The Lindie Bag (Free Purse Pattern)

The Lindie Bag

(updated 1/200

Finished size: 6½” tall (14½” if you include straps), 6″ wide, 3 ” deep

In all measurements, width is listed first, followed by length.

All seam allowances are ½” unless otherwise noted.

Fabric Requirements:

2 fat quarters, although more fabric will be needed for centering a design.

Materials Requirements:

½ yard medium-weight fusible interfacing

small piece (~6¼” x 2¼”) of stabilizer (Peltex 70 or Timtex)

1. Prepare fabric. Wash, dry and press all fabric. Fuse interfacing to WRONG sides of all fabric.

In above picture, pink fabric is for the exterior fabric and green is the interior fabric.

2. Cut fabric pieces.

Cut fabric for bag: 10″ x 17″

Cut 1 piece of exterior fabric

Cut 1 piece of liner fabric

Cut fabric for inside pocket

Cut 1 piece of liner fabric 6 ½” x 8 ½”

Cut fabric for handles

Cut 2 pieces of exterior fabric 3″ x 19″

Cut stabilizer

Cut 1 piece 6 ¼” x 2 ¼”

3. Make pocket. Fold pocket piece in half with RIGHT sides together so that it measures 6 ½” x 4 ¼” and secure with pins. Starting at one side of the fold, sew up one side, stopping ½” from the edge. Turn the pocket piece and sew across the top, leaving a 1 ½” opening at the top for turning. Sew to the next corner, stopping ½” from the edge. Turn the pocket piece and finish sewing the remaining side. Clip corners and turn the pocket right side out, pushing corners out with a narrow tool. Iron the pocket flat and select one side to be the top. Edgestitch with a 1/8″ seam allowance across the top of the pocket.

4. Attach pocket to the liner. Position the pocket on the liner piece 2 ¼” from both side edges and 1 ¾” from a top short edge. Secure pocket in place with pins. Attach the pocket to the liner by edgestitch with a 1/8″ seam allowance around the 2 sides and bottom of the pocket, backstitching at beginning and end for a secure hold.

The pen is intended to show the position of the pocket.

5. Assemble bag liner. Fold liner in half RIGHT sides together and secure with pins. Sew up the 2 sides, leaving the top open. Snip open the corner seam as shown.

Box corners by laying the side seam against the bottom of the bag.

See this post for additional pictures and explanation on boxing corners.

Measure 1½” from the top of the snipped seam using a ruler as shown. Mark a line perpendicular to the side seam and pin in place. Sew on this line, backstitching at the beginning and end. Note that a triangle is formed when boxing the corner this way. Trim this triangle off with pinking shears after sewing. Set aside.

6. Assemble bag exterior. Sew exterior piece just as liner above (sewing up both sides and boxing corners but do not trim off the triangular pieces. Lay the stabilizer piece across the bottom of the bag and pin to the triangular pieces on the bottom of the bag exterior. Sew the interlining to the triangles.

7. Make the straps. Press in ½” on both long sides of the strap pieces. Fold strap in half and press again. Secure with pins. Edgestich along long open edge of straps.

8. Attach straps to liner. With the right side of the liner facing in, pin straps to inside of liner 1 ½” from the side seam as shown. Make sure the straps are hanging inside the bag toward the bottom. Turn the liner so that the right side of the fabric is facing out. Baste the straps in place with a ¼” seam.

9. Assemble the bag. Place the liner inside the exterior of the bag so that the right sides of the fabrics are facing each other, making sure that the straps are hanging down in between the 2 layers. Line up the side seams and pin in place. Pin around the top of the bag. Starting on the middle edge of a strap, sew across the strap and around the top of the bag, stopping just after the 4th strap, leaving an opening for turning between the straps. Backstitch at the beginning and end so that the stitches won’t unravel during turning.

10. Turn the bag. Carefully turn the bag right side out through the opening, pushing all the corners out. Push the lining into the exterior of the bag.

11. Finish the bag. Press around the top of the bag for a crisp edge, pressing fabric in ½” at the opening. Pin the opening closed. Edgestich with a 1/8″ seam along the top of the bag.

12. Press in the creases. Iron in creases along the bottom edges of the bag and up all four corners (from the bottom corner to the top edge) of the bag. You’re finished!

Care. As with any fabric bag, you may periodically want to press creases back into the bag or press wrinkles out of the fabric.

Enjoy your new bag!

