Clutch bag Creativity Competition 2011

Dee Hope designs and makes clutch bags from raw silk and satin. The embellishments are flower brooches which can be removed and used as an accessory.

Clutch bag

You will need

• 50 x 50cm piece of raw silk
• 50 x 50cm piece of matching coloured lining
• 50 x 50cm lightweight interfacing
• 50 x 50cm lightweight batting
• brown paper, pencil and ruler
• matching coloured sewing thread
• clutch bag clasp
• craft glue

Before you begin

Buy a clutch bag clasp at your local haberdashery store before you begin. If you are unable to find one, you could remove one from an existing bag.

To make the template

Measure the width and the depth of the clasp and jot down these measurements. Decide how deep you want your finished bag to be and jot down this measurements. Using the brown paper, pencil and ruler, draw a rectangle from your measurements, adding an extra 1cm for seam allowances. Mark the depth of the clasp along the sides of the rectangle. Round off the lower corners. This completes the template for the pattern piece.

To cut

Cut out two pieces of raw silk, two pieces of lining fabric and two pieces of batting. Apply interfacing to the wrong side of the raw silk, making sure the iron is on a very cool temperature.

To sew

1 Work a 1cm seam allowance for all seams; trim the excess seam allowance as you work to remove any bulk. Place the batting on top of the interfacing and tack it in place around the outer edge, making sure there are no creases. Now machine stitch it in place, working the stitching 2mm from the edge.

2 With the right sides facing, and treating the fabric, interfacing and batting as one layer, stitch the side seams from the marker and around the lower edge closed. Repeat a second row of stitching to reinforce the seams. Clip the seam around the curved edges.

3 Now box off the seams at the markers to the raw edge for the clasp fitting. It is a good idea to complete the raw edges of each seam from the marked line to the top of the bag and cut off any excess fabric. NOTE This section of the side seam remains open for the clasp fitting. Turn the bag through to the right side.

4 In exactly the same way, sew the two lining pieces together. Do not turn the lining through to the right side. Place the lining on top of the bag with right sides together and sew around the open edges, leaving a 5cm opening along one top edge. You will have to work the seams at the side openings and top edges indiviually. Clip the seam around the curves. Turn through the opening. Close the opening
by hand.

5 Turn the bag so the lining is uppermost and complete the section where the clasp is fitted with a top-stitch or zigzag stitch. Open the clasp to its widest point and, working one side of the bag at a time, slide the top of the bag into the fitting. It may be necessary to dab a little glue into the inside of the frame first to hold the bag in place. If you do use glue, leave it to dry before continuing. Repeat for the other side. Leave the glue to dry thoroughly. Hand sew the sides of the lining securely to the side of the frame at frequent intervals. Turn the bag through to the right side through the clasp opening to complete the project.

Flower corsage

You will need

taffeta remnants
pair of compasses
scissors
candle or lighter
embroidery needle
matching coloured thread
bead of your choice for the centre decoration
fabric glue (for example, Gutermann glue)

To make

1 Using a pair of compasses, draw six circles all of different sizes from the taffeta. Cut out.

2 Using a naked flame, carefully ‘melt’ the edges of each circle to form the flower petals.

3 Join together all the circles in the centre with matching coloured thread and attach a bead through all the layers to form the centre decoration for the flower.

4 Using the fabric glue sparingly, secure the brooch clip to the back of the flower. Leave the glue to dry thoroughly.