse frame hinge down into the purse -
Fig 12. liberally apply glue to one side of the purse. Apply the
so the fabric gusset top edges (prettily) sticks out a little.
glue to the very top of the seams.

Fig 13. use a pointy tool to stuff the purse fabric right into
the channel of the frame. Be firm, and stuff the fabric Fig 16. Stuffing cord into the channel of the purse will
right up inside the purse frame channel. further strengthen the bond between purse and frame.

©2011 U-Handbag Patterns. Copyright:

You are welcome to hand make items from our
patterns for commercial and non-commercial
use. We are happy for you to sell items made
from our designs on Etsy or market stalls etc.
However, permissions for commercial use do
not include factory manufacture for mass
production and selling. Please do not pass off
our pattern designs as your own creation and
do not reproduce or show any part of this
pattern anywhere. Thanks for your
understanding :)

Fig 14. check that the exterior side of the purse is

also inserted into the frame. Use the tool to push the purse
fabric toward the centre top edge of the frame to form
soft gathers.
©2011 U-Handbag.com Patterns
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Th
eGr
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u
lKe
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Bag
©201
1U-
Han
dbag.
comP
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ern
s