Brickwork satchel

Almost half of the fabric in my scrap boxes has come from various cocktail and evening dresses I made. We used to attend functions and dinners so I’d try and make a new dress for each occasion.

In Susan Briscoe’s book ‘Fabulous Fat Quarter Bags’ there’s a lovely patchwork satchel made out of 1 ½ inch squares arranged in a sort of brickwork design. This would be perfect for using up some of my dress fabric. 

The satchel is made using five patterned fat quarters which are cut into strips and then blocks of eleven and twelve are stitched together. These patchwork pieces are then cut 1 ½ inches wide so you end up with strips of eleven or twelve 1 ½ inch squares.

Looking at the various pieces of dress fabric darker shades would be best for the main part of the bag, with a light coloured fabric for the lining.

Plain black was used for the base, sides and handle as I thought the other colours would be too ‘shouty’. 

The pattern suggested using a buckle fastening at the front but I didn’t have one so just used a large press-stud instead.

The only criticism I have with the bag is it’s on the small side. I was expecting the satchel to be bigger. Maybe though I’m used to the huge satchel’s we used to have at school !!!

Have a great week.

Gertie xx

PS pop over to Handmade Monday to see what other fellow craft bloggers have been up to.