You will need

• 240 x 150cm cotton fabric
• printed fabric offcuts
• template for letters
• fusible interfacing
• dressmaker’s tracing paper and tracing wheel
• 60cm Velcro (2cm wide)
• matching coloured threads

To make (both bags)
NOTE All seam allowances are 1cm and are included in the measurements.

1 Cut eight 75 x 42cm side panels and two 42 x 42cm bottom panels from your fabric.

2 Copy the letters from the template in the desired size (ours are 6cm high). Cut a piece of printed fabric a few centimetres larger than the lettering and iron fusible interfacing onto the back of the fabric. Transfer the outlines of the letters onto the front of the fabric with the tracing wheel and dressmaker’s tracing paper.

3 Position the appliqué on two of the front side panels, in the top left-hand corner, with the top of the letters 3cm in from the vertical edge and the last letter 5cm down from the top edge. Sew around the outlines of all of the letters with a top stitch then cut away the excess fabric 2mm out from the line of stitches.

4 Sew the bags by first stitching the four side panels, ending the seams 1cm in from the bottom edge. Overlock the seam allowances individually and press all the seams open. Pin and sew the bottom panels to each bag and overlock the seam allowances.

5 Cut sixteen 12 x 10cm pieces for the tabs and interface eight of the pieces. Pin two layers, right sides together, and sew around the outer edge, leaving one 10cmlong edge open. Trim the corners of the seam allowances, turn the tabs through to the right side and press. Cut the Velcro into 7.5cm-long pieces. On the closed end of each tab, sew a piece of the Velcro loop tape, 2mm in from the edge.

6 Pin the open ends of the tabs along the top edges of the front and back panels of the bags, and sew in place, 2cm in from the top edge. Overlock the top edge. Press and sew a 2cm-wide hem to the inside of the bag. On the inside of the bag, sew the Velcro over the bottom end of the tab so both pieces correspond when closed.

TIP Stiff cardboard in the bottom of each bag will keep them in shape.

Text and image: Ideas magazine