Kids Makes

Felt Applique Bag

This simple appliquéd bag can be decorated as much or as little as you

Materials

• Felt

• Fabric scraps for flowers
• Bias binding
• Bondaweb

Steps to make

1. Enlarge the bag pattern (at the end of this page) to its full size on a photocopier and cut out the shape. Draw round it to make a card template. Fold your felt in half and place the template so that the bottom line (dotted in the pattern) is on the fold. Draw round the template and cut out the bag shape. Do the same on your lining fabric.

2. Apply fusible web to your fabric scraps. Make card templates for the circles, leaf and stalks. Draw round the templates and cut out shapes as follows: one large and one medium circle; four small circles; nine leaves; one large stalk and four smaller stalks. Trim the ends of two of the smaller stalks to make them shorter still. Peel off the backing.

3. Place all the shapes to create the design as shown and iron them on to the felt bag front.

HANDY HINTS: An easy way to attach the appliqué is to use fusible web. Place the fusible web sticky side down on the fabric and iron it on a hot settting. Draw around your template and cut out the shape. Peel the backing paper off the fusible web and place sticky side down on the backing fabric and iron on a hot setting.

4. Machine sew round some of the shapes, using thread in two different colours chosen to match or contrast with your fabrics. Use straight stitch for some of the shapes and zigzag stitch for others.

5. Sew a button in the centre of each flower.

6. Turn the felt bag inside out and use a sewing machine and matching sewing thread to sew up the side seams, leaving a 1 cm (3/8”) seam allowance.  

7. Trim the corners, making sure you do not cut as far as the stitching.

8. Sew across the top of the handle in the same way. Now repeat steps 6–7 to sew up the lining.

9. Put the lining in the bag, making sure you match up the seams of the lining with the seams of the bag.

10. Pin and tack the lining in place. Tack with large running stitches, 6 mm (¼") from the edge, round both the openings in the bag.

11. Take a length of bias binding and open up the fold on one side of it. Place it just beyond the side seam of the felt bag. Fold over the end.

12. Pin the bias binding in place, following the curve of the bag’s opening.

13. When you come back round to where you started, overlap the bias binding slightly - trim the end. Tack the bias binding in place with long running stitches.

14. Machine sew the bias binding to the felt bag, leaving a 1 cm (3/8in) seam allowance. Sew slowly and carefully round the curves.

15. Fold the bias binding over the bag opening to hide the machine stitching. Slipstitch it in place and repeat steps 12–16 to complete the bag.

BAG PATTERN BELOW

Just by using different designs and colour ways you can adapt this simple bag to any style and taste. Try making a small one to take to a party!

Further Information
This project has been reproduced from the book Start to Applique by Nancy Nicholson and is available from Search Press. This book is great for those who are new to appliqué and contains lots of fun and easy projects using funky fabrics to get you started making cushions, bags, brooches. With step by step photographs and easy to follow instructions, this book is ideal for taking you through the techniques along side lots of creative ideas.  Search Press are offering ISEW browsers and special offer – buy it for £5.99 call Search Press on tel: 01892 510850 and quote ISEW. For more art and craft titles log on to www.searchpress.com.