Craft a medical bag

1. Download and print the templates from sewmag.co.uk. Cut out the following rectangles measuring 26cm x 48cm: one from red and white spot fabric, one from plain blue, two from stabilising interfacing and one from wadding. Snip out a white felt circle measuring 6cm in diameter, a red felt cross and a 2cm x 7cm strip of blue felt.

2. Lay the red and white spotty rectangle right side up vertically and pin the white felt circle 4.5cm from the top raw edge centrally, 9.5cm in from both sides. Sew around the circle in red thread, then stitch the cross in place with white thread. With black thread, sew ‘DOCTOR’ in the middle of the blue felt strip, then use white thread to stitch in place just below the circle.

3. Cut a 10.5cm x 16cm exterior pocket from blue felt, plus a 7cm x 12cm rectangle from blue crosshatch fabric. Sew the fabric rectangle onto the felt, 2.5cm from the top with 2cm at each side, then stitch three blue lines across. In black thread, sew ‘NOTES’ at the top. Lay the red and white spot fabric right side up with ‘DOCTOR’ now at the bottom (it will be upside down).

4. Pin the blue felt pocket in place, 4cm from the top and 5cm from each side. Stitch down each side and across the bottom. Iron the whole piece on the reverse and set aside. Cut a piece of blue felt, 9.5cm x 20cm, for the inside pockets. Take the plain blue fabric lining piece and pin the felt at one end, 4.5cm from the top and 2.5cm from the sides. Sew down both sides and across the bottom, then divide the pocket into three by sewing vertical lines. Press on the reverse.

5. Lay the plain blue fabric horizontally, right side down. Lay one of the interfacings on top, then the wadding, then the second interfacing and the red spot piece right side up (the white circle will be on the right). Pin all together and stitch a 3mm seam all the way around. Machine quilt around the white felt circle and ‘DOCTOR’ using red thread. Fold the whole length in half, mark the middle fold line with a pin, then mark either side of that pin at 5cm.

6. Use red thread to sew these three lines across the width of the fabric and stitch a further two lines in between at 2.5cm. Set aside. Cut two rectangles from red spot fabric, 11.5cm x 14cm. Snip two slightly bigger from wadding, four from interfacing and two from plain blue fabric. For each side, place the blue material at the bottom then layer interfacing, wadding, interfacing and the red spot fabric on top.

7. Sew a 0.3mm seam all the way around, trim off the excess then stitch three