Hanmade in Cornwall

Hanmade in Cornwall

Wednesday 27 June 2012

Holiday snaps

Hello! And I am back! We have been on holiday for the last few weeks in Cornwall. We had a lovely time, the weather was mixed but lots of beautiful sites to see and always sand to play in.

Here are a few of my favourite pictures, enjoy!


















Friday 8 June 2012

Hanmade wash bag

Hanmade wash bag.
This was fun to make. I enjoyed doing the pleats and I think they turned out well.
We are going away soon and I fancied a new wash bag to take with me. So I designed the shape and choose my fabric.
It has waterproof lining, a small pocket inside and a handle on the outside. Perfect! 

 You will need two contrasting fabrics, waterproof material (I used a brand new shower curtain) and a zip.
 Measure and cut 2 rectangle pieces of fabric for the main body of the bag.
 ark along the top on the back, every inch.
 Then pin together every other, to make your pleats.


 Pin the contrasting length of fabric to the top.
 Here is front and back fabrics.
 Sew the edge to the pleats.
 Open out and press.
 I decided to shorten the bag so I cut abit of the bottom, only do this if you want it abit smaller.
 Put your front on top of the waterproof lining, and cut round.
 Do this twice, for the front and back pieces.
 Also cut out a square in the waterproof material for your pocket.
 Fold the edges over and sew into place. I normally would sew around all the edges but as the waterproof fabric is tricky I just want to make sure it stays in the right place.
 Pocket done. Sew where you want it onto the inside of the waterproof fabric.
 Now for the zip... Put the best sides of the patterened fabric and waterproof fabric together. Put the zip inbetween this. See above. Pin in place, recomended! And sew along the top edge. Sew as close to the edge and not the zip (this gives space to open the zip and not catching on the lining when your done)
 When you have done that and open it out it looks like this. Above.
 Now repeat for the other side of the zip.
 Doing well, this is how it looks when you open it out.
 The inside looks neat, phew! Notice how the zip doesn't get caught on the lining?!
 You can see where I have sewn the pocket on.
 Handle... cut out a rectangle shape of fabric. Fold length ways (wrong way round) and press.


 Sew along the long edge
 Attach a safety pin to one end.
 And pull through. You are turning the fabric the right way round.
 Press it again. Handle made.
 Open out the bag, match the 2 waterproof linings together and the fabric parts together. Pin it all the way round. Making sure the zip is left *OPEN! *
 Add the handle inbetween the fabrics, like a sandwich. I put it into the top part of the fabric. You can see in the picture the end poking out.
Sew all the way round, apart from a gap of about 6-8 inches on the side seam. (Sorry no picture)
 Take the bottom corners of the bag and press them. Then measure out and draw a line. i did mine an inch in. Repeat on the other corner.
 And cut along the line.
 When you turn it the right way round it looks like this, a box corner.
 Alsmost done....
With the bag turned the right way round, pin closed the gap that was open.
 Sew along that edge.
And thats it!




I hope you are pleased with your new wash bag. If you want to make it simpler, take the handle and pocket out.
Why not try different shapes and even quilt the fabric?
Once you start......