Free Teeny-Tiny Duffle Bag Tutorial
This is it! We're pushing the envelope on tiny sewing. You thought Tiny Duffle was tiny, then Teeny-Tiny Duffle comes breaking through like the Kool-Aid Man. It's scrap friendly and doesn't take too long to make. Sewing around the 2 end curves is the most difficult part and I encourage you to be patient with yourself. The squee-effect happens because of how small it is, not how perfect the curves look. So, get it as close as you can, and as long as there's no jagged, sudden corners on the end pieces, it will be fine.
Wait, you don't know Tiny Duffle? Quick! Get the pattern here
Because this project is tiny-fied, reduce your stitch lengths evenly throughout this tutorial so that the top stitching and structural sewing matches it’s small stature. Top stitching and basting are 1/8’’ from edge. Sewing is with a ¼’’ seam. Pay attention to directionality of fabrics (such as in the sample in the tutorial). I recommend using a ¼’’ presser foot for all ¼’’ seams.
Let's get to sewing🎉
Teeny-Tiny Duffle Materials
Pellon 805 Wonder-Under or Lite Steam-A-Seam 2: minimum 1'' square
9mm Split Ring in the finish of your choice
Fabric marking pen/pencil: I use either a Frixion pen or a Clover Chaco Liner
Clear ruler (approximately 2-3'' wide x 18'' long)
Needle for hand-sewing (I use a Size 2 crewel needle for everything!)
Thread for hand-sewing (I use my 50wt sewing machine thread)
Fabric Scissors or rotary cutter + mat for cutting fabric pieces
Sewing machine
Patience 😊
Teeny-Tiny Duffle Fabric Requirements
Quilting cotton scrap at least 5'' x 5'' for Body
Quilting cotton scrap at least 2'' x 3'' for Trim
Cutting Instructions
Cut (1) 5’’ x 5’’ square from quilting cotton scrap for Body
Cut (1) 5’’ x 5’’ Bosal In-R-Foam single-sided fusible square for Body interfacing
Cut (2) 1’’ x 2 ¼’’ rectangles from quilting cotton scrap for Trim
Cut (1) 1 ¼’’ length of ¼’’ ribbon for Loop
Cut (1) 13’’ length of ¼’’ ribbon for Handles
Fussy Cut Applique (instructions in Step 4)
Preparation
Print the Teeny-Tiny Duffle Template at 100% scale and cut out.
Use a flame to seal the ends of the ribbon pieces or use fray check/glue if cotton-based
Fuse 5’’ x 5’’ quilting cotton Body piece to 5’’ x 5’’ foam interfacing following manufacturer’s instructions. Trace template onto fused piece and cut out.
Step 1: Add Trim
Align 1 Trim piece to each straight edge of the body piece, RS together.
Sew a ¼’’ seam down the straight edge.
Press the Trim away from center. Then, fold over the Body edge and press again.
Top stitch along the folded edge of the Trim. This should sew through the Trim on the WS as well.
Step 2: Add Loop
How many Loop(s) is up to you. You could have no loop, 1 loop or 2 loops with one on each end! Think ahead to what you might use your Teeny-Tiny Duffle for. For instance, if I were making earrings, I would make 2 Teeny-Tiny Duffles and place the Loop on opposite sides respectively so that the applique was always facing outward. The following instructions are for adding 1 Loop. Also, use a very short stitch length and sew back and forth to make sure the loop doesn’t become loose later. I used a 2mm stitch length in this tutorial and positioned the loop so that it's on the left side of the front of the bag.
On one of the rounded sections of the body piece, draw a crosshair at ¾’’ down from the center of the curve.
Align an end of the Loop ribbon piece to the drawn line extending downward and centered. Pin ¼’’ down from the ribbon end.
Fold the other end upwards so that it aligns with the pin, then fold up again to make a loop. Pin towards the top of the loop to secure.
Sew 2 securing lines. One near the bottom of the fold, and another ¼’’ down from the top of the loop to secure both ends of the ribbon.
Step 3: Attach the Handles
Orient the body piece with straight edges at top and bottom. Mark 5/8’’ from the right and left edge just below the Trim. Repeat with the bottom straight edge. Then, draw 2 lines connecting the marks.
Mark ½’’ down from the straight edges along the connecting lines just drawn. Then, mark center along each of the connecting lines.
Fold the Handle ribbon in half and mark center with a pin or fabric pen/pencil.
Align ribbon center to the body center mark on top of one of the 5/8'' lines and pin, ribbon is RS up if applicable.
Pin the ribbon on the same side at the ½’’ marks at the top near the Trim. This is where you will start and stop sewing the ribbon.
Turn the Body 360° and pin the ends of the ribbon at the other center mark overlapping by 1/8’’, RS up if applicable. Then pin again at the ½’’ marks as you did on the first side. Note: I turn the body because I'm right handed and I want to insert my pins with the ball end at the right.
Sew down the center of the ribbon handles starting and stopping at the ½’’ marks where you inserted a pin. Use a locking stitch or reverse/forward a few times with a short stitch length at the start and stop of sewing the handles.
Step 4: Add the Fussy-Cut Applique (optional, but is it really?)
