Picnic set - bottle bag

By Spotlight

Sew your way to impromptu entertaining perfection this summer. There's a whole set!

Final Result

Materials

• 90cm printed cotton fabric - stripe
• 35cm printed cotton fabric - paisley print
• 35cm cotton fabric- green to match print
• 25cm x 90cm wide iron-on pellon or cotton batting
• sewing machine
• matching Gutermann cotton thread
• scissors
• tape measure/ruler
• pins
• iron
• optional: Bag base, thin mdf or heavy cardboard cut into a 12cm x 12cm square to insert into base of bag.

Step 1

Bag outer
Cut 2 pieces of paisley fabric, 35cm high x 15cm wide. Cut 2 pieces of stripe fabric (stripes running vertically), 35cm high x 15cm wide. For the bag base cut one 15cm square from the plain green fabric. Cut iron-on pellon as follows - 4 pieces 32cm x 12cm and one 12cm x 12cm square. Fuse each piece of pellon to the wrong side of each corresponding fabric piece, centering in middle, leaving a 1.5cm border around all the pellon. With right sides together, sew one of the shorter sides of the paisley fabric to the side of the plain green fabric square, stopping the seam 1.5cm short of each edge. With right sides together, sew one of the shorter sides of the other paisley fabric to the opposite side of the plain green fabric square, again stopping the seam 1.5cm short of each edge.

Step 2

Strap
Cut 2 lengths of stripe fabric (with stripes running lengthways) 90cm x 10cm wide. Cut 2 pieces of iron-on pellon, 87cm x 3.5cm wide. With wrong sides together, press each strip of stripe fabric in half lengthways. Open up and place pellon strip on oneside of fabric aligning edge of pellon with pressed fold. Centre pellon, so there will be a 1.5cm border of fabric on each end. Fuse pellon in place. Turn in 1.5cm on one of the long sides of the fabric strip and press. Press the remaining long side under 1.5cm then fold sides together. Pin and topstitch down both sides of the strap 3mm in from each edge. Turn each of the short ends under 1.5cm and pin one end in the centre at the bottom of one of the paisley sides of bag. Take the strap up the side towards the top and topstitch in place 3mm from the edge of the strap stopping 9cm down from the top of bag. Pin the other end of the strap in the centre of the bottom of the other paisley side of bag, and making sure strap is not twisted, topstitch in place 3mm from the edge again stopping 9cm down from the top of bag.

Step 3

Lining
From the plain green fabric cut 4 pieces 35cm x 15cm, one 15cm x 15cm square. With right sides together, sew one of the shorter sides of the 35cm x 15cm pieces to one side of the green fabric square, stopping the seam 1.5cm short of each edge. With right sides together, sew one of the shorter sides of another 35cm x 15cm piece to the opposite side of the green square, again stopping the seam 1.5cm short of each edge. Pin the remaining two 15cm x 35cm pieces to each of the raw side edges of the bag lining and bottom lining. Sew in place with a 1.5cm seam allowance, pivoting at bottom corners. Clip corners. Press under 1.5cm along whole top raw edge. Insert base into bag if desired. Place lining inside fabric bag with wrong sides together. Pin pressed top edges together, aligning side seams and topstitch along whole top edge 3mm in from edge and press. If desired, roll down top edge to where strap is sewn to bag.