Linked Together

Designer: Caroline Fairbanks-Critchfield

• 2×16" strip each of solid navy blue and solid coral (bag exterior)
• 18×21" piece (fat quarter) solid cream (bag exterior, lining)
• 5×16" strip solid mustard gold (bag exterior)
• 2—7×8-1/2" rectangles thin cotton batting
• 3 yards of 3.1-millimeter deerskin lace leather cord
• Basting spray (optional)

Finished bag: 4-1/2×6"(excluding strap)

Yardages and cutting instructions are based on 42" of usable fabric width. Measurements include 1/4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Cut pieces in the following order.

From solid cream, cut:

• 1—2×16" strip
• 2—5×6-1/2" lining pieces

From solid mustard gold, cut:

• 1—2×16" strip
• 1—1-1/4×8" strip

1) Referring to Diagram 1 and aligning long edges, sew together solid navy blue, solid cream, solid coral, and solid mustard gold 2×16" strips to make a strip set. Press seams in one direction. The strip set should be 6-1/2×16" including seam allowances.

2) Cut strip set into two 6-1/2×8" rectangles (Diagram 2).

3) Cut one 6-1/2×8" rectangle into six 1-1/4"-wide A segments (Diagram 3).

4) Referring to Diagram 4, add solid mustard gold 1-1/4×8" strip to solid navy blue edge of remaining 6-1/2×8" rectangle.   

5) Cut Step 4 rectangle into six 1-1/4"-wide B segments (Diagram 5).

6) Referring to Diagram 6 for placement, sew together three A segments and three B segments, aligning top edges. Press seams in one direction. Trim excess B segments at bottom edge as shown to make a pieced rectangle. The pieced rectangle should be 5×6-1/2" including seam allowances.

7) Repeat Step 6 to make a second pieced rectangle.

8) Center a pieced rectangle atop a 7×8-1/2" batting rectangle. Use basting spray or pins to secure layers together. Referring to Diagram 7, topstitch 1/16" from each seam line. Trim excess batting to make a quilted rectangle.

9) Repeat Step 8 to make a second quilted rectangle.

1) Cut leather cord in half to make two 54"-long strap pieces.

2) Baste ends of one strap piece to a quilted rectangle 1/2" from top edge to make a bag unit (Diagram 8).

3) With right sides together, layer bag unit atop a solid cream 5×6-1/2" lining piece; strap should be between layers and away from edges. Sew together along all edges, leaving a 2" opening in bottom edge for turning.

4) Trim across corners and turn right side out through opening to make a bag exterior. Hand-stitch opening closed.

5) Repeat steps 2–4 to make a second bag exterior.

6) Topstitch around top edge of each bag exterior, starting 1" from top on left-hand edge, going across top edge, and continuing 1" down right-hand edge (Diagram 9).

7) Pin exterior pieces together with right sides out. Starting 3/4" from top edge, topstitch around side and bottom edges to complete bag.

• 1-1/4×20"strip each of solid navy blue, solid coral, and solid mustard gold (pieced rectangle)
• 3×24" piece solid cream (pieced rectangle, lining)
• Safety pin
• Watch face with 3/4"–1" opening for band (available in jewelry section of large crafts stores, such as Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores or Hobby Lobby)
• 3/8"-diameter sew-on snap

Finished Watchband: 3/4x23" (will wrap three times around a 7"-diameter wrist)

Measurements include 1/4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Cut pieces in the following order.

The instructions that follow make a watchband that will wrap three times around a 7"-diameter wrist. Adjust as needed for smaller or larger wrist measurements.

From solid cream, cut:

• 1—11⁄4×24" lining strip
• 1—11⁄4×20" strip

1) Referring to Diagram 1 and aligning long edges, sew together solid navy blue, solid cream, solid coral, and solid mustard gold 1-1/4×20" strips to make a strip set. Press seams in one direction. The strip set should be 3-1/2×20" including seam allowances.

2) Cut strip set into two 3-1/2×10" rectangles (Diagram 2).

3) Referring to Diagram 3, sew together Step 2 rectangles along long edges to make a 6-1/2×10" rectangle including seam allowances. 

4) Cut Step 3 rectangle in half to make two 5×6-1/2" rectangles (Diagram 4). Sew together rectangles along short edges to make a 5×12-1/2" strip including seam allowances.

5) Cut Step 4 strip in half to make two 2-1/2×12-1/2" rectangles (Diagram 5). Sew together rectangles along short edges to make a 2-1/2×24-1/2" strip including seam allowances.

6) Cut Step 5 strip into three 3/4×24-1/2" strips.

7) Referring to Diagram 6, place the three strips side-by-side, staggering middle strip 1/2" lower than outer strips and making sure seams of outer strips are aligned; pin. Join strips; press seams away from center row.

8) Trim short ends of Step 7 unit to make a pieced rectangle. The pieced rectangle should be 1-1/4×24" including seam allowances.

1) With right sides together, join pieced rectangle and solid cream 1-1/4×24" lining strip along both long edges to make a tube. Using a safety pin attached to one end, turn tube right side out; press.

2) Fold in 1/4" on each raw end of tube and press. Stitch across each end to enclose raw edges.

3) Stitch in ditch of seam line on each side of middle strip to make a quilted strip.

4) Slide watch face onto quilted strip. Hand-stitch a snap piece to each short end to complete watchband.