Help me!! Piecing the purse

[Lavelle26]

Yah!! I finally got all the ends woven in to my motif handbag. Now I am trying to piece this thing together and I am not understanding the instructions at all.

 

It says this:

Sew 3 strips of 4 squares together ( did that)

Sew 4 strips of 4 squares together ( did that)

and on to one end of these 4 strips join the 2 strips of 2 squares leavning an opening in center.

 

This is where I get confused. Where exactly am I supposed to be putting these strips of two? I look at the picture of the finished handbag and it still makes no sense to me. I don't understand where this opening is supposed to be either.

 

Please help!!! Thanks!!

[Cordelia]

Maybe Im wrong but I think this open space will host your button...so you sew on two squares then the other two thus leaving a gap for the button to poke through....Maybe someone with better comprehension will help...but thats my take on it:think

[Cordelia]

Just wanted to add....so if you're looking at the pic of the purse and you see the squares on either side of the button....I bleieve that these are the sqaures that are in the instrustions you posted.....Then one you add you edging the gap with be a button hole...

[goldi316]

and on to one end of these 4 strips join the 2 strips of 2 squares leavning an opening in center.

 

This is where I get confused. Where exactly am I supposed to be putting these strips of two? I look at the picture of the finished handbag and it still makes no sense to me. I don't understand where this opening is supposed to be either.

 

Please help!!! Thanks!!

 

Okay, it took me awhile to visualize this, but it looks like the 2 strips of 2 squares form the part of the handbag where the button will come through, on the flap, aka the "buttonhole". So you would attach them to the edge of your strip of 4 but do not sew the edge between the 2 sets of two, just connect them on the bottom edge when you work your edging stitch across that area. Does that make sense?

 

It would have been nice if some diagrams had been provided, but seeing as it's an old pattern, I guess they didn't do that much.

 

HTH.

[goldi316]

Maybe Im wrong but I think this open space will host your button...so you sew on two squares then the other two thus leaving a gap for the button to poke through....Maybe someone with better comprehension will help...but thats my take on it:think

 

Great minds think alike!

[rachelann]

i definanatly see confused and cant quite visualize...but are the two strips supposed to be the sides...

[goldi316]

i definanatly see confused and cant quite visualize...but are the two strips supposed to be the sides...

 

No, because the strip of 10 squares is instructed to go on the sides and bottom and forms the purse handle. That's what I had thought at first too, until I read through the rest of the instructions.

[Katchkan]

You are creating the hole for the button, the two motifs are the ones that are to the sides of the button, Look closely at the picture, what looks like a strap is the edges of the motif turned slightly by the button. I agree not very clear instructions. I am looking forward to seeing this done.

[Lavelle26]

Thanks everyone for the help. I too am looking forward to this being done.

 

The only problem with the part being the buttonhole is that later on it has me join the long narrow peice I made to be the edge of the "flap". In the center of this they have me loop it. (the middle of the flap) and this, I assumed, was the loop for the button to go through. (the buttonhole)

 

If this is not the buttonhole, then what on earth is it?

[goldi316]

Thanks everyone for the help. I too am looking forward to this being done.

 

The only problem with the part being the buttonhole is that later on it has me join the long narrow peice I made to be the edge of the "flap". In the center of this they have me loop it. (the middle of the flap) and this, I assumed, was the loop for the button to go through. (the buttonhole)

 

If this is not the buttonhole, then what on earth is it?

 

They weren't real clear about that either, but the long strip is NOT part of the flap. It will be "looped" above it, ie you will sew the edges of the squares above the flap to crimp it (best way I can describe this). So your long strip will go literally all the way around the edges of the body of your purse, forming the bottom and sides, and the handle above the flap (where you will join the ends of the strip as described). It makes it especially hard to picture this part because the picture shown doesn't show the handle at all!

 

Editing to add: Okay, I just read the instructions about the "long narrow strip" - this piece is used as your edging, and you will create a loop at the center point, where the two strips of two are not joined. It is what will ultimately be used to secure the button through the flap, but those edges in the middle still need to remain open for the button to stick through.

 

Boy, this is a pretty complicated purse pattern!

 

Good luck!

[Lavelle26]

A-HA!!!! I got it!! It makes total sense now. Thanks Goldi!!

 

I can finish today or tomorrow. (still have to crochet that long strip and have no idea how long that will take me. I made the purse a bit bigger than the pattern called for.)

 

Thank you everyone for all your help!!