Stitch a book bag

1. Once you’ve decided the size of the bag, cut a rectangle from the printed fabric, interlining and plain fabric that will be used as the lining. For the inside sleeves, cut two strips of printed fabric and two of the lining, 9cm wide and the width of the bag. The straps are made from two strips of printed fabric, two of the lining and two of the interfacing, 5cm x 33cm.

2. To make the handles, layer the fabrics in the following order: interfacing, printed fabric face up, lining face down. Pin together, then stitch the layers together along each long edge with a 1cm seam allowance. Trim the interlining seam allowance away as far as the stitching line. Turn the strips to the right side through one of the open ends. Tease out the seams, press flat and edgestitch along each long edge.

3. To make the inside sleeve strips, lay a printed fabric strip face down onto the lining, then stitch the two together along one of the long edges. Open out the strips and fold the lining back behind before pressing flat. Repeat on the remaining two strips.

4. Lay the printed rectangle face up on top of the interlining and pin together, then position the handles at either end o