Handy holdalls

Use up spare or leftover fabric to make up these stylish bags to store items around the home

A LOVELY LAUNDRY BAG

Strips of fabric have been joined together to create this pretty, colourful laundry bag, perfect for storing clothes awaiting washing and pretty enough to hang in the bathroom. The flower is very simple to make and could be used to decorate many craft projects – or made up as a brooch, co-ordinating the fabrics with your outfit.

MATERIALS

10x110cm (4x43in) piece of each of eight different fabrics 55cmx1m (22x39in) piece of fabric for the lining 55cmx1m (22x39in) piece of lightweight wadding Needle and thread 20x90cm (8x35in) piece of iron-on interfacing Button

A LOVELY LAUNDRY BAG

1. Measure and cut eight strips of fabric 8x104cm (3x41in). Lay them on the work surface until you are happy with the arrangement and then, right sides together, pin and stitch the strips together to form a panel. Press the seams open. Cut a strip vertically 10cm (4in) wide from one side of the panel and put aside to make the flower later.

2. Cut a piece of wadding 50x94cm (18½x37in). Lay it onto the wrong side of the patchwork panel. Fold the wadding and patchwork in half with the stripes running horizontally and match up the raw edges. Pin and stitch along the edges and press the seams open.

3. Pin and stitch along the bottom to strengthen the bag, snipping the corners. Turn the right way out and press.

4. Measure and cut a piece of lining fabric 52.5x94cm (19½x37in). Fold in half and stitch along the sides and bottom of it. Snip across the corners. Press 1cm (½in) over to the wrong side around the top edge.

5. Slip the lining inside the outer bag, pushing it right into the corners and ensuring that it lies flat. Fold the pressed edge of the lining over the raw edge of the outer bag and machine stitch in place.

6. Measure and cut two pieces of fabric 7x82cm (3x32in).

Iron interfacing to the back of both pieces following the manufacturer’s instructions. With right sides together, pin and stitch along both long sides and one end. Snip the corners and turn the right way out. Turn the end in by 1cm (½in) and press. Hand stitch closed. Machine stitch this strap onto the bag 10cm (4in) from the right-hand side on the back and 10cm (4in) from the left hand side on the front.

7. Taking the leftover strip from step 1, cut a rounded shape from each band of fabric to form a petal shape, either freehand or draw a shape onto paper and use that as your template.

8. Sew a running stitch along the bottom of the strip and pull the thread so each petal gathers up to form the flower. Finish with a few small stitches and sew a button in the centre. Sew the flower securely onto the laundry bag.

A nAtty knitting bAg

Roomy enough to hold plenty of wool and looks good too! Interfacing has been used to make the fabric as stiff as possible so that it holds its shape and all the layers are quilted to create a sturdy bag.

MateRIals

Masking tape 75x38cm (30x15in) piece of patterned fabric 1mx30cm (40x12in) plain white cotton 1mx30cm (40x12in) piece of cotton wadding 1mx35cm (40x14in)

1. Measure and cut a piece of white cotton and a piece of wadding 75x30cm (30x12in). Measure and cut a rectangle of patterned fabric 75x28cm (30x11in). Lay the white cotton onto the work surface with the wadding on top of this. Place the patterned fabric rectangle, right side up, onto this, lining up the bottom edges together. Pin layers together.

2. Stick a strip of masking tape vertically from the bottom to the top of the fabrics. Measure 4cm (1½in) from the left-hand side of the tape, sticking another strip of tape parallel to the first. Continue at 4cm (1½in) increments measuring from the left-hand side of the tape all the way along the fabric. Machine stitch along the left-hand side of each length of tape to quilt the fabric.

3. With patterned fabric right sides together, fold the panel over, lining up along both short sides. Pin and stitch along the edge and press the seam open.

4. Cut circles of white cotton, cotton wadding and patterned fabric, all with a diameter of 24cm (9½in). Lay the white cotton onto the work surface with the wadding on top of this. Place the patterned fabric circle on the top, right side up. Pin the layers together. Stick a length of tape across the circle and measure and stick parallel strips on either side of the first at 4cm (1½in) increments as before, across the width of the circle. Machine stitch along one side of each length of tape.

5. Measure and cut a piece of the piece of plain-coloured fabric

Iron-on interfacing 2 buttons

plain-coloured fabric 75x34cm (30x13½in). With right sides together, pin and stitch both short sides together. Place this over the quilted tube, right side out, with the top raw edge lining up with the raw edge of the patterned fabric. Pin and stitch the plain fabric onto the quilted tube.

6. With right sides together, pin and stitch the circular base to the main part of the bag. Turn the bag the right way out and push the lining inside. Press the top edge of the lining to form a neat edge. Top stitch around the top and bottom of the cuff.

7. Cut a circle of plain-coloured fabric for the base of the lining the same size as before. Turn the bag wrong side out again. With right sides together if applicable, pin and stitch the base to the main lining piece, leaving an opening of about 10cm (4in). Make small snips around the seam allowance and turn the bag the right way out through the gap in the lining. Hand stitch the opening in the lining closed and push the lining into the bag.

8. Cut a strip of patterned fabric 58x10cm (23x4in). Cut a piece of interfacing to the same size and following the manufacturer’s instructions attach it to the wrong side of the fabric strip. Fold the strip in half along its length and stitch along one short end and along the length. Snip the corners. Turn the tube the right way out and press. Turn the raw end in and top stitch all the way round the handle. Sew the handle onto the bag finishing with a button at each end.