How to construct a professional bag flap

I am so happy with the size and style of the new bag! It is just right for everyday use.

One of my (many) new years resolutions was to write more patterns for my Etsy shop and I am pleased to say that I have managed another one which you can find here.

As you can see, the flap can be a major design feature of a bag. It is important to get it right.

While I was writing it, it occurred to me that it is all very well to blithely rate a pattern as 'intermediate' or 'confident beginner' and then just leave people to assume what that actually means. What happens to people who fall through the cracks - they may not be a raw beginner but they still need a bit of help when it comes to construction techniques.

So I thought that the best way to be helpful is to choose a technique and focus on it in a sort of user friendly masterclass.

This lovely Anna Graham Fabric from her Driftless collection for Robert Kaufman is just perfect for this bag.

To give it real world relevance, I will be linking it back to a pattern so that you can see what the technique looks like in real life and where it would be used. You don't have to buy the pattern and the tute is free. You can use these techniques in any pattern.

Okay, so we will begin with a tute on how to create a professional bag flap. It has a few layers which may surprise you and the result is a bag part with a really nice feel to it which doesn't look sad and forlorn.

Cannot wait to road test this bag!

So what do we need to make a flap for a bag? You can substitute the following items for any pattern but for reference, I will be referring to my pattern so that things do not get too confusing. I use Vlieseline products. It is important to mention that here because some of their things do not have actual names, instead they have numbers and for a beginner, it can be quite confusing. So you need:

-H630 (see what I mean). This one is a light, low loft fusible fleece.
-Decovil I Light. A light but softly structured fusible interfacing.

So we only need two types of interfacing but it is the way that we will be layering them that counts as the real trick.

Attention to detail is so important in a bag.

Begin by cutting out your flap outer piece. There will mostly be a template for this but occasionally in a cut and measure pattern, you just cut a shape. And cut the lining piece without trimming it to the shape of the flap. This is quite important and I will get to that in a minute. the pattern will give you the sizes and details.

Now fuse the appropriate piece of H630 to the flap and the lining. This gives your flap a nice soft feel when you use it. Okay - trick number one, fuse the piece of Decovil I Light over the top of the fleece on the cutout flap.

A lot of layering of interfacing goes on in bag making. Here you can see the square lining with just the fleece and the flap has lining first and you can see the Decovil i light on the top of it.

This adds structure and it will end up being sandwiched between the flap outer and the flap lining both of which have the fleece there to keep things soft.
So you have two flap pieces, and one is still untrimmed. With the right sides together, lay the trimmed flap outer onto the untrimmed lining.

Sometimes I trim the interfacing back to keep it out of the back seam allowance especially on a thicker fabric. This is not the straightest of cuts but it doesn't have to be to be honest. 

Pin it well and get ready to sew. Before we do though, there is a very good reason for leaving the lining untrimmed. Fabric shifts. This is a matter of physics and not much you can do. It is thanks to friction. By leaving the lining whole to begin with, you guarantee a perfect fit and none of the frustrating running off of fabric that can happen when you cut the flap and the lining to fit. You still have the flap outer as a shape guide.

The next step is to sew it and cut it out using the flap outer as a guide.

That lining fits!

There is a tiny bit of waste but nothing too bad and it is well worth it to get a prefect flap.

Now there is a turning gap in the straight part of the flap at the back but if we turn it out now, the edge will pucker because there is way too much fabric there. When it is turned the right way out, the fabric has to negotiate the curve of the flap from the opposite direction, causing it to form a sort of frill. We have to get rid of some of the fabric.

And clip across the corners at the back too - this will sort of mitre them when the flap is turned the right way out.

You can see the little cuts there on the curves? This is how we get rid of some of the fabric and give what is left some room to move. Just make these with a small and sharp pair of scissors being very careful not to cut the stitching. Clip across the corners at the back too.

Again, be careful not to cut the stitching. I cannot BELIEVE how wonky my interfacing cut is up close :-)

Here is a closer one of the notches on the curve too

You need to get quite close to the stitching-use your best and sharpest small scissors for the job.

When the flap is turned the other way (the right way) out, they will all butt up together to smooth the curve.
Right, so turn the flap the right way out and press it so that the edges are perfect. This means that you cannot see the lining from the bag outer and you cannot see the outer from the lining side. Spend time and use a damp cloth to get a great result.
Then we close the gap.

I have pressed the gap edges in so that they are as invisible as possible and they are ready to be glued.

You don't want to stitch on the back just yet (more in just a bit) so a dab of glue will hold the back shut while you work on the rest. There is a lot of glue involved in bag making. It helps to stabilise things when you do not want an extra row of stitching. 

The next step is to topstitch. You will ideally have a perfect edge like this

The flap is on show so take the time to make the edge as perfect as possible. Imperfections here will draw the eye.

So the next step is to topstitch to keep it there. Sew the sides and the front of the flap only.

Make a narrow topstitch, not quite a 1/4". This looks better.

The reason for this is that we will topstitch the flap onto the bag and if you topstitch the back now, it will be stitched twice. This can look really clunky. This is why we glue the back shut to keep it in place too. We are saving the topstitching.

Not all bags have a flap attached like this one. Some have the flap integrated into the back seam. The individual pattern will guide you here but as a rule, in those cases, keep the back open. The raw edges will be hidden in the seam.

Hardware next! This is a really exciting bit because all of a sudden, your bag will start to look really professional. If you are using a stud, it will have a male and a female half (I know, I know but just look at the pieces and you will see why). We need to add the female half to the bag flap at this stage.

I love these Vario pliers by Prym. They take all of the mystery and hard work out of adding the hardware.

The male half goes on the bag front and that will happen later in the pattern.
So we have one final task and that is to topstitch the flap onto the back panel of the bag.

As you can see, the bag is not made up yet. The flap goes on now to make it easier later on.

I usually use a double row of topstitching for this. It is stronger and it looks nicely finished.

Okay! there you have it! It is actually easy to make a flap like this and once you try it, you will use the technique again and again.

It is worth making the flap as perfectly as you can. It is a major design element.

There is a second tute relevant to the Pasadena bag and that is on way next time.  You can find it here. I want to show you step by step how to construct the zipper box pocket at the back. It is actually super easy when you know how.

Thank you so much for dropping by and if you are in love with the Pasadena bag as much as I am, you can buy it here at my Etsy shop. And by the way, there is a 20% off sale on in my shop until the end of April.

Hugs
Debbie
xx


Disclaimer: I have mentioned several products by name in this post. I do not receive any money for doing this. I simply believe that these products are the best and i use them again and again.