Treasure Hunt Explorer Bag

Let your little ones hunt for treasure this summer with our practical belt bag. Finished in a fun pirate map print, this nifty design sits comfortably on any belt allowing for hands-free fun. The coordinating shoulder bag with a pen pocket is great for storing a notebook to mark their progress too!

Essentials

Fabric: Treasure Island print, fat quarter; denim, fat quarter
Interfacing, iron-on, medium weight
Ribbon: blue; striped, 1.5m
Button, large

Dimensions List

Belt bag: 15.5cm x 19cm
Notebook bag: 15cm x 19cm

Stitch a belt bag

Download and print the template, then cut one out in printed fabric and another in denim. Back the printed fabric with medium weight iron-on interfacing.
Cut striped ribbon into 9cm lengths to make four belt loops. Tuck the raw ends in, place them on the back of the printed fabric bag in a line (3.5cm from the top beneath the flap, and 2.5cm apart) and stitch the ends down.
Fold the printed fabric, right sides together, in half across the fold line and sew a 5mm seam across the bottom, then stitch the sides. Align the cutout bottom corners to form the base of the bag and sew down. Repeat with denim fabric, but with a 1cm seam allowance instead.
Take the printed bag and the denim lining and put the fold-over flap right sides together. Take a 5mm seam allowance and stitch just around the curve of the flap, trapping a small length of ribbon at the top for the button loop. Clip the curved seam and turn the flap right side out. Stitch around the edge of the flap 3mm in.
Tuck the rest of the lining into the printed bag. Turn the remaining top raw edges in around the top of the bag and stitch 3mm from the edge. Form two pleats, one at either side of the front, to make the bag sit properly. Stitch a large button to the front.

Make a notebook bag

Cut 19cm x 31cm of printed fabric. Fold in half, right sides together, then stitch down the side and across the bottom. Trim the excess fabric across the corners, turn out, and iron.
For the lining, cut 23cm x 30cm of denim fabric. Fold in half right sides together and stitch down the side and across the bottom. Place the lining inside the bag and turn the excess denim fabric over twice to make binding around the top of the bag.
Take 107cm of striped ribbon and tuck each raw end under the binding to the front-right and back-left of the bag. Stitch around the top and bottom of the binding, then press with an iron. Sew a line down the seam-free side of the bag, 2.5cm in from the edge, to form a pocket for a pen.