The Build a Bag Book: Satchels

Introduction 6
Understanding the template 8
Materials 12
Tools 14
Hardware 16
Techniques 17
Debbie’s top tips 24
Oops! 25
The Projects 26
Twist lock satchel 28
Back pocket satchel 34
Big bow satchel 38
Mini satchel 44
Button snap satchel 48
Patch pocket satchel 52
Simply square satchel 56
Slim satchel 60
Zipped bag 64
Hidden pocket satchel 68
Double buckle satchel 72
Supersized satchel 76
Side pocket satchel 80
Quilted flap satchel 84
Drawstring satchel 88
A little extra something 92
Glossary 94
Index 96

About Debbie Shore

Debbie Shore is a best-selling and award-winning author. She began her career as a children's television presenter and since then has appeared regularly as an actress in various popular dramas and as a presenter on shopping channels. Debbie has developed her own range of fabrics, designed her own patterns, writes for several popular sewing magazines and has written over 30 books for Search Press with several more underway. Over 800,000 copies of her books have been sold worldwide. She is the winner of Craft Influencer of the Year 2020 in the Craft Business Awards, and Social Media Influencer of the Year 2019 in the British Sewing Awards.

Debbie has over 285,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel, which has over 30 million views. In 2018, Debbie launched her Half Yard Sewing Club, a monthly subscription service based on the mega-selling Half Yard series, and won the 2019 IPG Digital Publishing Award. For more details about the club visit
www.halfyardsewingclub.com.

Debbie lives in Lincolnshire, UK. Visit her website: www.debbieshoresewing.com

Customer review

Fabulous book, easy to understand and use, to make a wide range of satchels, of shapes and sizes, with different shape pockets. The options are limitless. Like the plastic template which is very durable. Pictures are very clear and informative. Shall enjoy making several satchels. Once again Debbie Shore has produced a superb book. 

---

Customer review

The book is clearly printed with good photos and instructions.

I have made Debbie Shores bag patterns previously but have never made a satchel, by the look of the instructions and with the use of the template I feel it will be easily achievable. Very suitable book for all levels of sewing abilities.

---

East Kent Embroiderers' Guild

These two stunning brand-new titles from Debbie cover on-trend satchels and backpacks. Each book comes in an attractive hard-back folder which also encloses a wallet containing durable plastic templates, from which, by following Debbies impeccable instructions, it is possible to construct fifteen different bags from each book. There is a bag for every taste and occasion, each beautifully presented in full colour, showing Debbies inspiring fabric choices. All techniques including zipped pockets, magnetic closures and piping are covered in detail, making these projects suitable for every level of sewing expertise. Debbie also includes inspiring suggestions on adapting the templates to expand the design possibilities and create even more bags! Outstanding value for money, these books are a definite must-have for every bag-loving sewer.

---

MyShelf.com

There is more inside this book than paper pages!  The cover sports a ruler in imperial and metric and the whole is held together by an elastic strap.  Why?  Because inside the cover is a pocket of reusable plastic templates for making fifteen different satchels, plus as many variations as you can imagine.

Whatever your own views about plastic I think that having a template made from it is a good idea, because it is something you can use many times without it getting dirty or tatty.  Search Press is adept at coming up with innovative ideas for their art and craft books, and this is a particularly good one.  Satchels tend to be associated with school but have come of age with an array of pretty and practical designs that can be customized with the help of the template.  This does not require pins as it is semi-transparent so you can see where to draw, and you can mix and match the various options once the basics have been mastered.  There are instructions with staged photographic steps for fifteen bags and these include bags with various pocket types, straps for hand or shoulder wear, a variety of fastenings plus extra details like bows, different shaped straps and ideas for using more than one fabric.  At the front there are pages showing how to use the template, plus tips for working with laminates and faux leathers, what fabric supports, threads, tools and hardware you will need plus how to make your own bias strips, make straps, pipe seams, make a zippered pocket and put in several modern types of clasp.  There is a page of tips plus a useful Oops! troubleshooting page.  Turn to the back for a glossary, index plus how to make a shoulder pad to slip onto the strap to make it more comfortable.  This is definitely a book destined for my keeper shelf and one I heartily recommend to anybody who wants to make bags that are modern, attractive and useful.

 Also new out in this series is a book on making backpacks.  This contains a plastic template too plus fifteen different ways of making backpacks, rucksacks and drawstring bags.  Make one with a teddy head, a useful bag for shoes or storing hair tools, bags with shaped corners and more.  Finally at the back is a project for a cosmetic purse; another winner that adds a less featured type of bag to the sewists repertoire.