Creative articles about sewing

Free sewing pattern for the bag “Olivia” (October only)

A practical companion and not so difficult to sew – The bag “Olivia” from our magazine “inspiration”.

You can download the pattern and instructions for free until October 31, 2022 in the paragraph “Download the free sewing pattern for the “Olivia” bag (October only)”. As always, you’ll have to be quick because each pattern is only available for free download in the month stated.

The reddish-brown fake leather bag "Olivia" with buttonholes and a leather strap to close


Sewing the bag “Olivia”

This bag is made out of metallic synthetic leather, which is why it has a copper sheen to it. Synthetic leather can sometimes be tricky to sew, hence a Dual Feed or the Three-Sole Walking Foot with Seam Guide #50 will help transport the fabric with no issue. This is especially helpfull when topstitching through several layers of this material for the tie strap, the handle and sides of the bag.

Image of Three-Sole Walking Foot with Seam Guide #50.

Three-Sole Walking Foot with Seam Guide #50

With three soles for sewing, quilting and topstitching ✓  Perfect fabric feed and even stitch formation ✓  Seam guides help you sew with precision ✓  Materials that are stretchy or tend to stick ✓ 

Learn more

The model is standing underneath a bridge, wearing a green raincoat, pastelpink top, white trousers and holding a reddish-brown fake leather bag with buttonholes and a leather strap to close

A band and a few buttonholes serve as a variable closure, which can be tightened to a greater or lesser extent depending on the capacity used or the occasion. We added a leather tassle to the side of the bag as decoration.

a reddish-brown fake leather bag with buttonholes and a leather strap to close

Before you make the buttonholes for the closure, be sure to pin the facing in the buttonhole area, so everything will be flat and even afterwards. Since you will be making several buttonholes, each about 2 cm long and 5 mm wide, the Buttonhole Foot with Slide #3A and automatic buttonhole function of most modern BERNINA machines will be a huge help to save time and nerves. Perfect buttonholes each time!

Image of Buttonhole Foot with Slide #3A.

Buttonhole Foot with Slide #3A

Sewing any number of buttonholes of exactly the same length ✓  Flexible choice of buttonhole length up to 30 mm ✓  With or without cording ✓  For 5.5 mm and 9 mm machines ✓ 

Learn more

Close up of a the side of the bag "Olivia" from a reddish-brown fake leather bag with buttonholes and a leather strap to close

Take a look at the magazine…

The pattern and sewing instructions for the bag “Olivia” appeared in the inspiration Magazine 1/2021.
This issue of Inspiration surprises you with all-rounders, such as parka or T-shirts, as well as with genuine trend pieces that can be combined in a variety of ways. Basics such as skirts, a shirt blouse dress or a biker jacket are certainly not missing. They complement the wardrobe perfectly. Depending on the material used, many things are sewn quickly, other things require more skill or experience. So, there is definitely something suitable for everyone.

Issue 1/2021 is available as a single issue in the inspiration online shop at the following link:

You can buy the patterns and magazine online or have them conveniently delivered to your home. 

Download the free sewing pattern for the bag “Olivia” (October 2022 only)

You can download the free sewing pattern for the bag “Olivia” at the following link: 

www.bernina.com/inspiration-freebie

The link takes you to the BERNINA website. The pattern is available for free download during the month of October once you register for the BERNINA inspiration newsletter. 

Technical drawing of the bag "Olivia"

Unzip the zip file containing the pattern

After downloading, you will have a zip file. In the extracted folder you will find:

  • Sewing instructions with information on materials, cutting out and sewing
  • A pattern in A4 format. You can print this out on your regular printer at home and stick the sheets together. Make sure you print out the pattern using the “original size” setting. Check the test square to make sure the pattern has been printed out in the correct size.

Please note that clicking the download button will automatically download the zip file to your computer. You will have to unzip it to access the PDF pattern. In Windows, you do this by right clicking on the file and clicking on the menu item “Extract all”. On a Mac, you can unzip zip files by double clicking the left mouse button.

Downloaded files are generally automatically put into the downloads folder, but this depends on the operating system, the device used and your local settings. If you download the file on your smartphone and cannot find the file or cannot unzip it, please try using a desktop computer.

