This is a Christmas tote bag made of quilting scraps. I made this tote bag from two squares of 30 by 30 inch material with batting in the middle. You then quilt them together and put a binding around the raw edges. It's like making a 30 by 30 quilt square or you can use the pre-quilted material, just add your binding.
You then lay face down, fold the two opposite corners to the middle, overlapping each other. This, you will see, will give you a square in the middle. Sew around the square in the middle, this will give you the inside pockets.
Then flip wrong sides together and sew up your sides. Take the bottom and sew 2 inches from the corner point across, this will give you a boxed bottom. Do this on each side. Then cut off point and discard. Make sure you zig zag across where you just cut. Turn this to the inside. You are now on the outside of your tote. Fold down your outside flaps, sew across the top of tote about a half inch.
You are now ready to make your handles. Cut matching material into 2 - 4 inch by how ever you long you want your handles to be. Fold the material, each side to the middle and press. Then fold once again and sew on each side of strap. Do this to both pieces of material. You should now have two straps ready to sew on your tote.
Measure 1 1/2 inches from the top corner of the tote, pin your strap in place making it a good inch down in the tote. Sew across the strap several times to secure. So this for both side of handle. You then take a piece of sew on velcro and sew at top between handles on both sides.
This is was not my original pattern but I have modified it to my own liking. The embroidery patterns used are from the free embroidery pattern section of sew forum and I take no credit for them, they are gifts from the wonderful digitizers there. I only embroidered them on to my tote bag. Oh, the inside pockets are at an odd angle but this is the way it is made. Don't worry, things will not fall out of the pockets as they are quite deep.
By Madeline from Jacksonville, Alabama
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What a wonderful bag. I just might turn my hand to making one of these. Fabulous and would make a great gift too.
Thank you for sharing!
Monique :)
Wow, I Shall have a try at making one & submit a picture of it when i'm done;
Thanks,
Yetta :)
Wow, I Shall have a try at making one & submit a picture of it when i'm done;
Thanks,
Yetta :)
This is so cute! I am the Tote bag Queen!! And I want one...LOL Just beautiful..good work!
Thank you soooo much for this pattern. I have bought four patterns from Joanns for bags or purses and can't understand some of the directions. But your is great and the way you make the inside pockets, Genius. Good Job.
Maybe I'm dumb, but do the inside pockets turn out to be triangles? Mine don't lay down right and I think I'm doing something wrong. Please respond, as I think my outside part looks good, but the inside looks silly to me.
To the lady with the problem with the inside pockets. Yes the pockets will be at an angle or look like a triangle , there will be 4 of them one on each corner. these pockets are deep , and nothing will fall out . I have made bunches of these totes and no one has had a problem . I sent thrifty fun a pic of the inside of the purse but they did not post it . I will try to write them and see if they can still do it . Sorry if anyone is haveing problems with it . Maybe i dident make myself clear on the instructions. Madeline
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