Make an Embroidered Laundry Tote

1. Using the templates, cut four large bag upper side pieces from white cotton and two printed lower side pieces from each of the spotted fabrics. Lay a printed lower piece right side down onto a white upper side piece, aligning along the short straight edge as indicated, and pin. Sew into place with a straight machine stitch. Repeat for the remaining three sides.

2. Trace the ‘Laundry’ lettering motif onto one of the white cotton bag sides at an angle with a pencil. Use two strands of embroidery thread to hand sew a neat chain stitch over the pencil lines to create an embroidered, outlined word.

3. Cut a 17cm square of white cotton to use as a bag base. Pin one edge of the square to the bottom edge of one bag side, with right sides together. Pin the coordinating-coloured bag side to the opposite edge of the square. Pin the remaining sides to the corresponding two sides of the square and sew, using a straight machine stitch.

4. Match up the sides of the bag with right sides together, ensuring the top edges of the spotted panels line up, and pin. Stitch the sides from top to bottom, leaving an 8cm unstitched at the top of the fourth side. Fold a double hem over on the remaining raw edges and stitch to secure. Fold and pin a 2cm double hem along the top of the bag and stitch to make a channel for a drawstring.

5. Make a drawstring. Cut two 5cm x 50cm strips of spotted cotton fabric. Join the strips on one short edge using a straight machine stitch, with right sides together, to make a 5cm x 1m strip. Turn the short edges over to the wrong side by 1cm, fold in half lengthways (right sides outwards) and press. Open out the fabric, fold in the long raw edges to the creased central line and refold to form a bias strip. Pin in place and sew 2mm in from the edge to secure. Use a ribbon threader or a safety pin to run the strip through the channel of the bag and knot the ends neatly together.

Create a Matching Peg Bag

1. Using the templates, cut eight peg bag sides from white cotton fabric, and two printed lower pieces from each of the spotted cottons. Set aside four white cotton pieces for later use.

2. Lay a printed piece right side down onto a white peg bag side piece, aligning along the short straight edge as indicated, and pin. Sew into place with a straight machine stitch. Repeat for the remaining three sides.

3. Trace around the ‘Pegs’ lettering motif onto one of the white cotton sides at an angle with a dressmaker’s pencil. Using two strands of embroidery thread, work a neat chain stitch over the pencil lines to create an embroidered, outlined word.

4. Cut two 12cm squares of white cotton to act as a bag base. Pin one of them to the bottom edge of one spotted peg bag side, right sides together. Pin the coordinating coloured peg bag side piece to the opposite edge of the square. Pin the remaining two side pieces to the other two edges of the cotton square and machine stitch into place. Repeat this with the four plain bag sides and remaining square of cotton.

5. Match up the sides of the peg bag with right sides together, ensuring the top edges of the spotted panels line up, and pin. Stitch three sides from the base of the bag to 2cm from the top. Leave a 15cm gap unstitched along the side adjacent to the embroidery, as indicated on the template. Do not turn out the bag, instead leave it right sides facing.

6. Make a lining. Sew up the sides of the second (plain white cotton) peg bag side pieces in the same way as step 5, but this time stitch right to the top of the first three side seams, making sure to leave a second gap, 8cm long, in the seam directly opposite the 15cm gap. Press, and trim away any loose threads. Do not turn out.