Circle Sketch Tutorial

Well, this is our first tutorial! Lou kindly agreed last minute to be Guest Designer for what remains of August and considering she was preparing to go on holiday I don't know how she managed! Anyway, manage she did and here is her fabulous tutorial for this week's sketch...

Circle Bag made using Challenge #12 sketch

I wanted to make a bag to match my card or alternatively a novel “envelope” to fit my card. This circle bag can be made just using 1 piece of A4 printed card (if it is to be plain!)

I have used:
1 x A4 card with 1 printed design
1 x A4 card with 2 different printed designs (A5 in size)
Pink card for matting & layering
CD, ruler, pencil, glue, scissors & string, scallop punch
ribbon scraps as final decoration

1: Turn over your A4 printed card that has your chosen main design & draw around the CD twice. Mark both circles where you would like your bag sides to reach (as per photo below). There is no particular science here, it’s where you think the sides should end!

2: The easiest way to work out the length you need for the side, is to use a piece of string. Start at 1 point/mark and carefully work around to your other mark. Using your pencil, draw on the string and cut at this point.

3: Measure the string and this will give you the correct length for your side. Mark this on your original A4 piece of card. The width of your side for this sized bag is 5cm.

4: Using the same A4 card, draw on your handle which fits on the same piece of card. Cut out all your pieces.

5: Taking your side strip, score both sides lengthwise (approx 1cm in from the outside). Using your bone folder or scissors, carefully curve the card. This will help you later on when you fit the side to your circles.

6: Apply glue or strong double side tape to the folded tabs. Peel away one side only & begin to cut “teeth”.

7: Join this side to your back circle starting at your 1st mark. Remember to check which way the pattern goes before sticking down ! I prefer to hold the shape in my left hand, feeding/sticking the side down with my right . . . We all have our preferred ways!

8:Once you have stuck the side all the way around, take your bone folder and go over all the “teeth” on the inside to make sure that they are securely attached. Now put this to one side and decorate your front circle. It is much easier if you do the decoration first due to the circular shape. I have decorated the circle but not stuck my flower on as it will be easier to stick the front circle to the other parts. This iswhere the 2 A5 sized papers come in as they have been used to make my layered flower & centre strip.

9: Now it’s time to join the front circle to your side (& back circle). As before, remove the DS tape from the side panel & cut some “teeth”. Lining up your marks, feed the side to your front panel. This is where the curving really helps which you did earlier with your bone folder. Remember to check which way the pattern goes before sticking down ! Once in place, again use your bone folder to ensure that your “teeth” are stuck down.

10: Attach your handle to the side of your bag. I have made a further side panels to cover the handle.

11: Before I stuck my front panel down, I marked where I wanted my flower to go as I wanted to secure the flower with ribbon: I then punched 2 holes in this front panel. So much easier to do it now and not later ! Added my flower to the front and finished with a ribbon knotted thing!

By Lou Sims (http://www.lulucardmaking.blogspot.com/)