Bowler Bag

Bags of all shapes and sizes are essential for carrying around all of our bits 'n' bobs: we have wipeable pouches for make-up, canvas totes for weekend shopping sprees and, of course, larger-than-life holdalls for our fabric stash! We simply couldn't do without them, so why not stitch a colourful accessory to brighten up your outfit? Begin by making a start on our handy bowling style!

Essentials

Canvas, 1m

Plain cotton, 1m

Craft wadding, 2oz

Fusible interfacing, 2oz

Zip, 35cm

1 Download the template from sewmag.co.uk/templates. Add a 1cm seam allowance, and cut two pairs from the canvas, wadding and lining. Pin the panels, then sandwich the wadding between the outside fabric and lining.

2 Draw a vertical line down the centre of each stack, and topstitch with pale thread. Set a quilting bar to 2cm, then sew parallel lines either side of the centre to secure the layers. Zig zag stitch the edges, and trim the excess. Create two pairs of canvas and lining for the gusset, 6cm x 36cm, and fuse interfacing to the canvas reverse.

3 Sandwich one edge of the zip between the outer material and lining, right sides together, and sew in place. Turn out and topstitch 5mm from the seam. Repeat on the other side. Cut two canvas shapes, 4cm x 8cm, for the zip tabs, and fold in half, right sides together.

4 Sew down both sides, then turn out and topstitch. Tack the raw edge of the tabs to the zip ends. Make two pairs of canvas and lining, 11cm x 25cm, and fuse interfacing to the canvas. Sandwich each end of the zip gusset and tabs, right sides together, and sew. Turn out, topstitch, pin and zig zag stitch the side panel edges together.

5 Cut fabric, 7cm x 12cm, for the decorative strap, and fold in half lengthways, right sides together, before sewing the long edge. Turn out, flatten and tack the strap across one side panel, then 3cm down from zip end. Fold the side and zip gusset piece in half, find the centre and pin. Repeat with the quilted panels.

6 Pin, tack and stitch the pieces, right sides together. Unzip the bag once completed. Cut rectangles from canvas and lining, 12cm x 37cm, for the base, and iron interfacing to the canvas. Pin, wrong sides together, and zig zag stitch the edges. Pin and sew the base to the bag, right sides together.

7 Take two canvas strips for handles, 6cm x 50cm, fold in half lengthways, and sew the long side. Turn out, and feed rope through each tube to create handles. Topstitch the ends to the bag. Glue 6cm leatherette discs to the ends, then attach a decorative circle with extra strong thread.