Patchwork denim bag

Stitch up the perfect accessory, by designer Corinne Bradd, to keep your essentials safe. Fully lined and made from the quintessential American fabric, denim, but with a makeover from Art Gallery fabrics, it features pretty florals and soft textured plains. We’re sure it will become your go-to weekend bag.

Essentials

Denim print fabric, selection from The Denim Studio by Art Gallery Fabrics
Plain denim
Cotton print lining
Soft suede
Lightweight quilt wadding
Leather needle punch

Dimensions List

19cm x 26cm

Stitch a bag

1 Download and print the templates. Cut denim print fabrics into 4cm wide strips. Trim each one into different length pieces and arrange in a random pattern on a flat surface, to cover an area of 35cm x 45cm. Sew the pieces right sides together into strips, press and topstitch 2mm from each seam to hold the seam allowance flat.

2 Sew the strips together to create a patchwork panel. Press and lay onto quilt wadding. Topstitch 2mm from the long seams as before. Using the template, cut a full bag shape from the quilted fabric and zig zag stitch around the edges.

3 Take a 30cm x 43cm piece of lining fabric and cut it in half. Place the pieces right sides together and sew them together, leaving a 14cm gap in the middle of the seam. Press the edges of the gap flat. Pin the quilted panel to the lining, right sides together, and stitch around the edges. Clip the excess fabric from the lining.

4 Clip the curves and turn out through the gap. Press and slip stitch the gap closed. Alternatively, create a simple fabric pocket and stitch this inside the lining using the gap as the top edge.

5 Cut a half bag shape from plain denim and lining. Sew right sides together around the curved sides. Clip the curves, turn out and fold in 5mm on the top straight edges and topstitch. Cut a 4cm x 65cm piece of soft suede. Round off the ends of the strip and use a needle punch to make a series of holes all around, 5mm apart and 5mm in from the edges.

6 Find the centre of the strip and the mid-point of the bottom edge of the patchwork panel and hold them together with binder clips. Continue clipping the edge of the strip around the bag to the halfway point on each side before sewing together with strong thread in running stitch through the holes. To strengthen, sew back through the holes in the opposite direction. Stitch the half bag piece to the other edge of the strip in the same way.

7 Cut a 9cm x 1m strip of plain denim. Fold it in half lengthways, right sides together and stitch down the long edge. Turn the tube out and flatten, so the seam lies in the middle. Turn in 5mm on both raw ends and slip stitch. Topstitch down each side of the strap, 3mm from the edges. Hand stitch the ends of the strap to the inside of the excess suede gusset.