Sew Pineapple Purse

To start out, cut 30 diamonds from this pattern from about 12 different prints and lay them out like this:

Sew them together in rows, overlapping the corners by 1/4″…

…so you end up with 6 diagonal strips.  Press seams to one side.

At this point, while I was constructing my bag, I did something just for you.  I ripped out 24 seams.  I guarantee you, if no one was watching, that bag would have just gotten smaller and no seam rippage would have occurred.  The whole thing might have just turned to ashes.  It’s not the fact that I still make mistakes that I find troubling, it’s how long it takes me to notice.

What you don’t want to do is line the corners up on the pieces when you sew them or you’ll end up with this hot mess:

Anyway…

Sew each of your rows together, matching corners better than I did.  Press the seams to one side.

Cut top and side corners off 1/4″ from the closest seam.

Using the piece you just made as a pattern, cut out a piece for the back and two pieces for the lining.  Cut out four of the green top pieces using this pattern.

Sew two of the green tops, right sides together, leaving the bottom side open.  Repeat with the other two pieces.  Clip and trim corners.  Turn and press.

If you’d like an inside pocket, cut a piece of the lining fabric 6″ by 12″.  Fold, right sides together, so you have a 6″ square.  Stitch around, leaving an opening to turn.  Turn and press, turning in opening.  Center on the right side of one of the lining pieces.  Stitch around two sides and bottom.

Stitch the two outside pieces, right sides together, leaving the top open.  Repeat with the lining, but also leave an opening in the seam near the bottom.

Turn lining.  Stuff into the bag.  Line up the top edges.

Cut a strip of the green fabric 40″ by 3″ for the strap.  Fold right sides together.  Stitch the long edge.  Turn and press with the seam centered.

Sandwich the green tops and handle between the lining and the bag in the appropriate places.  Stitch around the edge.

Turn the purse right side out through the opening in the lining.  Press.  Hand stitch the opening closed.

Pull the sides of the green top up next to the strap.  Sew a button through all the layers to hold it in place.