Pattern Hacks
Crossbody Strap for the Everyday Chic Laptop Bag
So, you’ve fallen in love with the new Everyday Chic Laptop Bag, but want to add a crossbody strap also? Lucky for you, we’ve already created the perfect pattern hack for you! Today I am going to show you how to add an adjustable, removable strap to your bag. This means you can easily carry all your work gear and still carry items in your hands, too! So let’s get to it!
Not familiar with the Everyday Chic Laptop Bag pattern? Not to worry! You can find it here.
To make two strap connectors, you will need:
- 2 pieces of fabric, 4″ x 5″ (10cm x 12.7cm)
- 2 pieces of lightweight interfacing, 2″ x 5″ (5cm x 12.7cm)
- 2 pieces of heavyweight interfacing, 2″ x 5″ (5cm x 12.7cm)
- 2 d-rings, 2″ (5cm) size
To make the strap, you will need:
- 1 strip of fabric, 8″ x 60″ (20.3cm x 152.4cm) (or longer if you wish!)
- 1 strip of lightweight interfacing, 4″ x 60″ (10cm x 154.4cm)
- 2 swivel hooks, 2″ (5cm) size
- 1 strap slider, 2″ (5cm) size
Referring to the Everyday Chic Laptop Bag pattern instructions, work up to the end of Creating Your Outer Panels (Steps 5-8) and STOP. Before completing Step 9 and assembling the outer body of your bag, create and attach your connectors as follows:
Take a strap connector piece of fabric and fuse a corresponding piece of lightweight interfacing down the middle of the fabric. Place your heavyweight interfacing on top of the lightweight and fuse. Fold each long side into the middle, wrong sides together and press. Top stitch using a 1/8” (0.3cm) seam allowance down both long sides of the connector.
Make a mark across the centre on the wrong side of the connector. Fold each short end in, wrong sides together, meeting them in the middle at the mark you drew. Press well. Slot a d-ring into one of the folds (the top fold if your fabric is directional) and glue/tape the folds in place. Stitch to secure across the width of the connector, as close as you can to the d-ring. Repeat for the second strap connector.
Following Step 9, Assembling Your Outer Bag, place the two outer panels right sides together, matching raw edges. Stitch ONLY ONE side seam using a 1/2” (1.3cm) seam allowance. Stitch the seam twice to secure. Trim seam allowance to 1/4” (0.6cm). Press seam to one side.
Place a strap connector right side up along the seam you just created and pressed, also right side up. Centre it horizontally and ensure the bottom edge sits flush with the top of your piping. Secure in place with tape/glue. Stitch to attach around all four sides using a 1/8” (0.3cm) seam allowance, ensuring you stitch as close to the d-ring as you can.
Place the outer panels right sides together again, matching the other side seam raw edges. Stitch this side seam using a 1/2” (1.3cm) seam allowance. Stitch the seam twice to secure. Trim seam allowance to 1/4” (0.6cm). Press seam to one side.
Place the remaining strap connector right side up along the seam you just created and pressed, also right side up. Centre it horizontally and ensure the bottom edge sits flush with the top of your piping. Secure in place with tape/glue.
This side will be a little tricky to sew, but I promise you I have some tips to help you move through smoothly!
First step is to fold the bag in half so your connector is sitting in the centre, right side up, facing you. Fold down the opposite side so it is out of the way.
Fold up the bottom edges one at a time and clip them in place.
When we start sewing, don’t be afraid to squash the outer panels out of the way. We can iron it all later.
Starting on the right side of your connector, stitch to attach using a 1/8” (0.3cm) seam allowance, following your original topstitching. Go down the right side, turning at the corner to go across the bottom.
Now turn the whole bag so everything is tucked under the arm and to the right side. Stitch across the bottom edge of your strap connector using a 1/8” (0.3cm) seam allowance.
Turn your bag so everything is now behind your sewing machine. Stitch to attach using a 1/8” (0.3cm) seam allowance following your original topstitching.
Turn your bag so it is once again tucked under the arm of your machine. Using the backwards stitch, go across your top seam, ensuring you stitch as close to the d-ing as you can. Come forward then back again, reinforcing this seam.
Then turn once more so you are going down the right side again and finish stitching where you started. You may need a hump jumper for this step!
Finish the base and boxed corners following Steps 9 & 10 in the pattern. At this point, you can complete the rest of your Everyday Chic Laptop Bag.
Make sure that when you are attaching the top edge piping or sewing the top seam, that you are folding your side d-rings down and out of the way!
For your strap, we will be following the Create a Handle or Strap tutorial. Fold long sides into the middle, and fuse the interfacing down the middle. At the short edge, fold up the raw edge 1/4” (0.6cm) and press to hide it inside. Re-fold your strap and top stitch around the edges with a 1/8″ (0.3cm) seam allowance.
Fold each end under 1” (2.5cm) to the ‘wrong side’ of the strap and press well. Feed one end up through one side of the slider, over the centre bar, and back down the other side, slotting the centre bar into the fold. Pin in place and stitch 2-3 times to secure along the 1/8” (0.3cm) row of topstitching you made earlier.
Keeping the strap wrong side up, feed one swivel hook onto the strap so the ‘hook’ part of the swivel hook is under the strap. Feed the remaining end of the strap up through the slider, over the centre bar and back down, so the end attached to the slider is sandwiched between the strap.
Slot the remaining swivel hook into the fold at the remaining end of the strap and stitch 2-3 times to secure along the 1/8” (0.3cm) row of topstitching you made earlier, and add a second row of stitching 1/4” (0.6cm) away from that line.
Your strap is now done, and you can attach it to your bag!
I’ve easily become obsessed with this pattern. I just love how feminine and classy the curves on this bag are!
Are you ready to add an adjustable strap to your Everyday Chic Laptop Bag? We can’t wait to see this new pattern popping up in the Andrie Designs Patterns Facebook Group!
-Aimee
P.S. For those curious, the main fabric from this bag is Delicate Dance by Anjana Simpson Ink for Phoebe Fabrics, purchased at Funk Monkey Fabrics.
