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Embellished Cross Body Bag

Happy Monday Readers! You want to know why it is so happy for me? It is because today, Adrienne from Free Trim Frolics is visiting and sharing a super fun, super cute and super easy BAG!!! And, if you know me…you know that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE bags! I might have a slight addiction…sorry to my hubby! In fact, he took me shopping for a dress for Easter and guess what I came home with? Yep, you guessed it…2 bags! The whole dress thing just wasn’t working out but man, my new bags sure are! Hehe!
Get ready, because after seeing Adrienne’s adorable bag, you are going to be joining the bag addiction train right along with me! Enjoy!

Embellished Cross Body Bag - The Ribbon Retreat Blog
Hello Ribbon Retreaters! It’s Adrienne from www.FreeTimeFrolics.com. Today’s project is a fun sewing project for a new seamstress. What I love most about it is being able to make this little bag my own. Adding ribbon, fringe or buttons is my favorite way to make every project my own. So grab some of your favorite fabric and order you some amazing ribbon, flowers or buttons to make this one perfect for you!

Here is what you need to get started.

Cross Body Bag Supplies

1/2 yard main fabric (all fabrics are from Hobby Lobby)
1/2 yard coordinating fabric
1 yard ribbon (I used blue, gold, red dots)
1/2 yard trim (pom pom fringe)
2 silver lobster claw clips
2 “D” Rings
1 yard iron in Pellon
Cross Body Pattern Main
Cross Body Pattern Pockets

Get All Of Your Supplies
Embellished Cross Body Bag - The Ribbon Retreat Blog
Wash and press your fabric.
Fold fabric in half and cut a 2 inch wide length to be used for the strap.
Cut your main and coordinating fabric in half. Making pieces 16 x 22.
Iron in Pellon to both fabrics.
Fold fabrics to place pattern piece on fold. Be sure to only fold what you need so you don’t waste fabric. You will need every bit. Cut out pieces.

Embellished Cross Body Bag - The Ribbon Retreat Blog
Take both pocket pieces and place them right sides together (RST). Stitch across the long edge.
Open and press. Now you get to add a few embellishments.
If you are adding pom fringe, ribbon or any other fringe, pin it to the outside fabric of the pocket or bag. Stitch into place.
If you are adding the messenger flap, matching fabrics, stitch one to a lining and one to an outer lining. When you sandwich your layers together, be sure they are sewn to a non messenger flap layer.
Take your one lining, pocket and one outside and sandwich them together. Layer the inside piece, pocket and then outer piece layed on top RST.

Embellished Cross Body Bag - The Ribbon Retreat Blog
Stitch down the sides and across the bottom of the outside of the bag. For the inside of the bag stitch down the sides and 2 inches on each side of the bottom. Leaving hole in the center for turning.
To make your corner gusset you will need to find your cut out corners. I use a seam ripper or finger to find it.
Then fold your corner to create a triangle of sorts, bringing the inside seams together. Pin into place.
Once your seams are matched up stitch across in a straight line. Repeat for your inside layer.
Turn your inside layer to right sides out.

Embellished Cross Body Bag - The Ribbon Retreat Blog
Place one bag layer inside the other with RST.
Pin layers together matching up all lines.
To add lobster clips take fabric or ribbon and thread through. Pin into place on the side seams.
Once lobster claws are pinned into place, stitch around row edge.
Also if you are adding a ribbon to tie your bag closed, add your ribbon tie to the center of your bag before stitching it closed.

Embellished Cross Body Bag - The Ribbon Retreat Blog
Using the hole at the bottom of the lining turn bag right sides out.
Tuck the lining back into the bag.
Press seams and top stitch around the opening of the bag and the bag strap.

Embellished Cross Body Bag - The Ribbon Retreat Blog
To make your strap, take your cut 2 x 45 inch strip you cut in the first step. Iron on Pellon to the inside of the trap.
Fold one edge in 1/2 inch and press. Take the raw edge and fold in 1/4 inch and press. Then fold the same edge another 1/4 or so inch over to overlap on the 1/2 inch fold of the opposing side.
Stitch down the center.
Take your “D” rings and loop your bag strap through the ring and pin it to itself. Stitch it into place. Clip your strap to your bag and go!

Embellished Cross Body Bag - The Ribbon Retreat Blog
I stitched some random buttons in a cluster to give this bag a little something to look at. I think they look adorable with the pom fringe. It’s all about the extras.

Embellished Cross Body Bag - The Ribbon Retreat Blog
For my anchor bag, The Ribbon Retreat had these adorable striped anchor buttons. I used the smallest red ribbon for my bag ties and threaded the ribbon through the anchors so they were like little tassels. I love them!!

Embellished Cross Body Bag - The Ribbon Retreat Blog


Thank you Adrienne! I am so excited to whip me out one of these fun bags! I love your embellishments and those ribbon ties! This great bag would be so much fun for a younger girlee or a little more mature gal and everyone in between! Thank you for sharing your talent with us today AND congrats again for being our winner of March’s Blogger Competition!
For more fabulous projects by this talented lady, make sure to visit her blog Free Time Frolics!

Are you a fellow bag lady or gent? Here are a few more bag tutorials you are going to LOVE! I just can’t get enough of bags…big, small, gigantic, colorful, plain, embellished or not, it just doesn’t matter to me! I love them all!


Boxy Zipper Pouch, 2nd Blogger Competition #1 - The Ribbon Retreat Blog

Switchable Striped Sling Satchel - The Ribbon Retreat Blog

Tween Tote - The Ribbon Retreat Blog
Bags are so much fun! Make sure to check out all of our bag tutorials HERE! Also, make sure to visit The Ribbon Retreat to find all of your supplies to embellish your next bag sewing project! Adding ribbon to any project takes the cuteness factor to a whole new level! We also have flowers, tulle, ric rac, resins and gems…to name a few that also make wonderful embellishments! Have fun browsing and shopping away and good luck with your next bag sewing adventure!

Embellished Cross Body Bag - The Ribbon Retreat Blog
Happy Creating & Happy Bags!
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3 Comments

  1. winnie
    Posted May 1, 2016 at 4:16 am | Permalink

    Wonderful color and design combinations, glad I found you!

    • The Ribbon Retreat
      Posted May 5, 2016 at 11:13 am | Permalink

      Hi Winnie! Thank you, and I am so glad you found us too! We love new readers and can’t wait for you to come back and visit us again and again! Have a wonderful day and thank you again! Michelle 🙂

  2. Tonia
    Posted November 9, 2022 at 6:30 am | Permalink

    I’m not sure if I’m doing this right but both the Main Body pattern and the Pocket pattern are the same.
    Thank you for the cute bag…definitely want to try it. I am a novice but I thought maybe I could do this one.
    Tonia

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