The maximum size for the applique piece is ¾’’ x ¾’’ square. Note: The fabric I’m using for the applique in the sample is from Salutations by Rashida Coleman-Hale from Ruby Star Society. This particular fabric has repeated motifs that are perfect for fussy-cut applique. So, I fused the Steam-a-seam to a larger area, then cut strips around the motifs so I could save as many as possible for use! Some of the following photos use a different applique piece for demonstration.
Find the motif you want to use, remove the backing from the 1’’ square Wonder-Under or Steam-A-Seam, center on the WS over the motif, then fuse following manufacturer’s instructions.
Cut out the square from the fabric. Use a fabric pen/pencil to mark the ¾’’ limit at top, bottom, left and right. Then, sketch an oval or circle around the design (or a square/rectangle if that’s fits better), staying within the ¾’’ limits. Cut out the applique following your sketch line.
Remove the backing on the applique and center on one of the straight edge sides between the handles. Fuse to the Body following manufacturer’s instructions.
Top stitch around the applique piece. I use an open foot so I can see where I’m going. Sew very slowly with the machine set to needle down position if possible. Pivot by dropping the needle, lifting the presser foot, adjusting and dropping the presser foot to continue. I often pivot between each stitch if it's curved!
Step 5: Sew the Body Together
Throughout this section, keep checking that the Handles and Loop are out of the way while sewing.
Place Body piece RS down and draw a line that follows the curve of the rounded flaps at ¼’’ away from the edge. This is optional, but will be helpful when sewing later.
Fold the straight edge sides towards center, RS together. Pin the sides to hold in position as shown.
Turn over and fold back the rounded side flaps to expose where the trim sides meet. Baste at 1/8’’ from the edge across the straight edges. Reverse/forward many times to secure these sides together.
Mark the center of each of the rounded side flaps on the RS at the top of the curve.
Align each basted straight edge with the marks on the rounded side flap, centered and RS together. Where the trim pieces meet is center. Pin on the lining trim on both sides of center to secure.
Baste together with a few short stitches at 1/8’’ from the edge at the center point of the curve. Reverse/forward a few times to secure. You will be basting over the same area you basted previously. I sew with the trim side up. It probably won’t look pretty, but that’s ok!
Fold the bag as shown with the middle of the bag flattened. Line up the raw edges of the curves and pin very shallowly starting at the center. The shallow pinning + foam interfacing can make the piece pucker. Check both sides to see that the edges are still lined up.
Fold the body so that the center is flat with the trim at one edge and the end that you’re going to sew first is also flat (see photos). Repeat the following for both sides.
Start sewing at one end of the curve with a ¼’’ seam and follow these suggestions:
Use a thread color that matches the body.
Sew slowly with the machine in needle down position if possible, or drop the needle down manually anytime you stop sewing.
Follow the line ¼’’ from the edge that you drew earlier.
Remove pins as you go.
Once you get towards the top of the curve it will become more difficult unless you re-fold the body. Re-fold so that the center of the body is still flat, but the trim is on the bottom (see 2nd photo below). Keep this orientation while sewing the top of the curve.
At the center of the curve, reverse/forward sew a few times because this point will have a lot of stress on it when we turn the piece RS out.
When you get past the top of the curve, re-fold the body back to it’s original configuration (see 3rd photo below)
Before turning RS out, look at the sewn line. Are there any areas that aren’t a smooth curve? You can fix it now by sewing a second line focused on those areas.
Turn the bag RS out and push out the corners.
Step 6: Hand-Sew the Top Closed
Thread your hand-sewing needle with about 18'' of thread, doubled up. Knot the loose ends together.
Start at one end of the opening and push the needle through the edge of the trim fold so that the knot will be hidden inside the bag.
Hand-sew the opening closed with a ladder stitch. Keep the stitches short, between 1/8'' - 3/16'' each. Don't pull the thread so tight that the fabric puckers.
Before you insert the needle for the last time, we're going to make a knot that will be buried. Wrap the thread around the needle 2 times. Pull gently on the thread so that the stitches you just finished are still taut and the top is closed.
Insert the needle to finish the last stitch and have the tip come out again about 3/16'' from the insertion point. Keeping the thread wraps taut against the needle and the bag, pull the needle through creating a knot.
Pull gently on the thread to pop the knot through the fabric. You may hear a tiny "pop" sound. Once you are certain the knot is hidden inside the bag, snip off the excess thread.
Step 7: Add the Split Ring (optional)
The split ring is pretty small so it can be difficult to open. I pry it open a little bit with my fingernail, then insert tweezers to hold it open while sliding it onto the Loop. Adding the split ring is a great starting point to a lot of options regarding use. Add a lobster hook for a zipper pull or a fishhook for earrings, etc...
Congratulations! Now Share your Teeny-Tiny Duffles with Friends and Family
Teeny-Tiny Duffle is like a Kit-Kat Bar...it's meant to be shared 😊. Make a matching Teeny-Tiny Duffle Pal for each of your Tiny Duffles! The same fussy-cut applique fabric you used for the Tiny Duffle often has smaller motifs that are perfect for this even tinier version. Gee, what else...earrings, zipper pulls for all your bags, keychains, necklaces?? I want to see your best Teeny-Tiny Duffle ideas!
Don't forget to share your makes on social media!
I would love to see and share them.
Use the hashtag #teenytinyduffle and tag me @banjoflannel
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