DESIGNERCORINNE BRADD

handy satchelThis simple-to-create, patternless accessory

makes use of your fabric stash

Add some design flair

make a satchel1From both fabrics, cut pieces 24cm x

30cm and 10cm x 30cm. Fuse interfacing to the wrong side of both patterned pieces; these will form the front of the bag. Place the larger pieces right sides together and sandwich the 25cm zip face down in the centre of one 30cm long edge. Stitch in place with a 5mm seam allowance and open out the fabrics to reveal the teeth of the zip. Press and topstitch along the edge, 1cm from the teeth. Zig zag stitch around the other three edges to hold them together.

2 Sandwich the other edge of the zip between the two smaller pieces of fabric

in the same way. Open out the lining fully but fold the patterned fabric back over the seam to create a 2cm flap that hides the zip. Press and topstitch along the other edge of the zip, 1cm from the teeth. Trim the lining fabric to the same height as the patterned and zig zag around the remaining three sides, allowing the top of the bag front to overlap the bottom panel. The front panel should measure 29cm x 30cm.

3 Cut a 30cm square of patterned fabric and two from the plain. Fuse interfacing

to the wrong side of the patterned piece. Cut plain fabric, 18cm x 30cm, and fold in

Essentials• Fabric: print cotton, 0.5cm,

plain, 0.5cm• Lightweight fusible

interfacing, 0.5m• Zips: 25cm, 30cm• Leather strap with clasps• Attaching rings• Coordinating thread

half to make a 15cm x 18cm rectangle. Sew around the three remaining sides with a 5mm seam allowance, leaving a 5cm gap on one edge. Clip the corners and turn out through the gap. Fold the raw edges of the gap inside and press the panel. Topstitch along this edge. Pin the panel to the centre of one piece of lining and stitch around the remaining three edges to make a pocket.

4 Take the second piece of lining fabric and place onto the bag front, right sides

together. Sandwich the 30cm zip centrally between the fabrics along the top edge and stitch as before, leaving 2cm at each end of the fabric unsewn. Turn the fabrics right sides out and press but do not topstitch. Stitch the lining pocket panel and the patterned back panel to the other edge of the zip in the same way.

5 Join the patterned pieces right sides together. Pin and stitch around the three

raw sides, taking care not to catch the ends of the zip in the seam. Flatten the bag at the bottom corners and stitch across, 3cm from the point, to make a flat base. Repeat for the lining of the bag, leaving a 10cm gap in the centre of the bottom seam.

6 Turn the bag right side out through the gap. Fold in the

raw edges of the gap and slipstitch closed. Push the lining inside the bag. Fold in the raw edges of both fabrics on the top of the bag at the ends of the zip. Topstitch around the top edge of the bag, 1cm from the zip teeth, to neaten and secure the raw edges. The ends of the zip should protrude from the edges of the bag.

7 Cut two pieces of patterned fabric 7cm x 8cm, and fold in half right sides together

to make pieces 4cm x 7cm. Stitch down the long seam and turn out tubes. Turn in 5mm on the remaining raw edges and press so the seam lays down the centre. Fold in half so the turned in edges match up and sandwich the ends of the zip between them. Pin and topstitch across the turned in edges to create pull tabs.

8 Cut two 8cm squares in patterned fabric, stitch into tubes, turn in and fold as for

the pull tabs. Slip a connecting ring onto each folded tube and tack to hold it against the centre. Open the bag and pin the loops to the sides, just below the ends of the zip. Topstitch the loops securely to the bag in a crossed box pattern. Remove the tacking stitches from below the connecting rings. Clip a leather strap to the connectors.

“Make your own leather tassel by fringing a square of soft

leather, rolling up into a tassel and binding a loop to the top

with a narrow strip of leather”Corinne Bradd, designer