Features of work
"Patchwork" is sewing from patches of different colors, sizes and textures. Patchwork style bags are a trendy trend, especially if patchwork details are added to the decor of outerwear (for example, sew patches on jeans at the hip and bottom, on the back and shelves of a denim jacket, etc.).There are many patchwork styles and designs, from elaborate geometric tessellations to the 'crazy' style which means 'crazy'. The last style is completely free, you are free to combine any fabrics in any order.
The charm of working in the "crazy" style is that you get complete freedom of creativity, while geometric patterns must be done with absolute precision.
In any patchwork work, for any style and design, there are a few important rules.
1. Usually one or two sides of the bag are sewn in the patchwork style, for cylindrical bags and backpacks - a single rectangular canvas from which the side wall is built. After finishing the patchwork, this part of the bag is considered prepared, and then you sew the bag according to the usual rules for flat, voluminous, cylindrical and other models.
2. It is desirable that you have a drawing or photograph of the result that you wish to receive. This is not necessary for the crazy style, but first you need to sort your shreds by color and color combinations. In simple designs, such as various stripes, you can do without a pattern, but a full-size pattern is also desirable. With it, you will check how the dimensions of the future bag are sustained.
3. It is advisable to cut out patches, focusing on the length or width of a piece of fabric. The fact is that with a diagonal orientation of the fabric, it becomes extensible. Because of this, when stitching, the fabric will deform, and complex geometric patterns will not match in individual details. With regard to simple designs and the "crazy" style, this rule is not always necessary.
Slight deformation of the fabric can be eliminated by trimming the edges and corrected during the stitching process. However, if the patchwork design needs to have a clear vertical orientation, cropping will break it. So for a stripe design, it's best to keep the direction of the cut.
4. Quilting in a patchwork is not necessary, but it gives the product volume, strength and fixes all the patches in place. Thus, it performs decorative and applied tasks. To perform quilting, you need to put the finished patchwork part of the bag on a sheet of synthetic winterizer (if you want to achieve a larger volume, take 2-3 sheets of synthetic winterizer).
Then a fabric piece is added from below, this "layer cake" is fixed with pins around the perimeter, center and preferably in the center of each patchwork piece. For stitching, choose monofilament (transparent or black) or thread in the color of the main parts of the bag. Quilt on a typewriter or manually all layers of fabric, trying not to move it.
5. In all patchwork styles, for any design you need to follow the correct work order. The fact is that in the "patchwork" the details are sewn only with a straight line (with the exception of special cases of using a V-shaped seam). This means that all parts are numbered in sewing order so that the straight stitch rule is followed.
By sewing pieces in the wrong order, you can end up with a zigzag edge on your patchwork piece, making it difficult to attach other pieces and match sizes. For geometrically correct work, this is important. Sewing parts in order will allow you to work with pleasure and avoid many unnecessary problems with the connection of parts and the planned look of the product.
Design Options
Vertical stripes design for the front side of the bags can be implemented in three ways. The first is a combination of two strips of different fabrics connected vertically. There are no tricks here, measure the dimensions of the parts according to your sketch, cut and stitch.
The second option is to connect three strips of fabric. Cut out all three parts according to your sketches, then sew parts 1 and 2 and the resulting prefabricated part with part 3.
This design can easily be changed to "Horizontal Stripes". The stitching technique is the same, the changes concern only the length and width of the strips (how they will fit along the length of the front of the bag). Try to cut fabrics in length or width in accordance with rule 3.
Diagonal Triangle Design will allow you to beautifully beat the richness of the textures of the selected shreds. The combination of denim, velveteen, silk and brocade looks especially good.
The first option is two diagonal triangles cut according to the sketch (1 cm seam allowances). Sew these pieces together without stretching the fabric. Particularly stretchable fabrics must first be glued with interlining.
In the second version of the three triangles, first sew parts 1 and 2, then sew part 3 to them with a diagonal line.
