Book Review

The internet is a fantastic resource for design inspiration and I particularly love Pinterest. A day rarely goes by without me checking to see what new ideas are out there and saving them to inspire my own projects.

That said you can't beat a good craft book, packed full of beautiful colour images and imaginative projects. I've had this book A Passion for Patchwork for a while, it is well-used and full of my scribbles as I have taken and adapted many of its ideas to suit my own style.

Here are just a few of the things I have made using inspiration form this lovely book.

I thought the combination of these pretty hearts and stripes on this tea cosy would work well on some quilted place mats. I have made these mats several times now and each set has sold straight away. I think the actual tea cosy might be one to make soon as I have had a couple of enquiries. I love a cup of tea and proper tea from a pot has definitely come back into fashion! I must get cracking on some cosies soon!

I knew I had to make these cute little purses as soon as I saw them. They are so unusual and fun to make. I love choosing pretty fabrics that go together and they only need scraps. The best bit is when you turn the finished purse to its right side and it suddenly becomes three dimensional.

I have adapted this little draw string bag and it goes really well with the cube purse above to make a pretty matching set. I have made lots of these in all sorts of colours and sizes. I can make a whole set of matching purses from three or four co-ordinating fat quarters.

As well as small projects like the purses and the tea cosy, the book also has quite a few quilts of different styles. I particularly liked this chequer board design and thought it would work well for a jelly roll of batik fabrics I'd had for a while. I didn't use quilt batting for this one but lined it with a bright orange fleece fabric which along with the black border, brings out the bright colours in the fabrics.

I hope you have enjoyed my review of what is definitely my favourite and most used craft book.  Books can be so expensive so it's great to have a recommendation so you are sure you will get lots of use from it. I would love to hear about your favourite book whether it is about patchwork, sewing, crochet or any other craft. Please do leave a comment.

I look forward to investigating some new books and possibly learning some new crafts.

Signature Shoulder Bag Tutorial

This is my most popular bag design, I make it in three sizes. I often use suiting samples from old tailors swatch books that I found gathering dust in a cupboard or upcycle old jeans. The smallest is rather fiddly but it's the one I wear every day around school as it's just big enough to hold my phone, keys and a board maker! I recommend you start out making the medium or large bag first.

You can download a PDF of the pattern HERE

(Remember to set the size to 100% when you print it out)

To make this bag you will need:

Fabric or off-cuts for the outside of the bag (depending on your design)
Lightweight cotton fabric for the lining
Wadding
Iron-on interfacing to stiffen the flap
Cotton webbing or similar for the strap
A button

Instructions for making

1. Cut the bag pieces out and back with wadding. You need to add any decoration to the cut pieces now. I use a combination of patchwork and appliqué. I make the flap by sewing strips of contrasting fabrics together and quilting before cutting out using the pattern piece. Add a button loop facing inwards as shown (make the button loop from a strip of fabric approx 4 cm wide turning the long edges in before folding in half and machining together).

2. Iron interfacing on to the back of the piece that will become the back of the flap. I always draw in the stitching line on the interfacing and cut away most of the seam allowance, reducing the thickness and making it easier to stitch a neat symmetrical curve.

Now sew the flap and its backing together, right sides facing, leaving the top edge open (1 cm seam allowance). Trim and clip curves before turning through to the right side and topstitching to give a flat edge.

3. Stitch the top of the finished flap to the back of the bag body piece (the outside of the flap facing the right side of the bag piece).

4. Now stitch the bag front and back pieces to the side panel right sides together (1 cm seam allowance) around the curved edges. you might need to snip into the seam allowance along the edges of the side panel so that it fits smoothly around the curve. 

5. Stitch the ends of the strap to the top of the side panels as shown, so that the length of the strap is directed downwards into the right side of the bag.

6. Stitch together the lining pieces in the same way as the bag, but leave a gap along one of the bottom edges. You will turn the finished bag through this hole later.

7. Put the bag inside the lining, right sides together, matching the seams around the top edge. The flap and the strap should be hidden inside. Stitch right around this top edge 1 cm from the edge.

8. This is the clever bit! Turn the whole bag to the right side by pushing it through the hole you left in the bottom of the lining. Stitch up the gap folding the seam allowances inside.

9. Finally tuck the lining down into the inside of the bag and topstitch around the folded edge to keep it down and give a flat finish. You will need to stitch this quite slowly and carefully as you have a number of thicknesses to stitch through. Stitch a button on to the front of the bag to fasten the flap down.