I really should learn better how to conserve my fabric and cut things out better because I am always left with these skinny fabric strips leftover. Am I really going to use it if I keep it? Should I get rid of them? …This debate gets me at the end of every project because I hate wasting fabric! But this bag turned out pretty cute so I think I am going to rummage through that bag of scraps that yes, I did keep and see what I can salvage.

I love this fabric and went back to buy it numerous times until one day it was gone forever. I had a request for another bag out of it and only had 2 long, skinny strips left. I don’t like to sew a seam across the middle of a bag so I used extra wide grosgrain ribbon to hide where I sewed the 2 strips together. With fabrics wrong side, I lined up my 2 strips and inserted the ribbon in to sew between. I used this kind of ribbon for the handle too and like the layered look that the ribbon gave to the body of the bag. You could try this obviously with skinnier ribbon or with multiple rows if you have several strips you want to use up. I am excited to revisit some scraps I had doomed to the attic!

Magically this lined up almost perfectly, which I didn’t notice until I took the pictures!