A Back-to-School Messenger Bag

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This colorful messenger bag is large enough to hold your doll's notebook and folders, ... side of bag, turning back raw edge of strap 1/4” before sewing in place.
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Jr. Collector

A Project for our Junior Collectors

A Back-to-School Messenger Bag

Clip the corners of the flap before turning right side out. 2

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Center the flap onto the main bag fabric and stitch in place.

Press down pocket edges on all sides before sewing.

Design by Nicki Burley

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t’s fall! One of the most popular doll play themes is school, and school days are always more fun when they begin with a little style. This colorful messenger bag is large enough to hold your doll’s notebook and folders, and even has a pocket for her pencils and snack money. Design it however you like: sporty, classic, vintage, or trendy. Choose at least three different fabrics for each bag to make it interesting; matching buckled ribbon closures will hold everything snug. Lacey Burley, a teen collector who also loves digital design, has included a tutorial so you can design the bag’s flap on your computer. If you like other crafts, the flap could also be embroidered, appliqued, or quilted. Because this bag is just made from rectangles, it’s easy to resize for your other dolls, or adapt to other types of bags like a clutch purse or roomy tote. It makes a quick project for the intermediate seamstress or an adult helper. Materials: Three coordinating fabrics: main body of bag, lining, and flap/ pocket/strap; thread to match; coordinating 1/4” ribbon; two 5/8” buckle sliders (found in scrapbook or wedding supplies); cardstock; materials to decorate bag flap if desired. Steps: 1) From cardstock, cut 3 rectangle templates as bag patterns. Main bag: cut 8-1/2” x 6”. Flap: cut 5” x 4-1/2”, and round the corners on one 5” side. Pocket: cut 4’ x 3-1/2”. Iron your fabric so that it is very smooth. Draw around the templates and carefully cut the following pieces: 1 each of main bag and lining. 1 each of bag flap and lining. 1 pocket of flap fabric. Cut two straps, 1” x 15”, from any of the three fabrics OR from 1/2” coordinating ribbon. If fabric tends to fray, zigzag along short edges of main bag piece. Use 1/4” seams throughout. 2) Right sides together, sew flap to lining around two short edges and on long edge with rounded corners. Trim down the seam, turn, and press. Topstitch 1/8” from sewn edges. Center flap on one short edge of main bag piece and sew in place, right sides together. 142

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3) Turn edges of pocket under 1/4”, then turn top edge under 1/4” again. Sew along top edge only. Center pocket, face up, on lining. Pin in place and sew very close to three lower edges. Back stitch at upper corners. 4) Pull flap up and away from main bag. Fold main bag piece in half, right sides together, and sew along short edges. Trim away corners and press open the seams. Fold the bag corners down on themselves and sew across, 3/8” from the point, making a square “box” shape. Trim away the corner. Repeat for the lining. Press under the seam allowance along the edges of both bag and lining. Turn main bag right side out. 5) Right sides together, sew strap pieces together down long edges and across one short edge. Trim seam, turn right side out, and press. Center strap on seam of main bag piece, about 1/2” down from top turned down edge. Repeat for other side of bag, turning back raw edge of strap 1/4” before sewing in place. Be careful not to twist the strap before sewing it in place! 6) Turn main bag inside out again, and fit bag lining over it. Pin into place, keeping straps out of the way. Slipstitch bag and lining together, using thread to match lining. Turn bag right side out, and press into a squared box shape. 7) Mark two places on the flap where you will put the ribbon and buckle closures. Sew a 4” length of 1/4” ribbon to each spot, so that ribbon hangs down toward bottom of the bag. Directly below the ribbon, sew a buckle on a short loop of ribbon. To close the bag, thread the ribbon through the buckle, like a belt. The bag could also be closed with Velcro fasteners, or snaps. Now what goes inside? Start with these items, then see what else you can find online. Once you get started, you may want to make an entire school!

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Center pocket onto right side of lining and stitch around 3 sides.

Fold lining together and stitch along short sides.

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Press down the corner and stitch across it to make a squared corner.

Slide the lining into the bag, wrong sides together.

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Stitch the strap in place over the bag seam.

Thread small ribbon loops through buckles, and stitch onto main bag about 1” from each outside edge.

