I was recently introduced to Deby Coles of So Sew Easy on Craftsy by a friend from the Franklins, Salisbury Patchwork and Quilting Group. Maureen was carrying a bag which she told me was by Deby and called the Cross Body Bag. I have purchased the pattern and following a couple of sessions when I watched the video tutorial I decided to use some heavyweight furnishing fabric in two complimentary prints that had been donated by another friend, to make the bag. For the lining I would use some Cream Damask that I bought several years ago from the Remnant Department of Oswaldtwistle Mills.

Inspired by the demonstration bag I would use similar bag hardware to that featured – a twist lock fastening, D rings, swivel hooks and a slider to convert the strap from “cross body” to “shoulder”. It has taken a couple of weeks for all the hardware to arrive but today I was able to set aside the afternoon (and early evening) to make the bag.

The instructions were printed off and read through prior to embarking on the cutting of the fabrics. I had decided to use these two complimentary prints in shade of Pink and Duck Egg Green for the bag and was most fortunate in that the remnant used for the side panels was exactly the correct depth as dictated in the cutting plan. As the surface fabric was so robust I decided to forego using interfacing but I did use fusible wadding on the lining pieces and inside the flap. I made a slight error when cutting the centre panel for the front of the bag and thus the design is off centre but otherwise I think the “fussy” cutting has worked well.

The finished size of the bag is approximately 10 inches wide x 11.5 inches tall x 2 inches deep plus the strap which was cut 44 inches long. The design of the bag is quite complex in that the reverse has a zip pocket plus a slip pocket, the front panel has a slip pocket with shaped top. Inside there is another zip pocket and a slip pocket with machine-stitched divisions. The strap has a special feature in that it is made from the two fabrics stitched together in such a way as to produce a faux piping along each side. Turning the strap through to the right side was a struggle but again I am pleased with the end result and will use this method again for another bag.

Now having purchased several sets of bag hardware and completed my first bag I feel confident about making another. Next time I will use a dressmaking cotton fabric remnant of Dark Blue printed with flamboyant sunflowers.