Do you want to sew the bag, but missed the download?

Would you like to sew the bag, but October 2022 is already over? No problem! You can order the pattern from the shop, download and print it or have it delivered to your home. Simply click on the following link:

We wish you lots of fun and success with your sewing!

Best wishes,
Ramona

Free sewing instructions: Olivia bag

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    • ramonawirth EditEditing comments on the BERNINA blog is only possible after logging in with a blog user account. Sign up now or create a user account if you do not have one yet.

      Dear Dennifer,
      There is no video tutorial or other sew-along for this bag on the Blog or the inspiration Website. Which steps are unclear? I can ask the inspiration team for help.

      Kind regards, Ramona from BERNINA International

      • moonlit21 EditEditing comments on the BERNINA blog is only possible after logging in with a blog user account. Sign up now or create a user account if you do not have one yet.

        I’m not sure about how to sew the lining to the outside. Do I match the corners or the centre? How does the side parts get sewn on? Should I just make two bags (the inner and outer) then sew them together?

      • ramonawirth EditEditing comments on the BERNINA blog is only possible after logging in with a blog user account. Sign up now or create a user account if you do not have one yet.

        Dear moonlit,
        You indeed have to make two bags: The outer bag with the facing and the inner bag with the lining fabric, which is shorter.

        Turn the inner bag wrong side out, then put the outer bag into the inner bag so its right side on the right side.  It’s the easiest to match the corners. Then close the seam at the facing. Since you have left an opening in a seam of the inner bag, you will be able to turn the bag around through that opening.

        Jessica Rose prepared step-by-step instructions for the “Klara” bag, which is assambled the same way. Maybe her article will answer some of your questions, so I recommend checking it out! And download the free bag pattern in May as well 😉

        Kind regards, Ramona

      • dennifer Echepare EditEditing comments on the BERNINA blog is only possible after logging in with a blog user account. Sign up now or create a user account if you do not have one yet.

        Thank you so much! Knowing that I make the two bags then put them together makes more sense than the original instructions. They weren’t very clean. I downloaded the one for may so i’ll definitely take a look at that one too!

    • ramonawirth EditEditing comments on the BERNINA blog is only possible after logging in with a blog user account. Sign up now or create a user account if you do not have one yet.

      Dear Traci,
      There was an issue with the readability with the Adobe Web App in certain browsers. But if you download the blank file and open it, then the instructions are there.
      However, I just exchanged the file and it should work in the Adobe Web App now, so you can try again. Let me know should you still have issues with the instruction file!
      Thank you, Ramona from BERNINA International

    • ramonawirth EditEditing comments on the BERNINA blog is only possible after logging in with a blog user account. Sign up now or create a user account if you do not have one yet.

      Dear Sue,
      There was an issue with the readability with the Adobe Web App in certain browsers. But if you download the blank file and open it, then the instructions are there.
      However, I just exchanged the file and it should work in the Adobe Web App now, so you can try again. Let me know should you still have issues with the instruction file!
      Thank you, Ramona from BERNINA International

  • MIRANDA GILCHRIST EditEditing comments on the BERNINA blog is only possible after logging in with a blog user account. Sign up now or create a user account if you do not have one yet.

    Hi, when I go to the download page, the patterns download nicely but the instructions PDF is blank. Thank you!

    • ramonawirth EditEditing comments on the BERNINA blog is only possible after logging in with a blog user account. Sign up now or create a user account if you do not have one yet.

      Dear Miranda,
      There was an issue with the readability with the Adobe Web App in certain browsers. But if you download the blank file and open it, then the instructions are there.
      However, I just exchanged the file and it should work in the Adobe Web App now, so you can try again. Let me know should you still have issues with the instruction file!
      Thank you, Ramona from BERNINA International

    • ramonawirth EditEditing comments on the BERNINA blog is only possible after logging in with a blog user account. Sign up now or create a user account if you do not have one yet.

      Dear Nancy,
      There was an issue with the readability with the Adobe Web App in certain browsers. But if you download the blank file and open it, then the instructions are there.
      However, I just exchanged the file and it should work in the Adobe Web App now, so you can try again. Let me know should you still have issues with the instruction file!
      Thank you, Ramona from BERNINA International

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