USING A HANDY PACK OF CHARM SQUARES WILL MAKE YOUR FABRIC PULL A BREEZE!

NOTES

■ Seam allowances are 1/4in throughout,

unless otherwise noted.

■ Press seams to one side, unless

otherwise instructed.

■ Backstitch at the beginning and

end of each seam to secure.

■ RST= right sides together

■ Felie used two charm packs

for her print fabrics.

■ Fabric supplied by FreeSpirit

Fabrics (freespiritfabrics.com).

FABRICS USED

■ Print fabrics are from the Linework and True Colors collections by Tula Pink for FreeSpirit Fabrics.

■ Lining Fabric is Pom Poms Paper from the Linework collection, also by Tula Pink for FreeSpirit Fabrics.

CUTTING OUT 1

From one print 5in square cut:

■ Two (2) 21/2in x 3in (zip tabs).

2

From the lining fabric cut:

■ Two (2) 19in x 271/2in.

■ Two (2) 91/2in x 14in (pocket lining).

3

From the fusible batting cut:

■ Two (2) 14in x 271/2in.

■ Two (2) 5in x 271/2in.

4

From the interfacing cut:

■ Two (2) 91/2in x 14in.

5

From the webbing cut:

■ Two (2) 27in lengths (handles).

■ Two (2) 21/2in lengths (tabs).

■ One (1) 60in length (adjustable shoulder

strap – see Top Tip before cutting).

PREPARING THE ZIP 6

Take one zip tab and bring the shorter

edges together, to fold in half RST. Sew along the edge to form a tube. Press the seam open, flattening the tube, so the seam runs through the centre of one side.

7

With the tube still wrong sides out, slide

over the end of the zip. Make sure the seamed side of the tube is on the bottom of the zip. Sew along the end of the zip using a 1/4in seam, as shown in Fig A.

8

Turn the zip tab tube right side out and

press. Then press the raw edges of the tab towards the inside of the tube.

9

On the bottom of the zip tab, mark

the position for one half of the magnetic snap (Fig B). Cut two slits through the bottom layer only, and install the snap. Topstitch the end of the zip tab.

10

Repeat the process in steps 6–9 with

the other end of the zipper.

MAKING THE PATCHWORK BODY PANELS 11

Take eighteen of your 5in squares and arrange them in three rows of six. Sew them together in rows, then sew the rows together (Fig C). Repeat this process with another eighteen squares. These will make the body panels of the bag.

12

Take six of your 5in squares and sew them in one row to make a top panel. Repeat to make a second top panel.

13

Fuse each panel to a corresponding piece of fusible batting and quilt as desired. Felie quilted a diagonal crosshatch design, as seen in Fig D.

MAKING THE POCKETS 14

Take six of your 5in squares and arrange in two rows of three. Sew together in rows, then sew the rows together to make one outer pocket. Apply interfacing to the wrong side, following the manufacturer’s instructions.

15

Take one pocket lining piece and place right sides together with the outer pocket. Sew around the outer edge,

leaving a turning gap in the centre of the bottom edge. Clip the corners, then turn right side out and press, turning the raw edges at the turning gap to the inside.

16

Take one of the body panels and centre the pocket on top, approx 1in from the top edge. Pin in place (Fig E).

17

Topstitch around the sides and bottom of the pocket, very close to the edge, making sure to backstitch at the beginning and end to secure your stitches. You may choose to sew a vertical line down the centre of the pocket to divide it in two.

18

Repeat steps 14–17 to make a second pocket for the other side of the bag.

CONSTRUCTING THE BAG 19

Place one lining piece right side up, and find the centre along the top edge. Mark the centre point with a removable fabric pen or pin. Find the centre of the zip and place on top, also right side up, aligning the centre marks.

20

Place one patchwork top panel RST

with the lining piece. Pin or clip it in place (Fig F). Mark 1in from either end of the panels. Sew the layers together between the two marks, backstitching at each end. Press the panels away from the zip.

21

Repeat steps 19–20 with the remaining lining piece and patchwork top panel on the other side of the zip. Do not topstitch the layers at this point (Fig G).

ADDING THE STRAPS 22

Take each 27in webbing handle, and find the centre. Measure and mark 3½in from either side of the centre, and fold the handle in half between these marks. Pin or clip, as shown in Fig H.

23

Topstitch the edge of the folded section closed, going over a few times for strength. Zig-zag stitch along the short raw edges of the strap to prevent fraying.

24

Find the centre of one patchwork top panel, and mark 3in to either side. Align the inner edges of the handle with these marks and pin, then baste in place, making sure that you only attach to the patchwork panel, and not the lining (Fig I). Repeat this process on the other side, this time with the second handle.

25

Secure each handle by sewing a box with an ‘X’ through the centre, approx. 1½in below the zip. Make sure you fold the lining away from the strap as you sew, so that you only sew through the patchwork panel and not through the lining (Fig J).

26

Take a 2½in long piece of webbing and thread it through one of your D-rings. Fold the webbing in half and baste the raw ends together. Measure 5in from the right edge of the patchwork panel, align the webbing and baste (Fig K).

27

Repeat the process in step 26 on the other side, so the two D-rings are diagonally opposite of each other.

FINISHING THE BAG 28

Take one of your body panels with attached pocket. Align it right sides together with one of the top patchwork panels and clip in place. Check that when sewn and pressed open, the pocket opening will be in the correct position.

29

With the lining held out of the way, sew the two patchwork panels together. Press the seam towards the bottom and then topstitch just below the seam, as shown in Fig L.

30

Repeat the process in steps 28–29 on the other side.

31

Open the zip at least halfway. Align the bag so that the outer patchwork sides are RST, the two lining pieces are RST, and the seams are aligned. Pin or clip in place, taking care that both zip ends are tucked to the inside and won’t be caught in the seam, as shown in Fig M.

32

Sew around the outer edge, using a 1/2in seam allowance, leaving a gap in the bottom of the lining for turning. Backstitch at each end of the seam.

33

Mark a 3in square in each corner of both the lining and bag outer, and cut (Fig N). Working one corner at a time, bring the side and bottom together, nesting the seams (Fig O). Sew across the raw edge using a 1/2in seam, backstitching at each end to box each corner.

34

Turn the bag right side out through the lining. Push the lining to the inside, but leave the gap unsewn at this point. Press around the top edge of the bag, then topstitch, holding the zipper out of the way at each end.

35

Install the other half of the magnetic snaps at each side of the bag, approx 9in from the top (Fig P). When you are cutting the slits, make sure to only cut through the outer layer and not the lining, reaching in through the lining gap in order to secure it from the inside.

36

Close the gap in the lining by hand stitching it, or with a narrow topstitch, as preferred. Push it inside the bag.

ADDING THE ADJUSTABLE STRAP 37

Take your remaining webbing piece, and fold one end over by approx 11/2in. Place the middle bar of the slide buckle in the fold. Press under the raw edge of the webbing and topstitch it in place, as shown in Fig Q.

38

Thread one swivel clasp onto the webbing. Then thread the free end through the slide buckle (Fig R). Thread the remaining swivel clasp onto the end, then proceed to fold the webbing and topstitch this end as before (Fig S).