English Paper Piecing – New Project Bag
My skewed memory tells me I started my patchwork bag three years ago, but it may be even longer than that. The main fabric is hand-stitched using English Paper Piecing. All the fabrics I used came from purchased fat quarters that had caught my eye, or they were scraps leftover from old projects.
I am properly happy that it’s all done and in use; it’s great for storing my crochet projects! It looks so much better than I thought it would, too. I was getting bored with seeing lots of little unstitched hexagons, waiting to be sewn together.
Time To Start Sewing
Lots of individually tacked hexies sat in a paper bag for over three years. Now and again, I’d get them out of the bag to look at them, and that was about it. Back in they’d go and I’d do something else instead. Eventually, I found that it was time to start sewing.
I laid out all the hexies and took a picture of them to work from, so I knew the “random” order that they’d go in. It’s nice to have a picture to reference. That way, I know that each fabric print is evenly spaced, and I don’t have to worry about two matching hexies accidentally being placed next to each other.
Eventually, I began the slowish process of stitching them together, and I was happy to discover that it wasn’t really that slow to do afterall. It had never occurred to me how useful it was to have them all wrapped in their shaped paper. I mean, of course it was, that’s the whole point of EPP, but still…
With a couple of weeks of sewing the hexies together, in a little and often sort of way, I was finished with stage two.
Handsewn Patchwork Fabric
I liked the crinkle of the paper as I had it on my lap, a very tactile and auditorily calming experience. With stage two finished, it dawned on me that I’d have to actually put in some effort to move on to stage three. I knew I had to do it immediately because it would otherwise sit in the cupboard for another three years.
The Patchwork Pattern
The pattern for this patchwork bag is from Cath Kidston’s book, Sew! The book has so many lovely looking things, but I have to be honest, I think the instructions are rubbish! For this particular pattern, it wouldn’t have hurt to have a couple of illustrations demonstrating how to insert the lining, would it?!
I had a look online but only found other bloggers or reviewers who were frustrated with it too. Nothing that helped, unfortunately. With that in mind, I decided to take photos of what I did. Maybe it’ll help someone else. Or maybe it’ll just remind me how I did it, in case I fancy having another go.
And I haven’t even mentioned that the instructions were just plain wrong! It said to fold the lining fabric lengthways. They don’t mean that, they mean the other way. Who wrote that?! That wasn’t the first mistake either. The other error was to do with sewing the hexies together. When joining the outer sides together, it told me to sew three rather than four of the hexie strips together. If I’d done that, my bag would have had a massive gaping hole at one of the sides! Jeez! Anyway, moving on…
Making and Lining The Patchwork Bag
Here are a few pictures showing what I did. Hopefully they’ll do the trick. Do I need some words to go with them?
Step 1: Fold the lining fabric in half.
Step 2: Measure 25cm from the bottom fold and mark with a pencil. Or line up the bottom seam of the hexie fabric with the bottom fold of the lining and mark where the opening, near the top, sits (which should work out as approx 25cm).
Step 3: Sew that bit on both sides. Then press, continuing the fold to the top of the fabric. Press a seam across the top bits too.
Step 4: I snipped the corners to avoid bulk. The instructions don’t tell you to do this, but the seams are bigguns.
Step 5: Put the lining inside the bag, wrong side out.
Step 6: Pin together at the bag opening.
Pinning the bag opening.
Machine stitch the lining to the top of the hexies. Do this on both sides. I think I did this after slip stitching the open sides. In that picture above, I can’t see any stitches. I was drinking Cava at this point, so it’s a bit foggy (it was the weekend!). Not sure that bit matters, it’d probably work either way.
Attaching the Bag Handle
This was a fun bit. I managed to catch the end of Adventures in Babysitting, so I sat and watched that whilst pinning the handles in place.
By the time I got around to sewing the hem down, I was watching Alien. I haven’t seen it in years; it is such a good film. A proper film (not like Prometheus, ugh, terrible).
I’ve impressed myself by finishing it; I still can’t quite believe it. It’s good, isn’t it!?! I took the pictures of the completed article at Grandma’s house.
The only thing I might change is the green fabric at the top. It’s a bit deep and makes the bag slightly too long.
Would it be that much of a bother to unstitch it and do it again? I could take the time to shorten it, but I think I’m nitpicking; it’s probably OK.
And I did it with many interruptions. I took many photos with a child sitting on my head (see the odd middle picture), and the cat kept sitting on it at any given opportunity!
I was asked via Instagram if I would like to link up with Me, You and Magoo for Crafting is My Therapy. I’ve not done a Link up before, but I think I just share this lovely badge and everyone can share a bit of creativity! Is that right?
Nice to see some hand stitched patchwork! It’s definitely a labour of love and your knitting bag looks lovely. I love the crinkly paper and fabric too. It always seems a shame to take the papers out. Have you seen the blog Two Threads Back at http://twothreadsback.com/2016/04/04/flower-patches-8-and-9/? Amazing old samples of patchwork.
Thank you. I think that’s an apt description: A labour of love! I’ll take a look at the link, thanks.
Well it looks absolutely great!
Don’t you just hate though when tutorials for things are so off!
Thanks! Yes, I do. It took me ages to work out the instructions.
