Project by Stephanie Marsh
You will need:
1m main fabric
½ m contrasting (plain) fabric
½ m single sided iron on wadding
2m cord
1 cord stopper
beeswax
baking parchment/greaseproof paper
Lunch bag
Cut the following:
Main Fabric 2 38cm x 17cm (main bag) 2 38cm x 30.5cm (lining)
Contrasting Fabric 1 38cm x 29cm (base) 2 8cm x 30cm (handles) 4 38cm x 16cm (cover)
Wadding 1 36cm x 16cm
Use 1cm seam allowance through out unless stated.
Instructions:
1. With right sides together sew the main bag pieces to either side of the base along the long sides. Press seams open.
2. Centrally place the wadding on the wrong side of the base/bag and iron in place.
3. From the right side top stitch 1cm away from both sides of the seam.
4. To make the handles press the pieces in half lengthways, wrong sides together.
5. Open out the handle piece and press the raw edges of the long edge to the centre, then fold in half enclosing the raw edges. Top stitch along the 2 long edges.
6. On the main bag mark the half way point on the 2 short edges, them mark 4cm either side. Place the handles at the marks, sew in place within the seam allowance.
7. Take 2 of the cover pieces, with right sides together stitch the long edge to the edge where you have placed the handles. Press the seam allowance toward the bag.
8. Take the lining pieces, right sides together, stitch along the long edge, leaving a gap of about 10cm for turning. Press the seam allowance open.
9. Take the 2 other cover pieces, with right sides together stitch the bag lining on the opposite sides to the seam. Press the seam allowance toward the bag.
10. With right sides together place the bag lining on top of the main bag. Stitch the two short edges. Press the seam allowance open.
11. Matching the base seams and cover seams, pin in place.
12. At both ends sugar bag the bottoms (base and lining) by cutting squares from all the corners, 7cm from the sides and 6.5cm from the bottom, see pic below.
13. Stitch the long edges together, leaving a 2cm gap at the seam where the covers join at the top, on the outer covers side. Press seams open.
14. Open out the cut outs of the corners and stitch across, matching seams on lining, to create the base of the bag, repeat on the lining.
15. Pull the bag right sides out through the gap left in the lining. Press.
16. Stitch the gap closed.
17. Push the lining and one of the covers back inside the bag.
18. Pin in place on the coves seam, topstitch 2cm from the edge. This creates the casing for the cord.
19. Push the covers inside the bag, pin in place and topstitch 1cm from the top of the bag.
20. Using a safety pin thread the cord through the casing. Thread both ends of the cord through the cord stopper. Tie the ends in tight knot. Pull the covers together and secure in place with the cord stopper.
Wax Wraps
Cut the following from the main fabric: 3 31cm square (using pinking shears if possible)
1. On the ironing board place a tea towel.
2. On top of the towel place a piece of parchment paper, bigger than 31cm square.
3. Grate the beeswax, 1 used a 58g block, which was big enough to make 3 31cm square wraps.
4. Place one of the squares of fabric, right side up on top of the parchment paper. Sprinkle some of the grated beeswax over the top.
5. Place another sheet of parchment paper on top of that.
6. Using a medium/hot iron melt the wax into the fabric square. Push the wax gently with the iron onto parts of that needs the wax. If there are parts that haven’t any wax lift up the top layer of parchment paper and sprinkle some more on. When all the fabric has was on carefully lift of the top parchment paper, then the fabric, please somewhere to cool.
7. Your wrap is ready to use. The heat from your hands with mould it to cover anything.
To see more from Stephanie, follow her on Instagram @stephanie_j_marsh.
Made by Stephanie Marsh for The Craft Cotton Co 2023.