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Print out some folders: http://dolldiaries.com/doll-play-day-82make-doll-folders-and-school-supplies/ Make a journal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3f8BFpkqRk&noredirect=1 Craft a binder: http://www.myfroggystuff.blogspot.com/2013/08/ back-to-school-doll-binder.html Or try these with an adult helper: http://the-room-mom. com/2013/06/26/american-girl-goes-to-school/ Make a homework helper board: http://karenmomofthreescraft. blogspot.com/p/karens-doll-crafts.html

Cut 2-1/2” lengths of ribbon for straps and sew to flap directly above buckle. Seal edges of ribbon with clear nail polish to prevent fraying.

All photos by Nicki Burley DOLL NEWS • UFDC.ORG

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A bag for everyone! Here is a pink and gold Indian-style paisley bag, a Northwest Pendleton bag made with black corduroy and gold striped cotton, and an Oriental teal print, with flowers outlined in gold. Two bags in French style. The silk and linen Eiffel Tower bag was designed on the computer and printed onto specially prepared fabric. Both bags are made with drapery samples from design stores.

After choosing the Scotty bag, Nellie sits down to pack up her school supplies. Let’s see…purse, art supplies, book of manners… With her bag all packed and buckled, Nellie is excited to see her friends at school. what?!? Did Mom pack that? 144

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How to Create a Digital Design by Lacey Burley

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his tutorial will teach you how to use a free online computer graphics program, called Pixlr Advanced, to design your own flap for your doll’s messenger bag. Once the design is printed onto special fabric sheets from the craft store, it can be used like any other fabric. The images aren’t washable and can’t be pressed with a steam iron, but you can protect the ink by using a matte finishing spray before you cut out the flap. Once you learn to make these designs, you can use them for t-shirts, pillows, purses, and other projects for your doll. Or resize them and make yourself something to match! Materials: White printable fabric sheets Matte finish spray computer with internet access Color printer Steps: 1. Think of a general theme you would like for your bag, and then brainstorm ideas for images you could use on the bag’s flap. 2. Open up your internet browser and go to www.pixlr.com; a menu will appear. Choose the option that says “Pixlr Advanced.” 3. In this program, choose the top bar, which reads, “Create a new image.” For width, enter 400, and for height, enter 300. Click “ok.” 4. You will be presented with a blank canvas. Open a new tab in your browser, and go to Google Images. Search through and choose an image that you would like to use for your bag. Click on the image you like, then right click on it. Choose the option that says “copy image URL.” 5. Return to the Pixlr Advanced tab in your browser. Near the top of your screen, there is a dark grey toolbar. Find and click on the tab that says “Layer.” Then choose the option that says “open image URL as layer.” Once the dialogue box appears, backspace and remove the http:// Right click in the dialogue box, click “paste,” then “ok.” Your image should appear on the blank canvas. If an error

message pops up, you may need to choose another image, as that one could be subject to copyright. Copyrighted images also may have a watermark when you look at them online. 6. Once the image has appeared on your canvas, it may need resizing; it could be too big or too small for the canvas. Go back to the dark grey toolbar. Using the tab labeled “Edit,” choose the option “Free transform.” Use the blue boxes that appear to refit your image on the canvas. Once it’s positioned correctly, click anywhere outside the canvas, and then click the “Yes” button. 7. When the last step is complete, find the tab labeled “File,” then click “Save” in the dropdown list. In the dialogue box that appears, make sure your image is a JPEG and has full, 100 quality resolution. To change resolution, use the slider found beneath the image file. Give the file a name and save it to your computer’s image folder. 8. Close the internet tabs and open up a new Microsoft Word document. Insert your image file Right click on it and choose “Format Picture” from the options. Click the tab that says “size,” then set the width of your image to 6.5” and the height to 5.2”. 9. Set your printer to color printing, and choose the best quality printing option. Place a printable fabric sheet in the paper tray, then print the Word document containing your correctly sized image. Your image will print onto the fabric sheet. Be sure to follow the directions for setting the image; some brands require heat and others use a finishing spray. Place your bag flap template onto the image; there will be extra room so you can choose the best placement. Draw around the template and cut out the image; use as regular fabric. 10. OPTIONAL: You can also make your own printable fabric sheets using freezer paper instead of buying them! We printed an Eiffel Tower design onto unbleached muslin for a French vintage bag design, using these instructions: http://www.canadianliving.com/crafts/other_crafts/making_ printable_fabric_sheets.php. Be sure to seal the image so that the ink doesn’t run later. DOLL NEWS • UFDC.ORG

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