Oh So Soothing

Designer: Leslie Gladman

• 1⁄2 yard yellow paisley (bag)
• 3⁄8 yard blue print (lining)
• Scrap of batting
• 2-1⁄3 yards narrow satin cording or ribbon
• 4--3⁄8"-diameter buttons
• 1 package 1"-wide single-fold bias tape

Finished bag: 12×9×8"

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. Click on "Download this Project" above for pattern pieces.

From yellow paisley, cut:

• 4 each of patterns A and B
• 1 of Pattern C

From blue print, cut:

• 4 of Pattern A
• 1 of Pattern C

From batting scrap, cut:

• 1 of Pattern C

From single-fold bias tape, cut:

• 4--5"-long pieces

1. With wrong side inside, fold each yellow paisley B piece in half; press. Referring to marked dots on full-size pattern piece for placement, make an inverted box pleat along bottom raw edges of each folded B piece; stitch in place to make four pocket units.

2. Place a pocket unit atop right side of a yellow paisley A piece. Machine-baste pocket unit raw edges to A piece to make a spa bag unit (Diagram 1). Repeat to make four spa bag units total.

3. Press under 1⁄2" at each end of 5"-long pieces of single-fold bias tape.

4. Referring to Diagram 2, place a pressed bias tape strip atop right side of each spa bag unit as marked on full-size pattern. Topstitch close to long edges of bias strips, leaving ends open.

5. Sew together spa bag units in pairs, starting at marked dots and finishing at bottom edges (Diagram 3). In the same manner, join the pairs to make a pocket tube (Diagram 4). Press open seam allowances. Turn right side out.

6. Sew together blue print A pieces in pairs, starting at marked dots and finishing at bottom edges. Press seams open. In the same manner, join pairs to make a lining tube. Press seams open.

7. Place pocket tube inside lining tube with right sides together. Join top edges, stitching carefully to marked dots (Diagram 5). Trim seam allowance to 1⁄8", clipping close to marked dots. Turn joined tubes right side out; press. Machine-baste around bottom raw edge of pocket/lining tube to secure layers together.

8. With wrong sides inside, layer batting C piece between yellow paisley C piece and blue print C piece; machine-baste to make bottom unit.

9. Matching arrows and seams of yellow paisley pieces, align pocket tube with bottom unit; sew together to make spa bag (Diagram 6). Turn bag right

side out.

10. Stitch a button to each pocket intersection.

11. Cut cording in half and thread half through bias strips around bag. Knot ends together. Thread other cord half around bag in opposite direction and knot ends to complete spa bag.

12. Pull to draw up cords.