Perfect for sleep-overs at a friend's or at Grandma's, this charming little bug bag promises sweet dreams and smiles at bedtime. Designer Renée Schwarz shows you how to makes this bright ladybug. This easy project is fun to sew and to snuggle into.

BUG BAG
Pouch of finished sleeping bag measures approx 106 cm (42 in) Iong and 85 cm (33-1/2 in) wide.

You need:
Download the pattern (PDF format, requires free Adobe Acrobat Reader
&#8226 Medium-weight cotton or polycotton fabric, such as poplin, brushed denim or corduroy, as follows:
4 m red, 115 cm wide, for body
0.70 m black, 115 cm wide, for spots, pupils and legs
0.60 m green, 90 cm wide, for head
Piece of yellow, 25 x 15 cm (97-7/8 X 6 in), for eyes
&#8226 0 .80 m medium-weight fusible interfacing, 58 cm wide
&#8226 Polyester quilt batting
&#8226 White and red embroidery floss
&#8226 Matching thread
&#8226 Dressmaker's carbon paper
&#8226 Brown paper

To make:
Enlarge pattern by squaring method as follows: On brown paper, draw grid of horizontal and vertical lines 2.5 cm (1 in) apart. Each square on diagram equals a 2.5 cm square on your paper. Enlarge by drawing each line of design onto corresponding square on your paper. If necessary, enlarge body/pouch by adjusting pattern along green lines.

Note: Using carbon paper, transfer pink placement lines for mouth and appliqués to right side of 1 head and 1 body. Transfer any other markings. Use 1 cm (3/8-in) seam allowance throughout, unless otherwise indicated. Reinforce each seam by sewing second line of stitching just outside the first. After stitching, trim batting seam allowance to 3 mm (1/8 in). Clip corners and curves in fabric seam allowance as necessary. Appliqués: To appliqué by hand, use slipstitches. To appliqué by machine, use a wide, closely spaced machine zigzag.

1. From appropriate fabric and following solid black lines, cut 4 bodies, 2 heads and 12 legs, then cut 2 pupils, 5 spots and 2 eyes for appliqué. From interfacing and following broken lines, cut same number of pupils, spots and eyes. On wrong side of each fabric appliqué piece, centre and bond interfacing. Press under 6 mm (1/4 in) around edge.

2. Face: Appliqué interfaced eyes and pupils to right side of 1 head piece. Using 3 strands of white floss, satin-stitch glint in each pupil. Using 3 strands of red floss, back-stitch mouth.

Head: With right sides together and edges even, pin head pieces together; then pin head to 3 layers of batting. Stitch through all layers, leaving neck edge open. Turn right side out. Baste opening closed.

3. Legs: With right sides together and edges even, pin each pair of leg pieces together; then pin each leg to 2 layers of batting. Stitch through all layers, leaving top edge open. Turn right side out. Baste opening closed.

4. Body top: Appliqué interfaced spots to right side of 1 body piece. With right sides together and edges even, pin appliquéd body piece to 1 plain body piece; then pin to 1 layer of batting. Stitch through all layers, leaving bottom edge open between Xs. Turn right side out. Turn under 1 cm around opening; machine-stitch closed. Machine-quilt around each spot.

5. Body bottom: With right sides together and raw edges even, baste 1 leg to right side of 1 body piece between each pair of single notches, so leg points down; then baste head between double notches, with right sides together and edges even, baste to remaining body piece.

Pin body bottom to 1 layer of batting. Stitch through all layers, catching head and legs in seam and leaving bottom edge open between Xs. Turn right side out. Turn under 1 cm around opening; machine-stitch closed. Machine-quilt where indicated by blue lines. Remove basting.

6. With body edges even and outsides together, pin body top to bottom. Stitch together, leaving top edge open between dots. Reinforce seam ends at either side of opening with backstitching or bar tacks. Turn right side out.