Make a quilt-as-you-go Frill Top Bag

Our stash-busting bag is perfect for use as a handbag, lunch tote, shopping carrier, or as a gift bag... it’s quite the all-rounder! Using the quilt-as-you-go method you’ll be multitasking while making it.

1 Cut the fat quarter into four 10"H x 2"W strips, one 5"H x 11"W piece and two 3½" x 16½" strips. Cut six 10"H x 2"W strips from each fat eighth. From the lining fabric, cut two 10"H x 12½"W pieces and cut the base and four frill pieces using the templates. Cut the stabiliser into two 10" x 12½" pieces, one 5" x 11" piece and two 1¾" x 16½" strips.

2 Position a 10" x 12½" piece of stabiliser horizontally – fusible side up. Iron a 10" x 2" strip – right side up – to the left end of the stabiliser. Position a second strip on top of the previous strip – right sides together – and stitch along the right-hand side. Fold the second strip over and press onto the stabiliser. Sew six more strips in this way to fill the piece. Repeat to make another 10" x 12½" piece.

3Iron the 5" x 11" fabric piece onto the 5" x 11" stabiliser piece. Sew evenly spaced lines along the 11" length. Cut into a bag base shape using the template. With right sides together, sew two frill pieces together around the curves. Snip the seam allowance into the points. Turn right side out and press. Make a second frill piece.

4 Fold the handle fabric strips in half lengthways with right sides in and place each on top of a 1¾" x 16½" stabiliser strip. Sew the strips to the stabiliser along the raw edge sides to make a tube. Turn right side out and press with the seams along one side. Top-stitch along each side of the handles. Fold the handles in half lengthways and stitch on top of the previous stitches starting and finishing 2" from the ends.

5 Sew the 10" x 12½" side pieces together – fabric sides together – along the 10" sides. With fabric sides together, pin the bag base to the side pieces, lining up the snips in the ends of the bag base with the side seams and the centre of the 12½" edges with the base piece long sides snips. With the base on the bottom, sew the pieces together around the bag base. Turn right side out.

6Pin the frill pieces to the top edges of the bag, lining up the centre of the frills with the centre of the bag front and back – the ends of the frills will overlap. Pin a handle to each side of the bag with the folded seam facing up, each end of the handles should be 2½" from the bag's side seams. Tack the frills and handles in place.

7 Make the lining the same way as the bag in Step 5, leaving a gap in the seam along one straight edge of the base for turning. With right sides together, push the bag into the lining. Line up the raw edges and side seams of the lining and bag and pin. Stitch around the top of the bag and lining.

8 Turn the bag right side out through the gap in the lining. Sew the gap closed and push the lining into place inside the bag. Fold the frills and handles up away from the bag and top-stitch around the top on the bag about ¼" from the top seam – ensuring the lining is in place and not puckered. Fold the frills down.

Helping Hand

◆ Take note of the width and height letters – W and H – next to the cutting measurements if using directional fabrics. When sewing the strips to the stabiliser make sure you have the patterns all in the same direction

◆ Be sure to fold open the 10" x 2" fabric strips fully when pressing to the stabiliser – when all strips are sewn and pressed, trim any excess fabric to the same size as the stabiliser

◆ Before you turn the handles right side out, trim the stabiliser seam allowance as close to the seam without cutting the stitches

Buy Now

This set has five bag patterns to make – Cross-Body Tote Bag, Crafter's Carry-All, Mini CarryAll, Frill Top Bag, Quilter's Tote Bag – along with instructions and full-size paper pattern pieces where necessary.

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Quilter's Trading Post –5X Essential Bag Pattern Collection (to purchase this head to createandcraft.com and type in product code 226712) Price £32.99

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