Amy Butler's In Stitches: More Than 25 Simple and Stylish Sewing Projects (27 page)

FABRICS

• 3 yards (44″- or 60″-wide) sturdy cotton fabric for the outer top and bottom panels, the lining, the strap, and the drawstring (referred to as the “main fabric”)

•
¹
/
₂
yard (44″- or 60″-wide) coordinating sturdy cotton fabric for the outer center panel

• 1
¹
/
₂
yards (44″- or 60″-wide) 10 oz. cotton canvas for the interfacing

•
¹
/
₂
yard (22″-wide) Timtex
*
or other extra-heavy interfacing

*
See page 172
for an explanation of Timtex
.

OTHER SUPPLIES

• Coordinating thread

• Scissors

• Yardstick or ruler

• Chalk pencil or fabric marker

• Straight pins

• Large safety pin

• Masking tape

• Small buttons for the end of the drawstring (optional)

• Hand sewing needle

NOTES

• All seams are
¹
/
₂
″ unless otherwise stated. (The
¹
/
₂
″ seam allowance is included in all pattern pieces and cutting measurements.)

• Preshrink your fabric by washing, drying, and pressing it before starting your project. To wash Timtex after completing your project, machine wash warm, then reshape your project and air dry. Your project will press back into shape with a steam iron. Once you steam the project, support it with wadded-up tissue paper or a folded towel while air drying in order to keep the shape that you want.

Step 1. Cut out all pieces from the fabric.

a.
First, cut out the bottom panel pattern piece provided in the pocket at the front of this book.

b.
Next, lay the main fabric on a hard, flat surface. Fold the fabric in half,
Right
sides together, matching the selvage edges
*
, and gently press the fold.

*
See page 171
for an explanation of a selvage edge.

c.
Now, referring to
FIGURE 1C
, using your yardstick and chalk pencil to measure and mark the measurements in steps 1e, 1f, and 1g directly on the
Wrong
side of the fabric. You will be marking the measurements on the fold of the fabric so when you cut out each panel and open it up you will have one full-size panel.

d.
As you mark the measurements for each panel, take a piece of masking tape and place it onto the
Wrong
side of each panel. Mark the name of the panel on the tape to identify each of your pieces.

e.
Using your scissors, cut out each panel following the marked lines.

FROM THE MAIN FABRIC:

• Cut 2 panels (top and bottom): 11″ wide × 42″ long

• Cut 1 lining panel: 31″ wide × 42″ long

• Cut 2 bottom panels: Use the pattern piece provided in the pocket at the front of this book.

f.
Open up the remaining piece of fabric. Working with a single layer of the fabric, measuring on the lengthwise grain
*
(parallel to the selvage edges), measure and mark the following dimensions directly onto the
Wrong
side of
your fabric, using a yardstick and a chalk pencil. Then, using your scissors, cut out each panel following the marked lines.

• Cut 1 strap: 10″ wide × 32″ long

• Cut 2 drawstrings: 3″ wide × 30″ long

*
See page 171
for an explanation of the lengthwise grain.

g.
Following the instructions in steps 1b through 1e (except for the canvas and interfacing bottom panels), measure, mark, and cut the following:

FROM THE FABRIC FOR THE OUTER CENTER PANEL

• Cut 1 panel: 11″ wide × 42″ long

FROM THE CANVAS

• Cut 1 panel: 31″ wide × 42″ long

• Cut 1 bottom panel: Use the pattern piece provided in the pocket at the front of this book. (Cut a single layer.)

FROM THE TIMTEX

• Cut 1 bottom panel: Use the pattern piece provided in the pocket at the front of this book. (Cut a single layer.)

Step 2. Stitch the outer panel.

a.
First, place one 11″ × 42″ main fabric panel and the 11″ × 42″ center panel with
Right
sides together, matching the long raw edges. Pin one long raw edge, and stitch a
¹
/
₂
″ seam along the raw edge, backstitching at each end. Press the seam open.

b.
Now, place the second 11″ × 42″ main fabric panel along the opposite long raw edge of the center panel, with the
Right
sides together, and matching the raw edges. Pin in place and stitch along the long raw edges with a
¹
/
₂
″ seam, backstitching at each end of the seam. Press the seam open.

c.
Then, place the 31″ × 42″ canvas panel on the
Wrong
side of the outer (pieced) panel, matching all the raw edges, and pin it in place completely around the panel.

d.
Using the longest stitch available on your sewing machine, machine baste
*
the canvas to the outer panel, stitching
¹
/
₄
″ from the raw edge. Then, fold the outer panel in half, with the
Right
sides together, matching the seams.

