Bringing Closure >>> A Button Tab Closure

In all of my sewing endeavors, one of the things that I’ve come to enjoy most is sewing up a good bag.  One size usually fits all, so no need to try the item on over and over again for that perfect fit.  And bags are really easy to customize which is one of my favorite things to do when sewing.  I love the flexibility a bag gives you to play with fabrics, pockets, and other fun details.  Also, your typical bag only takes a few hours to sew which gives that quick satisfaction of a completed project.  

I’ve had my eye on a great bag pattern for awhile and the great thing is, it’s free!  The Bucket Basket Tote from Very Shannon has a unique curved opening and it’s one of those patterns that really is fun to play with to make it your own.

There is however one thing that I almost cannot live without in a bag….closure people, I must have closure.  If there be no closure, it would be too easy for people to peek inside and if perchance the bag be knocked over, the contents (months of receipts and old shopping lists in my case) would be exposed for all the world to see.  I just can’t bear the thought of it.

So, to this beautiful, fun, and open bag, I bring closure.  Closure can come in many forms, but another thing which I love to put on bags are buttons.  So to this bag I’ve added a button tab closure and a button of course, to keep things secure.

If you also would like to add a button tab closure, here is what you do:

STOP!!!!....at step 10 on the instructions for the Bucket Basket Tote.  Follow all of the steps below before moving on to Step 11.  Of course, there’s always the seam ripper if you didn’t stop in time.  Now you may proceed….

1) Choose a button about ¾ inches in diameter.  You can choose something bigger or smaller, but you may have to make adjustments to the size of the tab.  The 3/4 inch size seems to work perfectly with this bag.

Find your needle and thread and sew the button to the front of your outer bag piece so that it is centered between the straps and 1/8 inch above the middle panel.

2) Choose the fabric you’d like to use for your tab.  I used the same fabric as I did on the straps.  Cut the piece of fabric 5 inches long x 3 ½ inches wide.

Note:  I did not use interfacing for this tab because the fabric I used is very sturdy.  Use interfacing if you are using anything lighter than décor weight fabric.

Take the piece of fabric and iron ¼ inch folds on 3 sides leaving one short edge unturned.

Now fold the piece in half with the two long edges matched up evenly and iron so that it is nice and flat.

Edge stitch all 3 folded sides leaving the short unturned edge raw and unsewn.

3) Make a button hole in the tab centered and up ¼ inch from the short finished edge.

4) Baste the raw unfolded edge of the tab to the back outer bag piece centered between the two straps on the right side (of the fabric).  The button hole should be pointing down towards the bottom of the outside of the bag (not sticking up above the bag and not inside the bag).

Now continue with Step 11 on the Bucket Basket Tote instructions to finish your bag.   
 

The only trouble I had was placing the straps in exactly the right position.  I don't know why, but it took forever to get them centered...hello seam ripper.

 

But, the bag made up for it in all its cheeriness with its smiley opening that says, "Hey, I'm not just your typical, ordinary tote bag.  I'm destined to carry greatness and on top of that my button tab assures you I can be trusted to keep it all safe inside."