Good evening fellow knitters (and crocheters and crafty folks), and welcome to this week’s edition of Ask the Blogisphere. The question for the blogisphere today is in the category of bag lining. I made this great little bag from the Happy Hooker crochet book and love it, when it’s empty. However, the minute I put something in it, it completely loses its shape. My only thought on a way to correct it is to insert a lining. Thing is, I haven’t lined a bag before. I’m using black fleece. I am considering tracing around the bag for a pattern of sorts and then making two pieces sewn together at the bottom and whipstitched in. Am I on the right path? If not, how would you do it? I will give a yarny prize to one lucky person who gives bag lining feedback in my comments. Thanks for playing!
onestitchshort 
You basically have the right idea. Just remember that the lining needs to be a tad smaller than your inside dimensions, which are not necessarily your outside dimensions. You could probably draft a pattern along the edge of the bag, laid flat and smoothed out, and then cut a little larger than the pattern and sew a 1/2″ seam. If the seam is not deep enough you can always sew inside the first seam line. Trim away excess and then whipstitch along the opening. You might sew a small pocket on the lining before doing all that. I know I miss pockets for small things that can never be found once they go in the bag. Ultimately, the lining can be smaller than the actual bag and no one would know. But larger tends to add bulk. As long as the opening matches the bag you will be OK.
what you are thinking of doing is exactly what I would do too. I think adding that structure will help a lot–such a cute bag, it deserves to be used!
I third the previous two comments. You’re on the right track! Craftster.org likely has tutorials on how to do it if you’re looking for more step-by-step instructions, but I think you’ll be okay on your own.
If the bag isn’t too large, you could pin a piece of paper to it, placing your pins as close together as possible and as close to the edge of the bag as possible. For the top of the bag, give yourself an extra 1/2 inch, because you’d probably like a nice, finished edge. I’d say that you’d want the top of your lining to be about 1/4″ below the top of your bag. Then just cut the paper, following the pins as a guideline. When you sew, give yourself a 1/2″ seam allowance, sewing around the sides and the bottom. For the top, turn and press 1/4″, then do that again (for a total of 1/2″ pressed). This will give you a nice, finished edge at the top of the bag. Sew this edge down with your sewing machine. Then just whipstitch the lining in. I hope this all makes sense 🙂
Listen to all this good advice! And you were on the right track, afterall. I’ve got a felted purse that I plan on doing the same for (just waiting for the right fabric).
Good luck with it!
I would recommend that you cut the lining a little smaller than the bag (as in the previous comments.
Then, sew down the sides and bottom of the lining, but leave yourself a hole – probably at least 2″, and maybe more like 3″. Stuff the right side of the knitted bag into the lining you’ve just made (with the seams on the outside, so they’re right sides together). Sew around the top. Then turn it all inside out through the hole you left, and then whip stitch the hole closed. This lets you have a professional seam around the top (where everyone can see it), and the whipstitched hole is in the bottom of the bag.
I hope that’s clear!
OK, I just read my comment again and looked at the bag and it probably won’t work because of the handles. D’oh!
Oh, well…
Cute bag, Sarah! It’s funny, but I disagree with the idea of cutting the lining smaller than the bag. If you do that, you will end up with less room inside. It’s okay for the lining to be a little bigger than the bag (I lined a knitted Christmas stocking with flannel and I made it bigger). That’s actually the standard way to do it (see this knitty article, for example: http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEfall06/FEATfall06FK.html ). Any slight amount of extra fabric will really be unnoticeable. Also, I would recommend using a woven fabric rather than something stretchy like fleece. Anything stretchy will allow oddly-shaped items in the bag to create bulges, just as if there were no lining at all.
I can’t wait to see the finished product! =)
I’m a little stunned that I saw “happy hooker” on your blog…