Little Church Purse

Designed by www.seamsndreams.com. Other free patterns at www.speakingoffabric.blogspot.com.

6 layer cake (10") squares--my sample was made from "Terrain."
(2) 10" squares of cotton batting
3/4-yard of 1-1 1/2" ribbon
(2) 3/4"-wide pieces of hook and loop tape {cut 1" in length}


buttons, yoyos, other embellishments or trims

All seams are ¼”. Press between each step. RSO=right side out. Use strong thread. (Test it by seeing if it breaks easily.)

For the center of the front and back of the purse, cut (2) 7 ¼” squares. For a fun touch {if possible}, fussy-cut the squares with a motif in the center, such as a flower.

For the triangles that frame the center square cut (4) 5 5/8” squares in half diagonally, yielding 8 triangles total. Sew 2 matching triangles to opposite sides of a center square.  Sew 2 matching triangles to the remaining sides. Or, if you prefer, use 4 different triangles around the center.

Cut (2) 10” squares of cotton batting. The 2 remaining layer cake squares will serve as the purse lining. Lay the batting on your sewing table. Place a lining square on top of it right side up. On top of that, place a pieced block right side down. Pin the stack so the edges are even. If the pieced block is slightly smaller than the batting and lining squares, trim them to match.

Beginning near the center of the lower edge, sew around the block through all layers. Leave a 5” opening for turning it right side out. Backstitch as you begin and end so that the stitching will hold when you’re turning the block.

Trim the corners almost to the seam line and turn the piece RSO. Press it, folding the opening to the inside ¼”. You don’t need to sew the opening closed yet. You’ve created one side of the purse. Now, repeat the above steps to create the other side. 

Sew a little square of hook and loop tape at the top center of the lining side of each.

Once the 2 pieces are complete, match the edges and pin them together RSO, with the gaps that you pressed under on the bottom edge. Topstitch a SCANT ¼” from the sides and lower edge of the purse through all layers. Backstitch as you begin and end. The lower edge gap should be caught (and closed) in this stitching.

Cut a piece of ribbon to measure 24” in length. Fold under ¼” at each end and topstitch. Place one end of the ribbon at a top corner of the purse, 1” down from the top, RSO, with the ribbon folded around the purse seam allowances. Sew through all layers from the lower edge of the ribbon to the top of the purse, and then sew it again or backstitch to make it secure. Repeat for the other corner of the purse with the other end of the ribbon, and your Little Church Purse is finished. (But who could resist adding an embellishment here or there?!)

Kara Schorstein
{SeamsNDreams}