edges. When you’re happy
with their arrangement, fuse
them in place.19
Set up the sewing machine
for a medium-width satin
stitch and test it on some scrap
fabric to ensure the stitches form
a solid line. Beginning at the centre,
satin stitch around one petal and
stop exactly where it meets the
edge of the next petal. Pull the
threads through to the back of the
work and tie them off. Repeat this
step with the next four petals to
complete the appliqué.20
Sew one of the decorative
buttons to the centre of
the flower through all layers.Outer bag assembly
21
Fuse the batting pieces
to the wrong side of the
corresponding top, bottom and
gusset strips with an iron. The
batting is^11 ⁄ 4 in shorter than the
fabric gusset strips: match the long
edges and one short edge, leaving(^1) ⁄ 4 in at one end of each fabric strip
free of batting.
22
With right sides together, sew
a 3 x 12in aqua strip to the
upper edge of the front and back
panels. Press the seams towards the
aqua fabric. Top stitch on the aqua
strips^1 ⁄ 4 in from the seam lines.
23
Repeat Step 22 to join the
3 x 12in hot pink strips to the
bottom edges of the two panels.
Your panels should now measure
161 ⁄ 2 x 12in.
24
Mark a dot at the centre
of the aqua strip on the
bag front 1^1 ⁄ 4 in from the top edge.
Cut tiny slits through the fabric
and batting either side of the
dot to match the legs of the
magnetic catch.
25
Cut a small square, 1^1 ⁄ 4 in,
of template plastic and use a
scalpel or craft knife to cut two slits
in the middle of it to correspond
with the legs of the magnetic catch.
26
Push the legs of one half of
the catch through the slits in
the aqua fabric and batting from
the right side, then on the wrong
side, slide the template plastic over
the legs. Open the legs out fl at and
push them down fi rmly to secure
the catch to the bag front.
27
With right sides together,
join the 3 x 22^1 ⁄ 4 in gusset
strips end to end to make one long
strip; join the ends that aren’t
covered by batting. Press the seam
open. Measure 16^1 ⁄ 4 in from each end
of the strip and make a light mark
in the seam allowance on one long
edge. On the right side of each of
your bag panels, measure^1 ⁄ 4 in up
from the bottom edge and^1 ⁄ 4 in from
the left and right edges and make
a light mark in each corner.
28
Pin one long edge of the
gusset strip to the front panel
of the bag, right sides together,
matching the dots you marked in
Step 27; the ends of the gusset strip
should be level with the top edge of
the panel on each side. Clip the
Diagram 2
gusset seam allowance at the two
bottom corners. Sew the gusset to
the bag front in one seam, going
down one side to the fi rst corner
mark. Work several backstitches for
extra strength, then stitch to the
corner mark again. Pivot, then sew
across the bottom to the other
corner mark. Backstitch as before,
then pivot at the corner mark and
sew up the other side.
29
Repeat the previous step
to sew the gusset and back
panel together. Turn the outer bag
right side out.
Handles
30
Fuse the batting strips to
the 4^1 ⁄ 2 x 21in handle strips.
31
Fold the handle strips in half,
right sides together and long
edges matching, and sew the long
raw edges together to form tubes.
Press the seams open and turn the
handles right side out.
32
Roll the tubes between your
fi ngers so the seams are at
the centre on one side; press the
handles fl at. Sew parallel rows of
black top stitching down the
handles about^1 ⁄ 4 in apart.
33
Pin the ends of the handles
to the upper edge of the bag
front and back, right sides together
and raw edges level, positioning
each one 1in from the ends of the
aqua strip, as shown in Diagram 2.
Baste the four ends in place^1 ⁄ 8 in
from the raw edges.
Tab
34
Repeat Steps 10-14 using
the tab-shaped scrap and
interfacing pieces and the short
binding strips. The strips go
across the tab.
BARBARA’S BAG
BASE TIP To keep the
base of the bag in shape, I inserted
a separate rigid piece of Corflute
(corrugated, flat-sided plastic, as
is used in real-estate signs) to fit
snugly in the bottom of the bag
and covered it in fabric to match
the bag lining. You can always use
thick cardboard instead, but it’s
not quite as durable or washable.
1in 1in
80 Homespun
HSP1511_p076-083_A Little Bit Biased Project.indd 80 9/22/2014 10:18:46 AM
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