Do your shopping in style with this sturdy tote that will hold up to a morning of shopping at the farmer’s market or an afternoon of retail therapy. Created using the quilt as you go method, it is big enough to hold all the essentials and more.
MATERIALS
• 50cm (20") main fabric – we used Denim
• Fat Eighths or large scraps of approx. 10 different fabrics
• 1.2m (50") lining fabric – black and white text print fabric
• Fat Quarter for slip pocket outers
• 25cm (10") strip of fabric for the strap linings
• 1m (40") Thermolam wadding (Vlieseline)
• 1m (40") Style-Vil (Vlieseline)
• Packet of Bundfix tape (Vlieseline)
• Fat Quarter S320 fusible interfacing (Vlieseline)
• 25cm (10") H630 fusible interfacing (Vlieseline)
• 3, 18cm (7") coordinating zips
• Water soluble marker
• Fabric glue stick
• Ribbon scraps for the zipper pulls
• Coordinating threads for topstitching – neutral thread for QAYG
TO CUT
Main fabric:
– Cut 2, 50cm x 12cm (20" x 4¾")
– Cut 2, 70cm x 5cm (27 6⁄8" x 2") for straps
Lining fabric:
– Cut 2, 45cm x 50cm (17¾" x 20")
– Cut 2, 28cm x 25cm (11" x 10") for outer pockets
– Cut 4, 25cm x 30cm (10" x 12") for inner pockets
Scraps/Fat Eigths:
– Strips of various widths for patchwork
– Cut 2, 70cm x 5cm (27 6⁄8" x 2") for lining straps
Thermolam wadding:
– Cut 2, 50cm x 55cm (20" x 21¾")
S320 interfacing:
– Cut 2, 25cm x 15cm (10" x 6")
Bundfix tape:
– Cut 2, 70cm (27 6⁄8") strips
H630 interfacing:
– Cut 2, 7cm x 70cm (2¾" x 27 6⁄8").
TO SEW
1. With the water soluble marker, mark out a box 45cm x 50cm (17¾" x 20") in the middle of your wadding. This will be the size of the bag front – the extra wadding will be trimmed away later.
2. Mark 10cm (4") up from the bottom long edge and draw a line. Come down 10cm (4") from the top long edge and draw another line. The area between these two lines is the QAYG part. The area above and below the line will be grey denim.
3. Take a square scrap approx. 10cm x 10cm (4"), place it somewhere within the QAYG zone and channel quilt it with narrow lines. Next choose a strip which is about as long as the square, with RST place it on the edge of the square. Sew a normal seam. Flip the new piece over and channel quilt as before.
4. Add another strip (it doesn’t have to be the same width). Trim it to the same length as the two that you have in place already. This can be guessed; no measuring is needed. Make the seam, flip it over and quilt. Continue this process until you have filled the QAYG zone. To make the square rows, simply sew a number of squares together, press and then use them as a strip.
5. Attach the denim strips to the QAYG section in the same manner as all of the other strips. Laying them right side down onto the QAYG section and making a seam. Flip over and channel quilt with coordinating thread.
6. Trim bag front and lay it over a slightly larger piece of Style-Vil. Attach with a half normal seam allowance all around and trim the foam interfacing.
7. Repeat steps 1-6 to make the back.
8. To make the back pocket, take one of the 28cm x 25cm (11" x 10") pocket linings. On the wrong side mark a zipper box 5cm (2") down from the edge in the vertical centre. The box should measure 18cm x 1cm (7" x ⅜"). Mark a cutting line in the middle of it with angled lines at each end.
9. With RST, align the centre of the pocket lining with the upper centre of the back outer, pin. Sew around the outer sewing line of the zipper box then cut the centre line including the angles. Post the lining through the hole and smooth out so it lays flat. Place the zipper on the pocket lining side of the zipper pocket and baste or pin. Topstitch zipper in place. With RST, pin the remaining pocket lining to the sewn piece and stitch together. Tie a ribbon scrap through the zipper pull.
10. Using the 45cm x 50cm (17¾" x 20") lining pieces and the 25cm x 30cm (10" x 12") inner pocket pieces, repeat steps 8-9 to create the inner lining pockets.
11. Make the slip pockets by cutting your chosen pocket fabric and a piece of lining slightly larger than the S320 interfacing. Centre the interfacing onto the wrong side of the pocket outer and fuse. The excess fabric will be trimmed back later. Place this onto the pocket lining, RST. Pin and sew around the very edge of the interfacing, leaving a gap in the bottom. Trim seam allowance and clip corners. Turn out through the gap and press, ensuring you press the gap closed.
12. Place the pocket 12.5cm (5") under one of the inner zippers and topstitch in place with a narrow seam. Remember that the zipper pocket lining is going to be in the way; simply pin it up until you have added the slip pocket. This pocket is large and likely to sag, sew several vertical seams across the pocket to counteract this and for more practical storage options.
13. Repeat steps 11 and 12 for the remaining side of the lining.
14. Place the two lining pieces RST and sew down the sides and across the base, leaving a turning gap in the base. From each of the lower corners cut out a 2.5cm (1") square (measure from the seam NOT the edge of the fabric). Sugar bag the corners by pinching the side and base together, ensuring seams align. Stitch.
15. To make the bag straps, take the denim and lining strap pieces. Pin them together in pairs with RST. Sew along the length. Open out and press seams open. On the wrong side, fuse a H630 strip in the centre of each strap, then on top of this fuse the Bundfix tape.
16. You will notice there is some fabric overhang, fold the raw edges over the edge of the Bundfix tape/ interfacing and press. Fold the straps in half (a bit of fabric glue will keep the strap closed while you sew). Topstitch the straps closed - I topstitched a line of stitching close to the edge and then created another line approx. 7mm from the first. Trim ends.
17. Putting it all together. Place the trimmed outer sections RST and sew along the sides and base, leaving no gaps. Box the corners as in step 14. Turn the bag right way out and poke out the corners.
18. Matching raw edges, place the straps on the top edge of the outer bag 12cm (4¾") away from each end.
19. Turn the lining inside out and with RST place the outer bag inside the lining. The straps should be down between the outer and lining. Stitch in place along the top of the bag. Turn out through the gap in the base of the lining and hand stitch gap closed. Stuff the lining down into the bag and topstitch around the top edge to keep the lining down.
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