RAINBOW SHOPPER

Appliqué a dreamy quote onto a homesewn tote for a bag that’s bursting with positive vibes!

YOU WILL NEED

■ Rainbow scraps: eight (8) 2½in squares

■ Exterior fabric: ½yd

■ Lining fabric: ½yd

■ Canvas fabric: ½yd

■ Medium weight fusible interfacing: ½yd

■ Fusible web: ¼yd

■ Embroidery thread

■ One (1) copy each of the ‘Chase’ and ‘Rainbows’ templates

■ Cotton webbing: two (2)

2in x 26in for handles

FINISHED SIZE

■ Approx. 15in x 14in

NOTES

■ Seam allowances are ¼in, unless otherwise noted.

■ RST = right sides together.

■ WOF = width of fabric.

■ WST = wrong sides together.

■ For templates, see p30.

■ Project by Sarah Ashford.

FABRICS USED

Solid fabrics are all Kona Cotton Solids by Robert Kaufman as follows:

■ Fabric A (red): Punch

■ Fabric B (orange): Mango

■ Fabric C (yellow): Banana

■ Fabric D (green): Pond

■ Fabric E (blue): Cornflower

■ Fabric F (pink): Bubblegum

■ Fabric G (purple): Lupine

■ Main fabric is Essex Linen Natural, also by Robert Kaufman.

CUTTING OUT

1 From each of the exterior fabric, lining fabric, canvas and interfacing cut:

■ Two (2) 17in x 16½in pieces.

ASSEMBLING THE BAG

2 Fold a piece of exterior fabric in half to find the centre. Use a light box, or similar, to transfer the ‘Chase’ template centrally, 1¼in from the top (Fig A).

THIS PROJECT COMBINES RAW EDGE MACHINE APPLIQUÉ WITH SOOTHING HAND EMBROIDERY

3 Secure the piece of fabric so that it’s taut in an embroidery hoop and embroider the motif with a backstitch, using two strands of embroidery thread in your chosen colour (Fig B).

4 Trace the ‘Rainbow’ letter templates on the paper side of the fusible webbing. Cut them out roughly and fuse to Fabrics A– G in alphabetical order, repeating Fabric A at the end. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions (Fig C).

5 Use a pair of sharp scissors to carefully cut out the letters and peel off the paper backing of the fusible webbing. Arrange across the front of your exterior piece, using a ruler to ensure they’re straight, and carefully press in place using an iron (Fig D). Topstitch around the edge of the letters, burying the threads and knotting on the wrong side (Fig E).

6 Fuse interfacing to the wrong side of the exterior fabric pieces and spray baste the canvas fabric to the reverse.

7 Pin the two lining pieces RST. Stitch down the sides and along the bottom edge using a ½in seam. Leave a 4½in gap for turning in the bottom, backstitching at each end. Cut a 3in square from each of the bottom corners (Fig F).

8 Flatten the bottom of the bag, matching the bottom and side seam RST at one corner, bringing the raw edges together. Sew along the raw edges using a ¼in seam (Fig G). Repeat for the other corner.

9 Repeat steps 7-8 with the exterior panels, omitting the turning gap. Press, and turn right side out.

10 Measure 3in from each of the side seams at the top of the bag exterior Line up the outside edges of the handles with the 3in marks. Hold in place with clips, then baste the handles in place, ¼in from the top (Fig H).

11 Insert the exterior inside the lining, matching up seams. Hold in place with binding clips (Fig I). Stitch around the top edge using a ½in seam allowance. Turn the bag right side out, through the gap in the lining.

12 Slipstitch the opening in the lining and push down into the bag. Carefully press the seam all the way around, rolling the seam slightly inwards, so that the lining fabric does not show on the outside of the bag.

13 Topstitch all the way around the top of the bag to finish.