26 Responses to “The Lindie Bag (Free Purse Pattern)”

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1 patchme February 11, 2007 at 8:37 pm

Wow Linda, This is a great little bag. Perfect for presents too. I love the way the pressing makes the shape look really professional too. I never thought of pressing the corners in.
2 Arlene Tomasetti February 22, 2007 at 2:40 am

Stumbled on your blog somehow, love this! Thank you!
Arlene
3 Zenzhey March 8, 2007 at 9:06 pm

The bags are beautiful! I am new at sewing at this is great! I am trying to follow the instructions. On step 3 it says see pictures…I see only the picture with the finished bags. Is this normal?
Thank you!
4 alittlemoore May 21, 2007 at 6:32 am

Really gorgeous bag! Thanks for sharing!
5 Sonnja July 10, 2007 at 2:44 am

The Lindie Bag are nice.
6 Savannah S. July 16, 2007 at 6:57 pm

thnx for the patter im changing it a little but it really helped
7 Caren September 2, 2007 at 1:56 pm

great little bag. lets see, a cell phone pocket on the out side and a zipper pocket on the inside and I am ready for Vegas.
Thanks
Caren
8 susan September 27, 2007 at 9:09 am

Thanks for sharing! Awesome pattern…I can’t wait to get my sewing machine out!
9 Paula November 13, 2007 at 12:16 pm

THANK YOU!!!!!
10 Linda "Lindie" Poole January 5, 2008 at 9:25 am

tHANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS PATTERN; MY MAMA HAS ALWAYS CALLED ME “LINDIE” AND i WONDERED WHY SHE JUST DIDN’T SPELL IT THAT WAY, BUT WAS DRAWN TO YOUR PATTERN BY THE NAME; THANKS FOR SHARING
11 JIll January 15, 2008 at 6:29 pm

Thank you for updating this. I bookmarked the Lindie last October, but am only now getting ready to sew it. I checked the web just in case…and the photos are so much better, the instructions are way better, nice job! now I have no qualms about sewing a purse.
12 barbara carter January 17, 2008 at 10:18 am

Hi
I found your pattern for the Lindie bag and want to thank you for posting it for people like me. I have been making bags now for almost 2 years and love it. It is addicting.
13 Karen January 20, 2008 at 2:04 pm

Thank you! I made my purse on Thursday using your old instructions, then looked here and discovered you had an updated version. One thing I forgot to do was press open the seams for the sides of the bag and liner. I did make a wider pocket so I could divide it into two, one for my cell and the other for my keys.
I also want to commend you on your comments regarding copyright law. Very few people realize that you have to actively give up your copyrights instead of acknowledging them. Perhaps because of the ignorance of those who like to steal, you may want to add a “Please do not copy” comment at the beginning of your free patterns. But please continue to offer the patterns.
14 KAT February 9, 2008 at 10:25 am

Yay! I made something all by myself! It is the cutest thing ever, I made it out of a pink patterned piece of corduroy for the outside and a real heavy almost plastic-y yellow for the inside. It is awesome, I’m going to go show it to my mom today. (She is a professional seamstress, so she doesn’t often get to see what I make because it doesn’t turn out well)
Thank-you
-Kat
15 Custom Pins February 17, 2008 at 1:51 pm

Great detailed instructions. Thanks again…
16 Lisa February 24, 2008 at 2:04 pm

Can this be made smaller? I am not a sewer yet, but I am trying to make crafts for a Relay for Life Craft sale in April and I am learning. I have a cute little baggie of things for a mother’s day gift and am looking to make a very small tote. Small meaning about the size of a sandwich bag with handles. Can you help me figure out the easiest way to make one? I guess the easiest for handles would be that webbing stuff you can buy or a fat ribbon, since this isn’t going to be a heavy bag. would I really need to line it?

Thanks for any help. I am going crazy trying to get this stuff ready and hope it doesn’t rain or I will be there in the rain with this stuff. AHHHHH!
17 Stacy March 6, 2008 at 10:14 pm

The results look stunning. Your instructions are very thorough, something that you can rarely find. I guess there are so many stay-at-home moms making custom purses that they rarely want to give up their secrets.
18 BethieB March 9, 2008 at 4:53 am

Yay! I just finished the entire bag, and it is stunning, if I do say so myself, lol. I added a large pocket on the front and four inner pocketts and did a really cute detailed stitch around the top edge. I love it! This pattern was so easy to follow and the result is fabulous. :0)
19 BethieB March 11, 2008 at 12:59 am

Just had to pop in *one* more time and say that I’ve just finished my third bag since learning this technique! Up until this point the only things I’ve managed to complete were some quilts, which are way different than this kind of sewing, so I am so proud and excited. Can’t wait to see what other things you have to teach us! :0)
20 craftapple March 11, 2008 at 1:08 am

Hey, BethieB, not sure if I have your correct email, but I would LOVE to see pictures!!! :o)
21 Mary March 21, 2008 at 10:24 am

I was so happy to find your website. I had been looking for a pattern similar to this and was struggling with how to get bottom flat and to look professional. Your directions were fabulous and super easy.

Thanks so much,

Mary
22 MonkeysMommy May 7, 2008 at 10:34 pm

I love this bag! I have been searching for an easy bag to make for my toddler and this is going to be the perfect size (just with shorter handles). I’m looking forward to pulling out my sewing machine and making this for her!