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Lucy with Purse Pocket

Inspired by Lezette Thomason's original purse pocket dress, Melissa took her own take on this fun look. She tweaked the purse design itself and made it crossbody so the pocket could be more on the front. The flap is decorative. She is going to love to put all her treasures in her "purse" pocket.



Shop the Look

Pattern: Lucy

*Available at childrenscornerstore.com while supplies last.

Supplies

Fabric for straps—2 strips, 1” x 24” cut on bias (or can use ric-rac)

Fabrics for purse—2 rectangles 6.5” x 5.5”

1 extra button

Petite piping - 10” (optional)

Fabric glue stick

2 Lightweight fusible interfacing 1” squares

All supplies for Lucy


Instructions

1. Cut out Lucy pattern pieces and mark buttons and buttonholes.


2. Stitch side seam of right hand side of dress and press seam open. Seam allowances are all 1/4”.


3. Press 1/4” under on both long edges of each bias strip with wrong sides together. Press into a slight curve.


4. Measure and mark 2 1/4” down from top on one long edge of purse rectangle. Place corresponding mark on the other long edge. Repeat for purse lining.


5. Starting at the marks use a circular object to draw and then cut a curve at the 2 top corners of both rectangles.

6. Optional piping: If not using piping, skip to step 9. Trim piping seam allowance to 1/4”. Remove piping stitching from 3/4” of one end and open piping up flat to expose the cording. Trim cording so that it is 1/4” shorter than the piping fabric. Fold this extra fabric back over the cording and then fold fabric back in half so that end of cording is encased. Pin and stitch this fold in place along previous stitching line.


7. Pin the finished end of the piping at the left side mark on the pocket fabric. Place piping around the pocket curve in the position it will be later sewn. Make a mark on the piping at the point that it meets the right side mark of on the pocket. Trim piping 1/4” longer than this mark and repeat step 6 using the mark on the piping as the fold line to encase the cording.


8. Pin or glue piping onto outer purse fabric piece along the curve with raw edges together. Piping should fit between the marks. Stitch in place.


9. Place outer purse fabric right sides together with purse lining and stitch all the way around leaving a 1-2” open space on lower short edge.


10. Clip corners and seam allowance at curve. Turn purse to right side out and press well. Press purse flap down at the marks.

11. Use your discretion to pin purse in place on front of dress. If desired, mark center point of right hand side seam and note center line on front of dress. Center purse pocket halfway between the side seam center mark and the dress center line. Pin purse in place.

12. Mark top 2 corners of purse on the dress fabric and fuse squares of interfacing behind the marks on the wrong side of fabric.

13. Use glue pen to attach one long strap from the purse upper corner up to the opposite shoulder. Strip will pass between buttonhole marks at the top and end within the purse space. Topstitch in place close to the folded edges using an edge stitch foot.

14. Repeat step 13 for the back strap extending it across the back to the opposite shoulder passing between button marks.

15. Unfold purse flap and top stitch around both sides and lower edge of purse using an edge stitch foot. Reinforce stitching at beginning and end by backstitching several times.

16. Fold purse flap down and stitch a button to the flap going through the top purse layer.

17. Continue construction of Lucy according to pattern.

Adaptation by Melissa Sansom


happy sewing in script font with needle icon

Click the printer icon below for printable version.

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