Buttons and Bobs

I opened up the envelope ready for a "quick make". Most reviews on Amazon UK say the instructions are easy to follow . Though I have made similar cosmetic purses before by following tutorials posted on youtube, I became concerned about my mental faculties. Thank goodness for the sewing groups on Facebook. I asked if anyone else had used the pattern and what they thought of it. I got a quick reply from someone who told me she had wasted a lot of material and developed a pattern phobia after trying to tackle Simplicity 1153. Similar comments followed. I read the instructions again. Annoyingly some of the items are not lined.  I changed my mind about which view to follow and have had a small success. I'll stick with youtube tutorials in future though.

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 ...