Simple handbag: flower appliqué tutorial

At the end of my last post I had cut out some fabric ready to make a handbag using the Phoebe Bag free pattern found on Pinterest.

This is what it looks like with all the pieces assembled!

I love the shape, it's just what I was looking for; slightly rounded bottom corners, a narrower top, a perfect length shoulder strap and a neat fastening.

Rebeka Lambert's tutorial for the Phoebe Bag was so easy to follow, with clear step-by-step instructions and a printable pattern - I'd highly recommend it.

I did make a few changes. The interfacing I used was quite padded and I also included two inner layers of lining fabric to stiffen it. I like that it holds its shape without collapsing.

My auntie kindly showed me how to appliqué the flowers as she's been making them as brooches. I thought I'd share the process with you because they really are simple and look so cheerful on a bag like this. This is, of course, not the only way to go about appliqué but it worked for me!

Flower appliqué tutorial

 

#1 - Select your scraps

Probably the most difficult bit of the whole process - deciding which colours to use together! I rifled through the scraps box for a good half an hour wavering between pastel shades and bright patterns before deciding on the latter.

#2 - Draw your flowers

Draw out your flowers on the non sticky side of a piece of fusible interfacing such as Vilene. The stiffness of the interfacing depends on what you intend to do with your appliqué flowers. Mine was quite thin but could have done with being a bit thicker.

Once you're happy with your flower shapes, cut them out but don't cut right up to the lines. A circle around the flower will do. Iron them on to the wrong side of your chosen scraps. To avoid the iron getting sticky, use another piece of spare fabric on top of the interfacing as you iron.

#3 - Cut out your appliqué flowers

Once your interfacing is securely stuck on, you can cut out the flowers with fabric scissors. Here are mine all lined up on the arm of the chair. I chose to do a variety of sizes, but you can keep them all the same, or vary the shape and style.

#4 - Cut out the centres

Repeat steps two and three but this time with circles for the centre of the flowers. I used the same fabric as the lining of my bag to bring the design together.

Place the centres in the middle of the flowers ready to sew.

#5 - Sew the centres

I think that this is where ironing them on with Bondaweb may have been useful to keep them in place, but it wasn't too difficult without it.

Using the free motion foot on your sewing machine, sew on the centres in a contrasting colour. I've used black here. Lower the feed dogs when using the free motion foot to allow you to freely move the fabric around. You needn't turn the fabric, but instead direct the needle around the edge of the circle by moving it forwards, backwards and side to side smoothly. It reminds me of using an Etch A Sketch!

I stitched once around the centres at this stage.

#6 - Arrange your flowers

Place the flowers on your fabric where you'd like them to be sewn. I've arranged mine on the front piece of my bag. Play around with the arrangement until you've got it exactly how you want it. I had originally thought I'd sew the flowers over one another in a bunch, but it didn't look quite right when I tried it.

You can pin or tack on the flowers to keep them in position while you sew the others.

#7 - Sew on the flowers

If you haven't used a particularly stiff interfacing, you may need to put something underneath to stop the machine bunching the fabric as you sew. A tear away stabilizer should do the trick. It's a bit like paper and, as the name suggests, just tears away from the underside of the fabric once you've stitched on your appliqué.

I sewed twice around the edge of my flowers, and then once more around the middle as they'd already been stitched once.

Don't they look pretty!

You can then use your appliqued fabric to make up whatever project you're working on.

I'm so pleased with my lovely flower bag!

This isn't all I've been working on this weekend, I'll be back later in the week with some photos of our sunny walk and some half-finished projects!

Feel free to pin from this post on Pinterest and a little share on Facebook would make my day :D

I'm sharing today's post on the following blogs: Handmade Harbour, Be Different Act Normal and Tatertots and Jello.

A new blog header and a lovely, sunny weekend - life is good!

Introducing my new blog header! It's taken me every evening after work this week to cut, so it was a time consuming piece but I think it was worth it! What are your thoughts? Should it stay?

Disaster nearly struck as I had forgotten to mirror the year (top left) when I drew it from the cutting side. Thanks to my Dad's eagle eyes, disaster was averted and the date is the correct way round!

Here are some more close-ups of the papercut.

