Going to the Zoo Tote Bag

I decided it was time to try applique. Creating a small bag seemed less risky than adding applique to a garment. The lined bag is for a young child to carry a notebook, crayons, I-Spy books and snacks when visiting the zoo.

Materials 
I used.....
Fabric A for outer : 29 inches by 11 inches
Fabric A for straps : 16 inches by 3/2
Fabric B for lining: 15 inches by 11 inches (Cut two)

(All measurements can be adapted to suit the child. I have a tendency to overestimate size and this bag has not been tried out yet! Next time I will check out the measurements of similar items on Etsy.)

Mix of scraps suitable for applique.
A printed outline of a design. 

Applique
I used "Heat n Bond lite" and placed a piece over the lion template that I had reversed (More important when creating applique letters). Make sure the Heat n Bond is paper side up. Trace the template.

Cut out the shape allowing a small margin around the edge - 1/8 to 1/4 inch.  As I wanted my lion to be in two colours I traced the body, mane and tail separately

Put the Heat n Bond on the wrong side of the materials to be used. Iron.

Cut out the shapes and remove the backing. I find it is  easier to remove the backing if I lightly scratch the backing with a pin so that I have a a tiny piece to grab and pull.

Place the pieces on the background and iron.

I chose machine zigzag stitch to secure the pieces. For a first attempt at applique I wished I had chosen a simple elephant outline. Keeping the edge of the motif in view in the gap in the sewing foot, progress was slow around the curves.  I hand sewed the nose using daisy stitch and used two small buttons for the eyes.

This lion will not frighten anyone. He is more likely to meow than roar but I like him.

Finishing the bag:

Allow 1/2 for seams. 

Fold the straps in half lengthways, right sides together.  Stitch the long seams.

Turn the straps to the right side by fastening a safety pin to one of the short edges and threading it through the tube. Press. Top stitch each long edge.

Pin the straps to the right side of the bag 2 inches in from each long edge. 

Fold the bag and with right sides together sew the two sides of the bag.

With right sides together, sew the lining pieces together along each long side edge.

Sew along the bottom edge but leave a gap in the middle as you will need this to put your fingers in to turn the bag to the right side later.

Put the tote bag inside the lining so that the right sides of the lining face the right sides of the tote (fabric A) Make sure the handles are right down out of the way of the top edges. 

Pin the top edges together. Replace the pins that hold the handles with pins that should now hold the straps and the top edge. No one wants to sew on a hidden pin!

Machine around the top edge of the bag.

Put your fingers in the hole at the bottom of the lining, reach and pull the bag through.

Iron.

Push the lining inside the bag. Finished. Hooray!