I guess it’s a test of your skills…and how incredibly useful the internet is xD I don’t know how many times I’ve read instructions for something, cursed it for not having useful pictures and gone to youtube for answers 😀
That’s a good way of putting it. The internet didn’t have the miracle answer this time (or, more likely, I just didn’t find it) and my certainly brain was tested!
Hopefully your blog post can be the answer to help other people at least, someone has to be the first one to have the answer!
Ohh, I hope so!
Your bag is so pretty. I have been wanting to do English paper piecing for a while now and the thought of making something as beautiful will spur me on. The green looks great too. Well done for finishing it 🙂
Thank you. It really didn’t take that long. I was pleasantly surprised! My least favourite bit was cutting out all the paper hexagons, but I’ve saved them just in case I want to do it again!
I have to say I looked at buying them ready made!
:O
Love it! I like the green bit at the top,if you were going to change it,I’d only narrow it a bit,it sort of brings the colours all together if you see what I mean.I’ve stitched the shoulder bag from Sew and the instructions for that were dodgy too 😕 Oooh and agree about Prometheus,I was so looking forward to it then really disappointed!
Thanks! The green is there to stay but it is too deep and would look better if narrowed a bit. I’m probably too lazy to bother though.
Glad imy not the only one who had trouble with the book. Style over substance.
It’s beautiful! I love it! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
Gorgeous – reminds me of my first ballet bag that my mum made me. I’ve never tried patchwork. Oh, and Adventures in Babysitting is a top film – in my humble opinion x
Thanks! Do you still have your ballet bag? It is a good film, I used to love it when I was a kid! Sadly, I missed the beginning but it was on Film Four and they always repeat films!
This is lovely and reminds me of when I first did paper piecing over thirty years ago. I’d happily spend weeks hand stitching tiny hexagons together and never got bored.
I don’t know why I ever thought it could be tedious boring, it was such a nice thing to do. I shouldn’t have put it off for so long. I remember my Nanna showing me how to do it when I was little. She spent years stitching hexagons and I never thought to ask what she was up to. On my 18th she gave me a patchwork blanket with them all together!
I absolutely love that bag , & I loves me bags ….. You have great patience doing all that work …
Thanks, I’m a bit of a bag lady! I might even have enough patience to make another one… maybe.
Ooohh nice !
It’s great 😃 My hexies were stolen by Abi so they wip is no longer on my list 😁
Maybe you’ll be tempted to steal them back! Or have they been made into something else already? Would love to see.
Maybe 😉 she’s just joining then together atm so that’ll be a surprise I think!
I’m so pleased you agreed to join in with #craftingismytherapy, lovely to have you on board. This patchwork project is right up my street…I love it. It’s a shame the Cath Kidston book wasn’t up to scratch as far as the instructions are concerned. It looks like you sorted it all out fine by yourself though. Glad you didn’t give up & leave it another 3 years 😁
Thank you for asking me! It was only recently that I learned about link ups and I think a crafting one sounds perfect for me. Looking forward to seeing what it’s all about!
I am a great procrastinator in lots of ways so it’ll probably take me another three years to make bag number two!
What a lovely bag, and it must be so satisfying to have got it finished! The colour of the lining is gorgeous. That’s a shame about the instructions not being very good, I’ve nearly bought that book before but as I’m quite new to sewing things that would have really confused me so I’m glad I didn’t, I’ll stick to online tutorials like yours which looks much more accurate and I hope it helps people stuck with the project!
I love watching TV and films while I’m crafting and I find that the finished article reminds me of what I was watching, I have a granny square blanket that was largely completed to Broadchurch and it reminds me of every time I look at it.
Thank you for linking up to #craftingismytherapy 🙂
Thank you! I’m really pleased with it.
I think I’m more of a visual learner and really need pictures to fully know what’s going on. It was a challenge but at least it didn’t defeat me! I was looking at another of the projects in that book and the words just baffled me. Having seen some of the comments here, I now feel guilty about being so mean about a book with so many beautiful things. I was just being honest though!! Think it’s a case of style over substance which is not what you need on this occasion!
I know what you mean about associating film and tv with projects. I do that all the time. I quite like it. Although some are pretty random. I’ve got a couple of Walking Dead blankets, a Camelot blanket, a Taylor Swift blanket and so many more…
Love Love your bag.
Thank you very much! I’m really pleased with how it turned out.
Oh this is such a lovely bag – your choice of fabric is fabulous, and so helpful to document the lining process. I had a patchwork kit as a present when I was a child, but haven’t done any for years, its nice to be reminded of how to do it with the little bits of paper etc And I love that your cat would sit on it at any given moment – mine (two of them) are a lot like that. Someone bought me the Cath Kidston Sew book a while back, have yet to make anything but good to know to watch out for the unhelpful instructions! Love your blog, am signing up to follow you now… 🙂 #craftingismytherapy
Thank you! I enjoyed patchwork more than I thought I would and will definitely give it another go. I have distant memories of my Nanna teaching me when I was little but I never really gave it a chance until now.
So lovely to have a craft that your nana taught you. My aunt taught me to crochet, such a wonderful gift 🙂
It kind of gives it provenance. Better than You tube any day (although that’s where learned crochet)!!
Thank you so much for this! The book is rather useless so I’m bookmarking this 😦
A blast from the past! I’m still really proud of this. I hope my post is helpful. I had a quick read through and I’ve forgotten it all🤣🤣