I like the idea of having to look at it for a while to find all the little details hidden among the flowers. There are a whole variety of things to spot, from teapots (see below) to bees and butterflies.

There are also a few stars hidden in there too.

At the beginning of the week I also completed another heart commission to be given as a wedding present. I'll be able to reveal that one when the big day is over later this year!

My Mum and Dad came to stay on Friday night, and, as luck would have it, the weather has been absolutely stunning.

We took the opportunity to get out exploring the lovely North Devon coast, walking from the south end of Westward Ho! around the corner and along the South Devon Coast Path.

It's warmer than it has been in a long time and a sure sign that spring is in the air. It makes me feel very happy to be outside enjoying such incredible scenery, catching some rays and much needed vitamin D.

The colours at this time of year in England are so vibrant. There's something lovely about these tufts of springy grass on weather-worn mounds of earth.

Mum and Dad went home on Saturday evening, so Sam and I took advantage of a second day of sunshine for a little road trip to Bude, about 40 mins south and just over the border into Cornwall.

We took a little walk along the breakwater for a closer look at the crashing waves. The surf was amazing today - a little too big for most of the surfers braving the winter-chilled sea!

This photo shows the view from the end of the breakwater across the bay of Summerleaze Beach and back towards the town.

After an ice cream we set off north along the coast, past Crooklets and on to Northcott along the South West Coast Path. The views were beautiful across the sea and coast, and back across the fields.

A ladybird hitched a sneaky lift on Sam's shoulder!

After a brief pause to admire the view, we set off back to Bude for a well-deserved pasty from Tasty Pasties - and they are just that, yum!

When we got back it was still sunny in the garden, so the sun-worshipping continued, this time with a book and lounger.

As it got a little chilly, I came inside and finished a sleeveless top sewing project that I started on Saturday evening. I adapted it from a few patterns and the block that I made last week, which may explain why it's not quite right!

The little tucks in the neckline weren't originally intended, but when I tried it on the neck was a little baggy so I improvised.

It needs a good iron!

The back went a little wrong as I didn't line up the shoulder darts with the waist ones, so there was a baggy part between the points of the darts which I just pinched together and bodged so its still a bit lumpy.

Not bad for a first attempt though and it'll teach me to match my darts line up next time!

I'm sharing today's post at Handmade Harbour, Manon Popje's Illustrations, Be Different Act Normal, Lamb Around and Tatertots and Jello. 

Weekends go too quickly!

You know those weekends which just fly by and you feel like you haven't actually accomplished anything? Well, I've just had one of them.

I set out with good intentions - there was so much I was going to get done! As usual, though, I've ended up starting lots of projects and not finishing any of them.

Corduroy hand bag

I began cutting the pieces for this bag in June last year! The fabric was bought in Kuching in Malaysian Borneo which I wrote about here. It's been put aside for a few months but has slowly progressed since Christmas thanks to the help of my new sewing machine.

This weekend I've taken a big step towards finishing it by inserting the zip and sewing on the flap. It still needs a couple of side pockets sewing on and some shiny poppers to secure it, then it should be finished.

 

Clothing project

I have always wanted to make clothes I can actually wear, rather than spending hours on a creation which I wouldn't dare step out of the house in!

My sister bought me a book about adapting and designing clothing patterns, so I started by making a 'block' and 'toile' as a template for other garments. I made three in total, the first couple weren't quite right and this one still needs a bit of tweaking but it's close enough.

It doesn't look much but it's the start of great garments to come (I hope!).

Papercut banner

Sam's always telling me that my blog design needs a little sprucing up and I'm inclined to agree with him. With so many other interesting craft projects to embark on though, I've been putting it off.

Having finished a commissioned papercut, and as I'm a little addicted to them now, I thought that a design including my name would make the perfect top banner for my blog.

Here's a little peek at the end I've started cutting.

With a bit of luck I'll have finished it by the end of the week.

Off now to do what Sunday nights are all about: stuff my face with crisps, watch some TV and flick through a craft book in front of the fire :)

PS. Thank you to Manon from Manon Popje's Illustrations for including a link to my papercut heart. Take a look at her lovely scandinavian papercut here.

I'm sharing this post today at Handmade Monday, Manon Popje's Illustrations, Tatertots and Jello and Lamb Around.