Purse Organizer – Tutorial

The size of my purse organizer is approx. 28cm x 19cm x 8cm. As I said in my last post, the pattern is based on A4 sheets:

A = front and back panel: A4 sheet, cut 4x
B = side panel: 21cm(=short side of A4 sheet) x 10cm, cut 4x
D = bottom panel: 29,5cm(=long side of A4 sheet) x 10cm, cut 2x

C = low pockets: 29,5cm(=long side of A4 sheet) x 12cm, cut 2x on fold
E = high pockets: 29,5cm(=long side of A4 sheet) x 15cm, cut 2x on fold

You can choose the height of the pockets as you want, I decided to go with two different heights (12 and 15cm). You can also only choose one height (then skip E, and cut C 4x). Depending on the strength of your fabric, you might want to add some kind of interfacing.

I decided to have pockets on the inside and outside of the purse organizer, so I started with the parts A, C and E. On each right side of A I laid either a C or E piece (which were cut on the fold). To get the pockets, I divided by half when using E, and divided in three when using C. Then I sewed the pieces together using a zig-zag stitch.

(If you want, you can add pockets to your side panels (B) as well. Cut a 10cm wide piece on the fold in the height you’d like to have.) Then I took 2 two pieces of B, one piece of D, one A/E piece and one A/C piece and sewed it together to have a big piece like in the following illustration:

In my next step I sewed the side seams together, followed by the bottom seams. Now I had my first boxy piece for the inside of my organizer. After repeating with the remaining two pieces of B, the bottom piece D and the other A/E and A/C piece, I had the second boxy piece for the outside of my organizer.

Now you have different possibilities to get the inside and outside parts together. I chose to face both parts right sides together (wrong sides showing to the outside) and sewing both pieces together leaving an opening big enough to turn the right sides outside afterwards. Then I closed the opening with a zig-zag-stitch which I continued all around the purse organizer. If you want to add a flap or a key chain, don’t forget to attach them BEFORE sewing both parts together.

Another possibility is to face both parts wrong sides together with the right side already showing to the outside and add bias binding to the top of the bag (e.g. nicely explained with this tote bag). Or you fold (iron) the top of each part 1 cm down, put both parts wrong sides together again, pin in place and topstitch together (I hope you get what I mean…).

I’m sorry I’m not able to show you work-in-progress pictures and I hope that my illustrations will be helpful. If there is any question, go ahead and ask. Maybe a look at the finished organizer might help as well: