Good morning!
Thank you so much for all of your wonderful flower comments to yesterday’s giveaway. They have inspired me even more than I thought possible and as soon as the weather turns I shall be transforming our patch in to a wonderland. In fact I may not be seen until September or October so if this blog goes quiet I can be found in the garden. Do pop by for a glass of lemonade if you’re passing.
Today I have a craft project for you.
I have some lovely local shops nearby and they sell freshly baked bread. I do not have a reusable shopper that I think is deep enough for a baguette so I designed this one! It carries two baguettes and has a strap that is long enough to sling over my shoulder. There’s not much worse than a fresh loaf falling out in to the gutter or for the top half to be broken off as some oaf rushes by without seeing your bread sticking out the top of your trolly.
Enjoy it. It’s a simple and pretty project and one that will be with you forever. The best kind of project in my humble opinion.
You will need:
- Fabric for the front (top section) and back of the bag – 50cm x 110cm
- Fabric for the handle, flap and front (bottom section) of the bag – 50cm x 110cm
- Fabric for the inside lining of the bag – 100cm x 100cm
- Embroidery Thread
- Sewing Machine
- Thread in complementary colour to your main outer fabric
- Tape Measure
- Long ruler
- Pencil
- Pins
- Needle
- Scissors
- Iron
Making the main body of the bag
Cut out the pieces of fabric for the baguette bag as follows:
Back piece of fabric – 30cm (W) x 69cm (L)
Lining for the back piece of fabric – 30cm (W) x 69cm (L)
Front bottom piece of fabric – 30cm (W) x 15cm (L)
Front top piece of fabric– 30cm (W) x 43cm (L)
Lining for the front piece – 30cm by 55cm.
Start by making the front section of the bag. Place the front top and front bottom pieces of fabric together face-to-face then pin the two 30cm sides together, leaving a 1.5cm hem. Machine the sides together.
Now place the front panel of fabric face to face with the front panel lining and pin along the two (longer) sides and the top side, leaving the bottom side open for the time being. Machine the three sides together. For neatness, cut off any excess fabric from the corners and then turn the fabric out the correct way.
Next, take the bag’s back piece of fabric and the lining and place them face-to-face; pin together the two (longer) sides only, leaving the top and bottom open, and then sew. Once sewn, turn the correct way and iron flat.
To join the back piece and front piece of the bag together, place the fabrics face-to-face and in line from the bottom of the bag. Pin the two long sides and the bottom side into place and then sew 0.5cm from the edge. For neatness, cut any excess fabric from the corners and turn the correct way and iron flat.
Making the flap & the handle
For the bag flap, cut out 2 pieces of fabric at 30cm x 28cm, one from the exterior bag fabric and one from the lining fabric. Place the fabric pieces face-to-face and then stitch the two sides and the bottom side, leaving the topside open. Turn back the correct way.
To make the handle, cut a piece of fabric 8cm by 65cm. Fold in half face to face, pin and then sew 0.5cm from the edge, leave the two ends open. Turn the correct way and iron flat.
To attach the handle and the flap to the bag, start by placing the two raw edges of the handle at either side, and in line with, the top of the bag.
Next, place the flap (face side down) on top of the handles, so that the handles become sandwiched together between the flap and the back of the bag.
Pin all three layers into place and then sew 1cm from the edge and fold back the right way.
Once all the layers are sewn together, it is advisable to sew an additional rectangular box the length of the top of the bag to reinforce the handle and flap. Start 0.5cm from the top edge and sew 1cm down
Adding details
Why not add some decorative details to the bag. I decided to add some cross-stitch on the front of the bag along the section where the two pieces of fabric meet. I also cut out two hearts and sewed them on to the front of the bag by hand using embroidery thread.
Have a great day. If you do decide to make this bag then please feel free to post your pictures on to my Facebook page or Tweet me the results. Links are below.
I love you and thank you so much for reading.
Cherry
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This is a wonderful idea! Homemade pesto on a baguette. Doesn’t get any better.
Hi Cherry – this is lovely. I like the idea of the flap over the top and whilst i’m not in need of a baguette bag (don’t buy them very often) I have been looking for a beach bag and have been toying with the idea of making my own, so I may use this as inspiration for something of my own. When (if!) I finally get round to it, I will definitely post you a picture. I’m also going to share this post with my friend who just got a sewing machine for Christmas and whose boyfriend’s in-laws live in France. Perfect ‘coming-to-stay’ gift if you ask me… maybe I will even make one for her next time I visit. Love it!
Thanks for another fab post. Take care, Bex.x
I love this ~ what a brilliant idea!
Alternatively you can do what we French do and fold the baguette in half…
I need a baguette bag in my life!!! Unfortunately, I can’t sew
xx
I too love the fabric and would love if you’d share where you got it, I am always on the lookout for new places to buy pretty fabrics xx
How cute is that fabric?! I don’t want to copy, but would you like to give the supplier a little plug? I think I have to get my sewing machine out. Thank you! Cx
Oooh what a great idea, my parents have a place in France and this would be a perfect presetn for their early morning jaunts to the boulangerie! Admittedly when I first saw baguette bag though I did think some small kind of clutch a la Sarah Jessica Parker!!
xx