Sticker-Patch Bag

My young nieces love decorating with stickers, more than when using more basic tools such as crayons or finger paint. I think the girls appreciate the finished look of stickers and feel creative placing them. This project creates a cute bag and removable patches to stick on; a Sticker-Patch Bag Kit that a young child can have fun decorating and redecorating.
The patches are made removable by attaching a Velcro-hook backing. The bag is made from fuzzy felt allowing the patches to attach. The materials and tools needed are:
1. 1/2 yard felt
2. 1/4 yard fabric, coordinating the felt
3. Many patches (20 or more), in several themes (animals, school, flowers, at the beach, &)
4. ~1 ft Velcro backing, iron-on or adhesive
5. Scissors
6. Fabric marker
7. Sewing machine
8. Iron
9. Scrap piece of paperboard, from a box of cereal for example- If using iron-on Velcro

Cut the following parts from the felt
+ 1 piece, 7 inches by 20.5 inches for the body of the bag
+ 2 pieces, 2 inches by 20.5 inches for the sides of the bag
+ 2 pieces, 1.25 inches by 15 inches for the straps
Cut the following parts from the fabric
+ 1 piece, 5 inches by 8 inches for the bottom reinforcement
+ 2 pieces, 1.25 inches by 15 inches for the straps reinforcements

Fold the body panel of felt in half lengthwise, so it measures 7 inches by 10.25 inches, doubled up.

Fold the bottom panel of fabric in half widthwise, so it measures 8 inches by 2.5 inches, doubled up (picture).

The fold lines up the centers of the two pieces. Mark the felt and the inside of the fabric at the fold.

Unfold the two panels and lay the fabric panel on top of the felt. Use the marks to line up the panels.

The fabric will overhang the felt by 1/2 inch on each side (picture).

Fold this excess under to carefully match the width of the felt (picture). Fold over the remaining ragged edges of the fabric about the same amount as the sides were folded. Iron down all four creases, making it easier to sew.

Place the fabric on the felt panel and align again using the marks. Sew the panel onto the felt using a straight stitch. Use a color of thread that coordinates or compliments the felt color. The fabric panel now reinforces the felt body where the bottom of the bag will be.

Take the side pieces and sew to the now reinforced body panel, creating the bag. Be sure to square the bottom corners so the bag sits better.

The fabric strap pieces are the same width as the felt strap pieces. Fold and iron the fabric so it will be approximately 1/4 inch skinnier on both sides of the felt. Sew onto the felt using the same straight stitch.

Measure 1.5 inches from the side of the bag and 1.75 inches from the top of the bag. Mark this as the point to attach the straps. Fold and iron under the ends of the straps to make clean ends. Sew to body of the bag. Double stitch the straps onto the bag to reinforce the connection.

Attaching the Velcro to the patches is easy. Both the iron-on Velcro and the adhesive Velcro have a sticky surface which will stick to the back of patches. In general, the iron-on Velcro is better; it can bond to patches with a plain fabric back or the shiny iron-on backing. The adhesive Velcro will not hold on plain fabric patches. Use what is appropriate for each patch.

Use the hook-side of the Velcro (the scratchy side). It can be cut to fit the back of the patch or just applied in the center of the patch. If you do not fit across the entire back, parts of the patch will curl up off the bag. This can be a nice effect for flower patches, insect wings, etc.

Using iron-on Velcro, iron on top of a scrap piece of paperboard (from a cereal box, for example) to keep the patch from bonding to your ironing surface. Place the patch face-up, iron on the cotton setting + steam setting for 60 seconds to set the adhesive.

Now the patches will stick to the felt of the bag like a sticker. They can be removed and rearranged, shared with friends and collected. With a collection of stickers-patches, a child can rearrange the bag for fun or different occasions.