How to Sew a Mom & Me Scalloped Purse | Easy Beginner Sewing Tutorial

[Scroll toward the bottom of this page to watch my full Mom & Me Scalloped Purse sewing tutorial!]

🌺 Aloha! I’m Heather, the Sewing Pattern Designer behind Aloha Sewing Company. I’m also a wife, mama of four, former nurse for the Department of Defense (Army), and someone who can never resist turning a pretty piece of fabric into something cute and useful. 😂

Today I’m showing you how to sew an adorable Mom & Me Scalloped Purse!

This beginner-friendly purse comes in two coordinating sizes: a larger purse for Mom and a smaller version that’s just right for toddlers, girls and children.

I also created my Mom & Me Scalloped Purse PDF Sewing Pattern so you can make your own matching purse set using your favorite fabrics.

Sew Matching Mom & Me Scalloped Purses

With this pattern, you can make two coordinating fabric purses:

• A larger scalloped purse for moms, teens and adults
• A smaller scalloped purse for toddlers, girls and children

Use matching fabric to create a sweet mother-and-daughter set, or choose coordinating prints that show off each person’s personality.

You can make the purses exactly alike, reverse the main and accent fabrics or let your little one choose her favorite print. That may be the most important part of the whole project! 😂

👉 GET THE MOM & ME SCALLOPED PURSE PDF SEWING PATTERN

A Cute and Beginner-Friendly Purse Project

If you’re new to sewing bags, this is such a fun place to start.

The playful scalloped shape gives the purse an extra-special look without requiring complicated bag-making techniques or special hardware. You won’t need zippers, buckles, sliders, rings or snaps to make this project.

It’s an easy purse to sew, but it still looks like something you spent all afternoon carefully creating. Those are my favorite kinds of sewing projects!

Choose a floral print for Mom, a fun novelty print for a child or two coordinating fabrics for an adorable matching set.

Woven cotton fabrics, such as quilting cotton, work especially well because they’re easy to cut, easy to sew and available in just about every color and print you can imagine.

For this project, you’ll need:

• Mom & Me Scalloped Purse PDF Sewing Pattern
• Fabric: Cotton works best! But you can use any fabric for the outer purse. 1/4 yard for the child's size, and 1/3 yard for the adult size. 
• Optional: Apply one-sided fusible fleece interfacing to the BACK/WRONG sides of your OUTER PURSE fabrics.
• Iron
• Basic sewing supplies

That’s it!

The printable pattern includes the complete supply list, recommended fabrics and the exact amounts needed for each purse size.

Choose Your Scalloped Purse Size

The pattern includes two sizes so you can make one purse for yourself and another for a special little girl in your life.

The larger size works well for moms, adults and teens who want a cute handmade purse for carrying a few everyday essentials.

The smaller size is perfect for toddlers and children who love having their own little bag for treasures, small toys and favorite accessories.

Of course, you don’t have to make a matching set. You can sew only the size you need—or make several in different colors and prints!

How to Sew a Scalloped Purse

Start by choosing your fabrics and printing the pattern pieces for the purse size you want to make.

After cutting the pieces, you’ll prepare your fabrics and begin assembling the purse. Take your time when sewing around the scalloped edges so the finished curves look smooth and even.

Once the purse is sewn, you’ll turn it right side out, carefully shape the scallops and give everything a good press.

The scalloped detail is what makes this little bag so charming. It adds a playful handmade touch without making the project feel overwhelming for a beginner.

I show you exactly how to sew the purse from start to finish in the full video tutorial below. You can pause, rewind and sew along with me at your own pace. 🎥

Make a Matching Mother-and-Daughter Purse Set

There’s something so sweet about matching Mommy and Me accessories—especially when you make them yourself.

Use the same fabric for both purses to create a perfectly matching set, or choose two coordinating prints for a more playful look.

A floral fabric for Mom paired with a smaller coordinating print for a child would be adorable. You could also use gingham, polka dots, hearts, rainbows, animals, princess prints or fabric featuring a child’s favorite color.

