I suddenly got the idea to sew a terry beach bag for my 11-year old daughter. I thought my Sally tote bag pattern was ideal, but I also wanted to step it up and make a pattern hack, so check this out! A Sally bag with outer pockets!
So in this blog post I'm gonna walk you through this pattern hack, and for the rest of how to sew the Sally bag:
>> Check out the pattern and its including instructions!
So I wanted to put a pocket on either side of the outer bag. I decided to let the handles extend further down on the sides of the pocket. And in order to not have to finish the lower edges of the handles and the pocket, I split the outer bag piece in two - making an upper part and a lower part. Oh and just so you know, I made both sides of the outer bag exactly the same :)
Cutting and sewing the handles
So first off, cutting the handles. I had to make the handles longer and added 50 cm in length to each handle.
You will sew the handles the same way as in the patterns' instructions, except you don't have to fold the short edges of the handles. You can keep them raw.
Cutting the outer bag
When cutting the outer bag pieces, I split them in two (making an upper part and a lower part). I wanted this line really far down on the bag to create a lot of space for the pocket. Very important to add 1 cm seam allowance to both pieces along the line where you split the pattern piece.
In this picture below you can see how I have split the outer bag piece into two. (I have also just placed my handles and pocket on the upper part of the bag where they will later be sewn).
Cutting and sewing the pockets
I made two pockets since there's one on each side of the bag. So I cut 4 pieces, and just because I didn't have enough of the pink fabric, I cut the two inside pocket pieces in a beige terry fabric. Since I didn't want the beige fabric to show, I made these pieces shorter in height so that the pink fabric extends a few cm to the inside.
You can make your 4 pocket pieces the same size. But if you like me want your outside pockets pieces to extend to the inside, you can. I cut my outside pocket pieces 24 cm tall and 14 cm wide. And the inside pocket pieces 21 cm tall and 14 cm wide.
Whichever size you want to make your pockets, make sure you've got 1 cm seam allowance on the sides and the bottom.
In the picture above you can see my two pockets, the one to the left has right side up, and the one to the right has wrong side up (showing inside pocket). I have sewn them together, right sides together, along upper edge. I have also fused Vliseline H640 on the inside of the pocket. H640 is a volume interlining which will give the pocket some padding.
Attaching pockets and handles, sewing the outer bag
Before going forward, do make sure to add your interlining on the outer bag pieces. (The Sally pattern includes a guide on choosing interlining).
Mark or make a cut at the pockets center along their lower edge and do the same for the upper bag pieces, on their lower edges. Place the pocket on the outer bag and match the center markings. (And then do the same for the other outer bag and other pocket).
Then place one handle on top, making the handle overlap the pocket's sides by 0,5-1 cm. I use quite a lot of aqua glue marker to glue the handles and the pocket in place.
Now topstitch according to the markings below. Use a straight stitch and longer stitch length. It depends on how heavy your fabrics are and the look you want to achieve. My terry fabric is quite heavy and there's interlinings as well. I used 4,5 in length. Make sure not to sew the handles closer to the upper edge than 3,5 cm (see the instructions step 17).
And now there's just one step left to do on the outer bag pieces. Place the lower outer bag piece on top of the upper, right sides together. Sew together with a straight stitch and normal stitch length (about 2,5).
There we go! The pattern hack is all done. I can now continue sewing the Sally bag according to the pattern, making the bag's lining and attaching the outer and lining to each other.
A couple of hours later...
Tada!
Are you up for sewing your own Sally tote bag? Grab your pattern here.
The bag is perfect in size and will hold everything my daughter will want to bring to the beach.
The outer pocket easily holds a cell phone.
