pink rectangle is larger than the pink
floral one, it will form a narrow edging
across the top of the pocket, as shown
in Diagram 6.3
Unfold the fabrics and fuse the
8½in x 10¾in rectangle of batting
to the wrong side of the pink floral
print fabric. Refold the fabrics. Hand
quilt in the ditch through all three
layers along the seam line you sewed
in Step 1 using pink Perle thread.4
Pin the pocket to one of the 10¾in
x 13½in rectangles of cream print
fabric cut for the bag lining, matching
the two raw 10¾in edges of the pocket
with the bottom 10¾in edge of the
cream rectangle.5
Top stitch the pocket to the lining
close to the left, bottom and right
edges, leaving the top folded edge of
the pocket open. If you wish to divide
the pocket into several smaller ones,
topstitch vertical lines down the pocket
through all layers.6
Match the two cream lining
rectangles, right sides together.
The pocket will be sandwiched
between them. Stitch them together
along the left, bottom and right
edges, leaving a 4in opening in the
bottom seam.Handles and ties
1
Fold each 6½in x 18in strip cut for
the handles in half, wrong sides
together and long edges matching.
Press. Unfold them.2
Position a 1½in x 18in strip of
batting on the wrong side of each
strip: one edge of the batting should
almost touch the centre crease in the
fabric. Fuse them in place. Fold each
long edge of the fabric strips to meet
the centre crease. Press. Then fold the
strips in half again, enclosing all the
raw edges. See Diagram 7.3
Unfold the strips. Cut the length
of ricrac in half. Pin a length to
each handle strip, centring it overthe half of the strip that has had
batting fused to the wrong side of it.
Hand stitch the ricrac to the handles
using small straight stitches, as
shown in Diagram 8. Katrina worked
her stitches in brown thread in one
direction and pink thread in the other.
Trim the ends of the ricrac even with
the edges of the fabric.4
Refold the handle strips to return
them to the way they were at the
end of Step 2. Top stitch by machine
⅛in from each long edge on each strip.5
To make the ties, fold each of the
1½in dark pink strips cut for the
handles in half, wrong sides together
and long edges matching. Press.
Unfold them. Fold each long edge of
the fabric strips to meet the centre
crease. Press. Then fold the strips in
half again, enclosing all the raw edges
(as shown in Diagram 7). Topstitch
close to the long open edges using
thread to match the fabric.Gathered top
1
To make the casings for the bag
ties, begin by turning under a ¼in
hem on each short end of the 1¾in x
10½in strips of light blue print fabric.
Press. Turn them under by another ¼in
and press again. Machine stitch these
hems in place.2
Fold each strip in half, wrong
sides together and long edges
matching. Sew the long edges
together with a ¼in seam. Roll the
strips between your fingers to move
the seam to the centre back of the
strips. Press the seams open.3
Fold each of the 10in x 10¾in
rectangles of pink floral print
fabric in half, wrong sides together
and 10in edges matching. Press to
crease the fabric. Unfold the fabric.
Pin a casing strip to each rectangle, 1in
below the crease and centred between
the left and right edges, as shown in
Diagram 9. Topstitch them in place bymachine stitching ⅛in from both long
edges of the casing strips.4
Match the two rectangles of pink
floral fabric, right sides together
and casings matching. Sew the left
and right edges. Press the seams
open. Turn the fabric right side out.
Fold the fabric wrong sides together
and raw edges matching.Assembly
1
Match the appliquéd and quilted
panels for the bag front and back,
right sides together. Sew the left,
bottom and right edges.2
To square off the bottom corners
of the bag, push the side seam
down to meet the seam across the
bottom of the bag to form a triangle,
as shown in Diagram 10. Measure 2in
along the seam line from the point,
make a mark and sew across at that
mark. Trim the triangle ¼in outside the
stitching. Repeat this step for the other
corner. Turn the bag right side out.3
Repeat Step 2 with the bottom
corners of the lining but leave the
lining wrong side facing out.4
Pin the handle strips to the bag:
their short ends should match the
raw edge at the top of the bag. Leave
about 2½in between the ends of theDiagram 6Diagram 7Diagram 896