These purses would be so cute for:

• Mommy and Me photos
• Birthday parties
• Church
• Easter outfits
• Weddings and flower girls
• Family vacations
• Tea parties
• Dress-up play
• Everyday adventures

The smaller purse is also a fun way for children to carry their own little treasures while feeling just like Mom.

Handmade Scalloped Purses Make Thoughtful Gifts

A handmade purse makes such a special gift because you can choose fabric that feels personal to the person receiving it.

You could make a scalloped purse for:

• Your daughter or granddaughter
• A niece or goddaughter
• A flower girl
• A child’s birthday
• A new big sister
• A holiday or Christmas gift
• An Easter basket surprise
• A Mommy and Me gift
• A mother-daughter outing
• A teacher or friend
• Yourself—because you deserve a new purse too!

Fill the child-size purse with a small toy, hair accessories, pretend jewelry or another little surprise to make the gift even more fun.

You could also sew matching purses for sisters, cousins, best friends or a grandmother and granddaughter.

A Fun Scrap-Friendly Sewing Project

This is also a wonderful project for using those pretty fabric pieces you’ve been saving.

You know the ones—the scraps that are too cute to throw away but have been sitting in your fabric stash waiting for the perfect project!

Mix a favorite print with a coordinating solid, use contrasting fabrics for the scalloped details or make the lining a fun surprise.

Because this purse doesn’t require special bag-making hardware, it’s an approachable project when you want to sit down and sew something without hunting for a long list of specialty supplies.

It’s also a great excuse to play with color combinations and fabric prints you might not normally put together.

Sew Scalloped Purses for Craft Fairs or Your Handmade Business

The Mom & Me Scalloped Purse is also a cute project for craft fairs, vendor markets, boutiques and handmade businesses.

Try making several purses in a variety of prints so shoppers can choose their favorites.

Some fun fabric ideas include:

• Florals
• Gingham
• Tropical prints
• Holiday fabrics
• Rainbows and hearts
• Animal prints
• Princess-inspired fabrics
• School colors
• Seasonal prints
• Bright solids

Matching adult-and-child sets would make an especially sweet display. You could also offer the two sizes separately so customers can build their own matching set.

Always calculate the cost of your fabric, supplies and sewing time when deciding how to price your finished purses.

Get the Mom & Me Scalloped Purse Sewing Pattern

Ready to sew your own matching purse set?

My Mom & Me Scalloped Purse PDF Sewing Pattern includes both purse sizes, printable pattern pieces and step-by-step instructions to help you complete the project.

The larger purse is designed for moms and adults, while the smaller purse is perfect for toddlers, girls and children.

Choose your favorite fabrics, gather your sewing supplies and get ready to make something adorable!

👉 GET THE MOM & ME SCALLOPED PURSE PDF SEWING PATTERN

Watch the Full Mom & Me Scalloped Purse Sewing Tutorial

Now let’s sew!

In the full video tutorial, I’ll show you how to sew the Mom & Me Scalloped Purse step-by-step, including how to prepare your pattern pieces, cut your fabric, sew the scalloped details, assemble the purse and add the finishing touches.

🎥 WATCH THE FULL TUTORIAL BELOW:

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What Fabric Would YOU Use?

Now I want to hear from you!

What fabric would you use for your Mom & Me Scalloped Purses? Matching florals? A bright tropical print? Something sweet for your daughter or granddaughter? Maybe a special fabric you’ve been saving for just the right project?

🎥 Leave a comment on the YouTube tutorial and tell me what YOU would make!

And if you enjoyed the tutorial, hitting the LIKE button and SUBSCRIBING is one of the easiest ways you can support Aloha Sewing Company and help me continue creating new sewing patterns and free video tutorials.

Mahalo for sewing with me, watching my videos, purchasing my patterns and supporting my small family business. I truly appreciate every single one of you.

Happy sewing, and before I go… mahalo! 🌺

Heather