The Folk Art Factory: Paper bag style lunch bag

I think that we all know about recycling and that means not creating waste in the first place as well as knowing which bin to place it in. Food is the focus of most of our waste so I thought that a cute paper bag style lunch bag may be just the thing for this week's post. I want something that will look and behave like a paper bag - forever!

To add another dimension again, we are going to make a scrap project so that we are not cutting into new fabric either - see no waste AND using the stash.

You may cite this article when your other half starts the usual rant....

I am having a love affair with Art Gallery Fabrics and I have gathered a few offcuts from my favourites so they will be featuring this week.

I love Essex Yarn Dyed Linen so I am going to use that too.

Before we get going, can I draw your attention to something else that you might like to know about? This is unfortunately only for UK followers so I am sorry to my other readers.
There is a great competition going at the moment to create a Sketchbook Quilt and you can read all about it properly in your Popular Patchwork magazine (or you can click on that link to do it right now).

I am really into this because two of my major sponsors are very much involved - Janome and Vlieseline and I am always up for supporting my crafting community.

So what's in it for you? Prizes and great ones at that - we are talking sewing machines here and who doesn't want a new one of those! A Janome machine will change your sewing forever and there are three to win! All you have to do is....well, click on the link and read all about it and then get sewing.

I am not allowed to enter the competition proper but my sketchbook quilt will be featured in Popular Patchwork in one of the coming issues so watch out for it there. I think that it is the bag issue and you will find out what one of my favourite colours are at the same time!

Well, that;s so exciting and I wish you all the very best of British luck!

Right, packed lunches then. What do we need to create a lunch bag that will have everyone else looking on in envy?

-scraps of fabrics cut into 6 cm strips
-a fat eighth of Essex Yarn Dyed linen in denim
-a fat quarter of something cute for the lining
-fat quarter of H640 fusible fleece (Vlieseline)
-fat quarter S320 fusible interfacing (Vlieseline)
-a button which ties it all together
-12 cm round elastic

You can access the main pieces for this project from...

Vlieseline -groves@stockistenquiries.co.uk 01453 883581

Art gallery fabrics from -Hantex- www.hantex.co.uk/mystockists

If you love my sewing machine-Janome Horizon Memory Craft 8200 QCP Special edition sewing machine from www.janome.co.uk

To begin with, here is your template for the lunch bag. The measurements are given to help with printing out.

Begin by collecting about 6 of your strips and cutting them all to 30cm lengths or thereabouts. Sew them together to make a block and iron them....

Cut two pieces of denim 30 cm x 12 cm and attach one to each end of the strip panel....

Fuse the fleece to the wrong side of this patched panel. Quilt in straight lines using the strips as a guide and simply continuing the quilt lines up onto the denim...

It is useful to rule some lines so that you don't go wonky here. These lines have to be very straight indeed.

Fuse the other piece of interfacing to the wrong side of the outer panel over the top of the fleece.

You might wonder what exactly is the point of using two lots of interfacing? Well, that is easy to answer. they both have different functions. The fusible fleece gives loft and 'quiltability' and the interfacing gives a little structure to the bag and stops it from flopping about.

Fold the patched, quilted and interfaced panel in half and then cut the bag shape out on the fold (there is a line on the pattern to show you where this is)....

Fold the elastic in half and attach it to the top centre of what will become the back of the bag. Sew it on well because there is some stress when you open the bag and close it.

Sew up the sides of the bag so that you have something a little more recognisable....

Box the corners next. This is simple and the cut outs are already there for you. Pinch them together....

And sew across....

Repeat for the other side and then do the same for the lining in a tick. Prepare the lining next. Cut the lining out using the pattern the same as you did for the bag's outer. Sew up the sides of the lining but leave a gap in one side for turning out....

Box the corners so that they fit into the outer. You may need to trim and adjust the corners a bit. This is not a pattern fault or anything that you have done wrong. It is actually physics to blame! Fabric creeps a bit and we are constantly making slight changes as we sew.

Turn the lining inside out and the bag outer the right way out and pull the lining on over the top of the outer. The two right sides should be together.

Match up the side seams nicely and sew around the top.

Turn out through the gap. Close the gap and stuff the lining down into the bag.

Top stitch around the top edge. I have done this twice because I quite like the look of the double stitching and it provides more security for the elastic....