*
See page 171
for an explanation of machine basting.

e.
Stitch a
¹
/
₂
″ seam from the top to the bottom. Press the seam open.

f.
At the bottom edge of the outer panel, stitch a stay stitching
*
line,
¹
/
₂
″ from the cut edge, all the way around the outer panel. Then, clip into the bottom cut edge of the fabric every 1″ to 2″, making sure not to cut into the stitching line.
(
FIGURE 2F, G, H
)

*
See page 172
for an explanation of stay stitching.

g.
Now, mark the bottom of the outer panel into fourths. To do this, turn the outer panel so that the
Wrong
side is facing out and flatten it so that the seam is on the left side. Then, make a mark on the bottom edge, at the fold, opposite the seam.
(
FIGURE 2F, G, H
)

h.
Flatten the outer panel again, this time matching the seam to the mark you just made opposite it. Then make a mark on each of the folds that result. You will now have 3 marks and one seam, dividing the bottom of the outer panel into fourths.
(
FIGURE 2F, G, H
)

i.
Turn the outer panel
Right
side out and set it aside.

FIGURE 1C

CUTTING LAYOUT

Step 3. Make the strap.

a.
First, fold the 10″ × 32″ strap in half lengthwise with the Wrong sides together, and press a center crease.

b.
Open the folded strap and then fold each long raw edge in to meet the center crease and press.

c.
Now, fold the strap in half again along the center crease, enclosing the long raw edges, and pin.

d.
Then, edge stitch
*
close to the folded edge, along both long edges of the strap, creating a 2
¹
/
₂
″ wide × 32″ long strap, backstitching at each end.

*
See page 170
for an explanation of edge stitching.

Step 4. Attach the strap to the outer panel.

a.
Place the strap on the
Right
side of the outer panel, centering it over the side seam and matching the raw edges at the ends of the strap to the raw edges at the top and bottom of the outer panel. Pin the strap in place.

b.
Stitch the strap in place with a
¹
/
₂
″ seam across the top and the bottom raw edges, backstitching at each end.
(
FIGURE 4B
)

c.
Turn the outer panel
Wrong
side out.

Step 5. Prepare and attach the bottom panel.

a.
First, take one main-fabric bottom panel and mark it into fourths. To do this, fold the bottom panel in half and make a mark at each end of the fold. Then, open the bottom panel and fold it in half again, matching the 2 marks you just made. Make 2 more marks at each end of the new fold.

b.
Now, place the Timtex bottom panel onto the
Wrong
side of the marked main-fabric bottom panel. Then, place the canvas bottom panel onto the Timtex bottom panel.

c.
Pin the 3 layers together and stitch a
¹
/
₂
″ seam around the outer edge.

d.
Place the layered bottom panel and the bottom edge of the outer panel with
Right
sides together, lining up the marks that divide the panels in fourths. Pin the panels together.
(
FIGURE 5D
)

e.
Attach the panels by stitching a
¹
/
₂
″ seam completely around the bottom panel. Then, stitch a second time to reinforce
*
the seam, backstitching at each end.
(
FIGURE 5E
)

*
See page 171
for an explanation of reinforcement stitching.

f.
Then turn the bag
Right
side out.

Step 6. Make the buttonholes for the drawstring casing.

a.
First, fold the bag in half with the seam (and strap) to your right.

b.
Lightly press a crease at the fold opposite the seam. This crease will be your guide for the buttonhole placement.

c.
With the bag still folded and the strap to your right, measure 2″ down from the top raw edge, near the creased edge, and make a mark. Then measure 1″ down from the first mark and make a second mark at 3″.

d.
Flip the bag over so that the fold is to your right and the strap is to your left. Measure down as you did in step 6c and make the same marks on this side of the bag near the creased edge.

e.
Then, open up the bag and place it with the seam and strap in the back. The crease and marks will be at the front.

f.
Make 2 vertical buttonholes,
*
one on each side of the crease,
¹
/
₂
″ from the crease, with the top of each buttonhole at the top (2″) mark and the bottom of the buttonhole at the bottom (3″) mark.
(
FIGURE 6F
)

*
See page 170
for an explanation of making a buttonhole.

Step 7. Make the lining for the bag.

a.
Fold the 31″ × 42″ lining panel with
Right
sides together, matching the short raw edges.

b.
Then, following the instructions in steps 2e through 2h, stitch the seam, reinforce the bottom raw edge, clip the bottom raw edge, and mark the bag lining into fourths.