EASY EPP PURSE

Keep your pennies safe in style with a dainty design in ditsy florals

NOTES

■ RST = right sides together.

■ EPP = English Paper Piecing.

■ For templates, see p88.

■ All fabrics supplied by our friends at Sewing Quarter www.sewingquarter.com

FABRICS USED

■ Purse fabric is Indigo Denim by Art Gallery.

■ Print fabrics are all Liberty: Yellow Emily Silhouette, Pink Mamie and Cream Large Newland.

CUTTING OUT

1

From the purse fabric cut two (2) 7in x 10in pieces. Trim one using the purse template.

2

From the binding fabric cut two (2)

2¼in wide strips on the bias (Fig 1).

PREPARING THE EPP DESIGN

3

Centre one EPP diamond shape in the centre of one of your print scraps and pin in place. Trim around the shape, leaving a ¼in seam allowance. Glue or thread baste in place. Repeat to prepare each EPP shape.

4

With two diamonds RST, whip stitch along one edge to join and knot off your thread. Keep adding diamonds until you have finished your star shape (Fig 2).

5

Press the EPP star with a hot, dry iron. Carefully remove the papers and press again.

6

Centre the EPP star in the top half of the trimmed purse fabric, with the top point approx. ¾in from the top (Fig 3). Pin and appliqué in place. As you reach the points of the stars, tuck the dog ears underneath.

MAKING THE PURSE

7

With the appliquéd purse piece right side down, layer the batting on top, then the second purse piece right side down. Baste through all layers to make a quilt sandwich.

8

Use the purse template to trim the entire quilt sandwich, ensuring you leave at least ¾in of fabric above your appliquéd star. Set aside this purse body.

9

Sew your two binding fabric pieces together along the short ends. Press in half lengthwise and use to bind the edges of the purse, as you would a quilt.

10

With the bound purse right side down, centre the zip along one short edge, also right side down. Only the zip tape should lie against the binding, leaving the zip teeth free above the bound edge

(Fig 4). Pin in place and ease along the curve. Stitch in place by hand or machine, using a coordinating thread.

11

Fold the purse in half, and sew the second half of the zip in place along the opposite edge, in the same way as the previous step.

12

Stitch the remaining bound edges, below the zip, together using a ladder stitch.

13

Unzip the pouch and turn inside out. Flatten the bottom and side edges together to form a corner. Stitch ½in from the point, across the corner. This creates a boxed corner. Repeat on the other side.

14

Turn the pouch right side out and push out the corners to finish.