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Basic Boxed Bottom Bag – Part 1 — 21 Comments

  1. Need to use 2 pieces joined tog. (.Lrg bag) do I cut 2 half width of final calculation plus 1 extra seam allowance divided by 2? Or would I halve the-width formular throughout the spread sheet. Think it a brilliant idea to use a spreadsheet! I need a bag for my circular saw (box caput) so will just over stitch outside corners. Have made one for shopping but can’t find my calculations.

    Regards Joanne UK

  2. Can you explain a couple of your directions please.
    1. Calculate width: ((2 * w) + (2 * d) + 1)
    That’s one front and one back, two sides, plus 1″ for the 1/2″ seam.
    I am not understanding the “two Sides”, I am making a bag with a front and back and want to box the bottom, so I don’t understand the instructions for the “sides”

    2.The desired height is 12″ and the width is 12″ so I just fill in the variables.
    (2 * 12) + (2 * 12) + 1 = 41

    So is this 2 x 12 = 24 + 2 x 12 = 24 =48 + 1 = 49…I am probably doing the math wrong. Can someone explain please.
    Thanks so much.

  3. Can you please explain how the seams come into play as far as a cut out boxes at the bottom I can’t figure this out. for example if you’re cutting out a two by two box in the bottom which will lead to four in death how are the seams counted in this?

    • Hi Barbra, I’m not sure what you mean about the “cut out boxes at the bottom”.  I do not cut boxes out, I know that is how some people box the bottoms.  After I box the bottoms, then I trim the corners off which you can see in the pictures in the directions.  The seams are 1/2″ and are included in the calculations for the bag.  

  4. Is there a part 2? I love your explanations. I am now trying to make my own sizes so the math really helps, plus your explanations and fotos are invaluable. Thank you.

    • I often wonder what happened to part 2! What was I thinking? Did I write one?  So I went back to my post and figured out what I did.
      Part 2 would be the “hand stitchery” bag that I posted about a few weeks later.  By then, I must have forgotten about Part 1!  Then I posted the tutorial for the hand stitchery bag the following week.  I still use that bag every time I do any hand stitching.  It fits perfectly in a basket that fits perfectly on the bookcase in our family room.

      Thanks for reading and your kind words!

      • Thank you so much! I was actually trying to figure out how to box corners when using an accent piece at the bottom, so that when boxed, the bottom piece lines up on all sides. So, half the height of the bottom piece minus the seam allowances (ir your bottom was 9″ high, minus 2 seam allowances of /5″, then halved, is 4. If you were doing box cut outs, would the squares also be 4″? i wish I’d found your blog earlier! Love the humour, gorgeous fabrics, beautiful products and the clear instructions. I have bag envy now….

        • That sounds about right. I have never done the box cut outs so I’m not sure how that works. Let me know how your bags out! And thanks for reading and commenting!
          Kathy

  5. Hi, I am about to make a large bag following your method (and excel formula, thank you for that). I would like to double check something: the bag is one large piece of fabric and you sew a seam along the bottom and one of the sides? is there a reason you do it this way (if I have it correct) as opposed to having no seam on the bottom and 2 side seams? Where do you like to orientate your one vertical seam in relationship to the boxed bottom?

    • No reason to sew the bottom and one side rather than the two sides. Just that’s the way I do these bags. I have done it the other way for simple bags that I do not line. When you say vertical seam,I’m assuming you mean the bottom seam. It goes right down the center of the bottom of the bag. Matches up with the side seam and the folded seam when it is boxed.

      • thanks for the quick response!

        I will try and clarify the last bit:

        The one side seam.. Do you like it to actually got down 1 side of the bag once boxed? or centrally at the front or back?

        • It’s on the center of the side. I was stuck at my computer updating websites for some of our local nonprofits that I do pro Bono when I saw your question. I’m not always that fast at responding! But sewing questions are a lot more interesting than updating websites. Done for today.

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