Make a Yarn-Couched Bag | Mary Davis

INSTRUCTIONS

Cut a 2 1/2" square from the bottom corners of each denim and lining fabrics. Set lining fabric aside.

Iron fusible interfacing to wrong sides of 18" x 18" denim squares.

Use your water/air soluble pen to draw your preferred design onto the tote front and back. I drew some stems with leaves on them. You can make as many or as few a you like, in different sizes. Have fun mixing it up. Don't get too close to edges.

Yarn Couching on the Baby Lock Regent

Your Baby Lock Yarn Couching Foot Set comes with 3 sizes. Select the foot that has the largest diameter hole for your yarn to fit through easily. Attach foot to your Baby Lock Regent.

Thread your machine with a color that matches your yarn. Choose a bobbin thread color to match your fabric.

How to bring yarn through couching foot 

Take a couple stitches in place to lock your thread. Bring needle up. Using both hands, hold about 4" of yarn in both hands, with thumb and forefinger. Use yarn to push the thread back, clear of the needle. Needle down and up. Let go of yarn and gently pull fabric toward you, so yarn goes down into the hole of your couching foot and out the bottom. Pull the short end free.

Slowly begin stitching on your drawn lines. The top thread will stitch through the yarn, securing it to your tote. Fill in your design as desired.

Sewing the tote together

Place tote front and back right sides together. Using your Baby Lock Lyric and 1/4" quilting foot, stitch a 1/4" seam down both sides and bottom.

Place lining pieces right sides together. Stitch 1/4" on sides and bottom. On one side, leave a 5" section unstitched. (This is where you'll pull the tote right side out at the end.)

To make the box corners on the bottom of your tote, pull the 2 1/2" square apart, so that the side seam and bottom seam meet. Pin in place and stitch 1/4" from edge.

Making the straps

Fold the 5 1/2" x 29" strap in half lengthwise, wrong sides together and matching all edges. Press. This middle crease will be your guideline.

Open and bring one raw edge to the middle crease. Press fold (do not press over the center crease). Repeat with other side.

Bring both folded edges together. Stitch 1/4" - through all thicknesses, down the length of each side of strap.

Now we need to mark the placement for the straps. With your tote right side out, measure 3" from the side seam in. Place a mark at the 3" point, at the top edge of tote. Repeat for tote back.

Place the first strap on the front of the tote, matching the strap with the 3" mark. Take care not to twist the straps. Pin in place.

Before sewing on the straps, remove the Baby Lock Lyric accessary tray on the sewing machine. This will allow you to slip the tote onto the arm to make it easier to maneuver.

Stitch the straps onto the tote 1/4" from top. Reinforce by stitching back and forth 3-4 times. Repeat steps to attach strap to tote back.

With tote right side out, and lining inside out, place tote inside lining. Push straps inside lining. Push the tote all the way inside to the bottom of the lining. Match up side seams Pin top edge and stitch 1/4" around the top.

Remember the hole we left unstitched in the tote lining? Reach inside and pull the tote out through that hole.

Now that you have the lining pulled out, stitch the 5" opening closed. Push lining inside the tote. Press lining to inside and topstitch all the way around top.