How To Make

Cherry Blossom ZIPPED BAG

Floral In-The-Hoop Zipped Bag

A finished, beautifully embroidered floral zipped bag.

Important Notes

You may need to pause the machine and take the hoop out, but please do not unhoop your project! The backing fabric is taped behind the hoop.

What You Will Need

Supplies needed for the project, including fabric, zipper, and ribbon.

Main Fabric:

  • Two large pieces of main fabric, cut slightly bigger than your future purse.
  • One small piece of main fabric, cut to 3.5 inches high by the width of your future purse.

Lining Fabric:

  • Cut to the same dimensions as the main fabric pieces.

Supplies:

  • A zipper that is a few inches longer than your future purse.
  • Ribbon, approximately 4 inches in length (Optional).
  • Medium-weight tear-away stabilizer.
  • Clear tape.

Stitch Sequence

Color chart showing the stitch sequence for the zipped bag project.

  1. Zipper position line.
  2. Zipper tack-down seams.
  3. Tack-down seam for the small main fabric piece above the zipper.
  4. Tack-down seam for the large main fabric piece below the zipper.
  5. Tack-down seams to secure the main fabric pieces before stitching the design.
  6. Steps 6-10 are for the flower embroidery.
  7. Lining fabric tack-down seams around the zipper. NOTE: This is a single color sequence with no programmed stop. You must pause your machine manually between the top and bottom pieces.
    • 11.1. Tack-down seam for the small lining fabric piece above the zipper.
    • 11.2. Tack-down seam for the large lining fabric piece below the zipper.
  8. Tack-down seam for the large main fabric piece (the purse back).
  9. The final purse outline.

Stitching the Zipped Bag

Step 1: Prepare the Hoop

Hoop only the tear-away stabilizer. If the decoration on the bag is dense, I recommend hooping a double layer of stabilizer. Attach the hoop to the machine.

Tear-away stabilizer secured in an embroidery hoop.

Embroider the zipper outline (Color 1) directly onto the stabilizer.

Zipper placement outline stitched onto the stabilizer.

Stop the machine, but do not unhoop your project.

Step 2: Place the Zipper

Placing a zipper over the stitched placement lines.

Center and place the zipper over the stitching lines. The zipper should be longer than the area and will be trimmed later.

Zipper taped securely in place within the guidelines.

There are a few important things to remember:

  • Lay the zipper exactly in the center.
  • Position it so the metal zipper parts are outside of the stitching area.
  • Ensure the zipper is securely taped.
  • Set the zipper pull approximately ½ inch outside of the purse outline.
  • Secure the zipper pull well with tape.

Step 3: Stitch the Front Panels

Stitch the zipper tack-down seam (Color 2).

The zipper tack-down seam stitched in place.

Remove the tape from the main part of the zipper now, as it will be more difficult later.

Removing the tape from the center of the zipper.

However, it is important to leave the zipper pull taped down.

The zipper pull remains taped down outside the stitching area.

Place the small piece of main fabric right side down, so its edge lines up with the upper stitch and covers it by approximately ½ inch, as shown in the photo below.

Small fabric piece placed right side down over the top of the zipper.

Use tape to keep the fabric flat, and sew the next seam (Color 3), which is the upper line.

Stop the machine, do not unhoop, and fold the tacked-down piece up, as shown in the photo below.

The top fabric piece folded up and away from the zipper.

Secure it with tape or pins to keep it flat.

Repeat the same process for the bottom part of the purse. Place the large piece of main fabric right side down, aligning its edge with the bottom stitch and covering it by approximately ½ inch.

Large fabric piece placed right side down over the bottom of the zipper.

Use tape or pins to keep the fabric flat and sew the tack-down seam (Color 4).

The bottom tack-down seam stitched.

Stop the machine, do not unhoop, and fold the tacked-down main piece down.

The bottom fabric piece folded down and away from the zipper.

The full purse outline will be stitched next (Color 5).

The full outline stitched to secure the front panels.

The front of the purse with both fabric panels secured.

Stitch the flower decoration (Colors 6-10).

Step 4: Attach the Lining

Take the hoop out of the machine, but do not unhoop your project.

Embroidery hoop removed from the machine.

Turn the hoop over to see the back side of the project.

The back of the hoop showing the stabilizer and stitches.

The process is the same as it was for the main fabric. Place the small piece of lining fabric right side down, aligning its edge with the upper stitch line and covering it by about ½ inch.

Small lining piece placed on the back of the hoop, over the top zipper area.

Use tape to keep the fabric flat.

The small lining piece taped in place.

IMPORTANT! Sew the next seam (Color 11.1), which is ONLY the upper line above the zipper.

Stop the machine, do not unhoop, and fold the tacked-down piece up as shown below.

The top lining piece folded up and taped.

Use tape to ensure it stays flat.

Repeat for the bottom part of the purse. Place the large piece of lining fabric right side down over the bottom stitch line.

Large lining piece placed on the back of the hoop, below the zipper.

Use tape or pins to keep it flat. Sew the bottom outline seam (Color 11.2).

Stop the machine, do not unhoop, and fold the tacked-down piece down. Pin it in place.

The bottom lining piece folded down and pinned.

Step 5: Final Assembly

Turn the hoop to the front side and remove the tape from the zipper pull.

IMPORTANT: Unzip the zipper halfway! Do not forget to do this, or you will not be able to turn the purse right side out later.

The zipper is unzipped halfway before the final seams.

A few steps remain.

Placing the large back piece of main fabric over the front of the hoop.

Lay the large piece of main fabric (the purse back) right side down, covering the entire shape. Ensure there is plenty of excess fabric around the perimeter. Secure it with pins or tape.

Sew the next tack-down seam (Color 12) to secure the backing fabric.

The back piece of fabric tacked down.

Take the hoop out of the machine, but do not unhoop your project.

Embroidery hoop removed from the machine.

Turn the hoop over to the back side.

Lay the final piece of lining fabric over the back, covering the entire shape.

Placing the final lining piece on the back of the hoop.

Ensure there is plenty of excess fabric and secure it with tape or pins.

Sew the final tack-down stitch around the whole outline (Color 13).

The final outline stitched through all layers.

Step 6: Finishing

When the design has finished, remove the tape, unhoop, and gently tear away the excess stabilizer.

The completed purse removed from the hoop, before trimming.

Cut out the shape and clip the corners. Be careful not to cut the seam!

Next, turn the project right side out. This is a two-step process.

Turning the purse right side out through the opening in the lining.

First, turn it through the opening in the lining. Sew the opening closed, as shown below.

The opening in the lining ready to be sewn shut.

Sewing the lining opening closed by hand.

You can sew the opening by hand or with a sewing machine.

The lining pushed back inside the purse.

Trim the stabilizer from the zipper area before turning right side out.

Trimming the stabilizer from the zipper tape.

Finally, turn the bag completely right side out through the open zipper.

The fully finished zipped bag.

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