Little girls need little bags, right?
As much as it can be super cute to see a toddler with a Mummy size handbag, really, if you’re going to let her bring her treasures with her for the grocery shop or the school run, then a toddler size bag is much better. All little girls want to be like Mummy and carrying her bag around is just one of those ways she will copy you.
So I totally understood when a colleague suggested we add a handle to this cute little purse to make it a toddler sized handbag.
The purse was already in my stash – the stash of bits and pieces I have made over the years and occasionally listed in an online shop or sold to friends but are now languishing in a big plastic crate. When the girls at work asked to see my stash, I was happy to show them and this little cutie caught an eye.
It is about 15cm x 20cm, padded with a little quilt batting and quilted in a simple straight line design. All it needed was a simple handle. The handle is 1cm grosgrain ribbon about 95cm long. I folded the ends under then attached with a cute flower button. The fabric was from Spotlight a few years back – still so gorgeous!
How to Attach the Handle
The handle is 1cm grosgrain ribbon about 95cm long. I folded the ends under then attached it with a cute flower button to the outside of the bag on opposite corners. (You might recognise my button from this recent stitching project.) Adding the button makes the join a feature rather than needing to hide the stitching inside the bag. If you don’t have the right button, perhaps try a large sequin or a small applique. You could even make a tiny fabric yoyo (like the ones in this Christmas tree project) and use that to cover the attachment.
Quick Tutorial for the Bag
- Cut two rectangles of fabric – 9.5″ x 5″ – I used a pattern on the outside and a plain on the inside.
- Cut batting or iron pellon – 9″ x 4.5″
- Iron on pellon to wrong side of one piece of fabric, or spray baste the batting to hold it in place.
- Place the two pieces of fabric (one with pellon) right sides together and stitch all around the outer edge about a quarter of an inch from the edge, leaving a gap of 3″ for turning on one of the long sides.
- Clip the corners and turn through.
- Quilt the layers as desired, and top stitch around the edge about an eighth of an inch in to close the turning gap.
- Fold in half with the outsides of your bag together and stitch down each side to create a pocket type bag.
- Turn through and press.
- Optional extra: I added a couple of press studs to the opening so that it stays closed.
- Add your handle as described above if desired.
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