Sunday Best Shopper

 

Oh the trials of being a celeb! Cameras trained on your front door as you emerge bleary-eyed on a Sunday morning to nip out for papers and milk. Those skimpy plastic bags from the corner shop are not only liable to send your cargo spinning pavement-bound, but look sooooo bad when the paparazzi pics hit the news-stands. The solution is to throw on big shades, catch your hair up in an "I'll-deal-with-you-later" chignon, pick up this gorgeous Grace Kelly-inspired bag, and the columnists will fall over themselves trying to work out where you got it. Get your own back - don't tell 'em!

ATTACHING THE INTERFACING TO THE BAG

Iron the interfacing onto the wrong side of all the face fabric pieces for the main bag. Pin, baste, and stitch the top, back, and two side pieces together, right sides facing, and stitch up to the top seam allowance. Pin, baste, and stitch the base in position, trimming the corners of the seam allowance as necessary. Рress the seams open. Leave the top edge  open (A).

MAKING THE LINING

Sew together the pieces for the lining as for the main bag, but omitting the interfacing and leaving an opening for turning in the middle of one side seam. Leave the lining wrong side out.

MAKING THE HANDLES

Fold one piece of handle fabric in half lengthwise, right sides facing. Pin, baste, and stitch ground the raw edges, leaving an opening for turning. Turn right side out and baste the opening closed. Topstitch all around, 3mm  from the edge. Repeat for the second handle.

ASSEMBLING THE BAG

Attach the handles and the lining to the bag following the instructions for a basic lined tote (B). Turn the bag right side out and topstitch all the seams. Use a top thread that tones with the tace fabric and a bobbin thread that tones with the lining.

MAKING THE LINING FOR THE ROSE CORSAGE

Fold the lining fabric in half lengthwise, right sides facing. Stitch diagonally across the folded fabric, starting 2cm  above the fold at one end. Cut away the excess fabric (C). Turn right side out.

ATTACHING THE FLORAL FABRIC TO THE ROSE

Place the floral fabric on top of the lining fabric tube. Fray the edges of the floral fabric around the edges of the lining. Tuck in the raw ends at the narrow end of the rube and, catching in the floral fabric too, fold the end over so it ts level with the bottom seam. Using з doubled thread for strength, secure the end with running stitch (10).