8/13/2019 How to Make a Japanese Knot Bag

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How to Make a Japanese Knot Bag

I love bags of all kinds and I am always making (as well as using) them! So, when I first

spotted a tiny knot bag for sale in an expensive boutique, I knew I had to create my own

pattern and figure out the directions and share them!

I was told that they are called apanese "not #ags$ #ut by using fabrics of any style,

you can most certainly change the look and the purpose of the bag and truly make

something unique and individualistically creative!

Supplies needed:

It is such fun selecting an assortment of co%ordinating fabrics, and a wonderful

opportunity to use small pieces leftover from fat quarters for trim or the lining sections$

I choose a whimsical print with a simple stripe as the lining and trim choices$ &ne fat

quarter of each is more than enough to make a small bag$ 'ou will also need scissors or

rotary cutter and mat, pins and a pencil compass or piece of string tied to a pencil ) to

substitute for creating a round bottom section and a yo%yo circle for trim, if desired$

Creating Template Patterns:

or my tiny bag, I used an *+-. x ++. piece of paper to create my original pattern$ /he

bottom section was a 0. diameter circle$ /his makes a tiny bag suitable for a small child

or a tiny gift item like a necklace, earrings or trick or treat or valentines gift$ /o make a

larger one, 1ust proportionately increase the measurements and make it pleasing to both

the eye and intended purpose!

1. Sewing bag body setions toget!er" repeat #or t!e lining setions:

2ike with any pattern, the body and lining patterns are simply mirror reversed sections$

#ecause of the knot or pulling one handle through the other style of closure, one handle

must be longer than the other$ /he longer handle section will pull through the shorter

one when closing$ /he circular bottom, or base of the bag must proportionately be able

to fit the easing (as you seam it at the bottom) but since you can ease with a gatheringtechnique, variations are easily substituted$$$from very gathered, to not at all$

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8/13/2019 How to Make a Japanese Knot Bag

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curves$/his is not only for decorative effect, though it creates a very nice one$$$it is to

hold the sections properly in place, as well$ (I added a colorful button to each

overlapped handle section, which also matched the decorative button effect on the

bottom of the bag, which is described below$)

). *dding deorati+e elements:

I decided to add a decorative element by creating a simple stuffed yoyo for the bottom$

6ot only cute, it also acts as a bag rest while the bag is set down on a surface$ 3 yoyo is

a small circlet of fabric, (see above si7ing for proportions) gathered around a simple

paper or cardboard template (smaller than itself, in si7e)

'ou sew it off with a knot after pulling the thread to gather, then remove the paper

template$ I added a button to the cuteness factor ) which co%ordinated with the

decorative handle buttons$

Ta,a- * #inis!ed bag-

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