The third option is very similar to the second. First, parts 1 and 2 are sewn together, then 3 and 4, after which the resulting prefabricated parts are connected by stitching diagonally. In this case, you need to take into account the direction of the pile of fur and the relief of velveteen.
Diagonal Stripes Design looks interesting on denim fabrics of different colors. The stripes can be the same or different in width. If your life-size sketch shows thin stripes (less than 3 cm each), try to combine fabrics with small and large patterns, separating them with plain fabrics. Corduroy fabrics lose out in this design, as their relief is lost.
It is important to note that you need to cut the stripes not diagonally across the fabric (as it seems when looking at the sketch), but along or across. Start sewing the strips not from the edge, but from the longest strip in one direction. Then from the same lane to another. If the strips are long, first sew them, then iron the resulting part, attach to the pattern and cut to the desired shape. The second and third options are sewn in the same way.
First sew the "striped" sides of the bag, then connect them to a single central part. Check the direction of the stripes on the front of the part according to the pattern. See that the stripes are directed in the same way, according to your plan. It is technically difficult to use fur as stripes. It can be used in the central part, and thin strips of fur can be sewn on by hand after finishing the stitch work.
Random stripes design Great for fabrics with different textures. It resembles a stained glass window. On a full-size pattern, the pattern you have conceived is applied. It is important to carefully consider the selection of fabrics from the very beginning. The more complex your idea, the more accurate the calculation you need to make.
For example, thin stripes separating your "stained glass" should be made of smooth and non-textured fabrics, plain or with a very large pattern (satin, denim without relief). Otherwise, the strip will lose its appearance as a divider, and a small pattern will confuse the impression of the larger parts of the bag. In such a bag, you can use fur for one or two small parts.
When using brocade, try to cut out details from different angles. Then the reflection of metallized threads will play beautifully, shading neighboring details and giving the bag an original relief. Such a bag can also be sewn from brightly colored lightweight summer fabrics. Despite the fact that cotton fabrics are traditionally preferred in patchwork, viscose is perfect for simple compositions.
A variety of patterns of this fabric will help you to collect bright shreds into a single whole. As separators (they are blue in the picture), you can use any type of denim, preferably lightweight. Experience shows that this fabric in blue and light blue shades, combined with bright colors of viscose, looks better than dark denim combined with dark shades of fabrics.
"Random stripes" are great for bags of any size and shape. However, on flat and bulky rectangular bags, this particular design looks better than on cylindrical bags and backpacks.
Making a square frame around a piece with a pattern, beading or satin stitch, embossed fabric is one of the best ways to highlight the beauty of your work. The frame will make the bag more practical, as well as decorate its front part. Gold and silver, twisted and smooth cords, short or medium length fringe - all this looks great at the junction of the central part and the frame.
Thus, the frame is one of the important elements in the design of a piece made in the patchwork style, thanks to which the whole product will look stylish and neat. The rectangular frame consists of four parts - two short and two longer. Stripes are cut out of a fabric suitable in color and texture and sewn in the form of a frame framing the central part. Since this part has not yet been quilted with padding polyester, if necessary, you can smooth it out with an iron.
Patchwork block, depicted in the schematic drawing is very popular. It is called "house", "well", "brickwork" and many other names. This block is perfect as a center piece for a patchwork bag. It can look different, depending on the types and quantity of fabrics. This is one of the reasons for his popularity in patchwork work. Such a block is easily sewn from rectangular strips. First of all, you need to make a life-size sketch, from which you can calculate the size of each patch (remember to add 1 cm on each side for seam allowances).
The block is sewn in accordance with the scheme from the central part 1. First, sew part 2 to it, then to the resulting block - parts 3 and 4, and so on according to the attached scheme. It is not necessary that all stripes be the same width. A full-size, detailed sketch pattern will help you create a block of the size you need to create a bag.
Next: Patchwork bags. Rules for joining different fabrics
