Hey Everyone!
Today is day...um...day 1 million of self-isolation? I don't even know anymore. I've lost track.
As a work-from-homer, every day is now "bring your 4 year old to work" day. To say that productivity has greatly diminished is an understatement. Trying to find time to work on Cult Kind has become a challenge, but we are starting to figure out a schedule. And my son is a lot better at entertaining himself than I thought. He LOVES colouring. My printer is set up in my sewing room and he asks me every day to "sew" him some new colouring pages. I'm laughing as I type this, which is probably a good indicator of how crazy I'm going stuck at home with a young child.
Finding things to do to fill the day has been a challenge. But maybe you're home without any kids. Or maybe you have an hour or so to yourself each day and you're looking to try something new. If so, you're in the right place! Since I'm trying to sew every day anyway, I thought I'd create some tutorials as I do it. I'm going to try to post a new tutorial every week and most will be beginner level. However if you literally just had an Amazon delivery guy drop a sewing machine at your house, I'd suggest heading to youtube to find some videos on the basics, like threading your machine. I don't have a tutorial for that yet, but it's probably a good idea for me to make at some point.
Todays tutorial is for a super easy lined tote. Very easy, very basic, very pretty. The most difficult part is probably pinning the handles on properly (I've messed it up too many times to admit), but I'm going to walk you through each step as thoroughly as I can. Here we go!
MATERIALS:
Outer Fabric - (2) 14x16 inch rectangles
Lining - (2) 14x16 inch rectangles
Cotton Webbing - (2) 30 inch straps
Also:
Thread
Scissors
Pins/clips
Ruler/measuring tape
Iron
*I will list where I got all my materials at the end of this post*
STEP 1:
Cut (2) rectangles, 14" x 16", out of your outer fabric and your lining fabric.
You will have 4 rectangles in total, 2 in each fabric.
Cut (2) 30" pieces of cotton webbing for the handles.
**Note: Make sure the handles are exactly the same length. Nothing more annoying than a tote that has one handle a little longer and keeps falling down!
STEP 2:
Pin or clip your 2 outer fabric rectangles RIGHT sides together. So the sides you want facing out on your bag goes together.
Sew a 1/4 inch seam around the 3 sides of the rectangles, leaving the top side open. I've marked on the picture in dotted red lines where to sew.
**Note: You can measure about a 1/4 inch when you line the edge of your fabric to the edge of your metal foot, and place the needle in the middle. As long as you use the same guide for all the pieces, you're golden.
***Note: For those of you who are truly beginners, just a reminder to back stitch at the beginning of every seam and at the end.
STEP 3:
Pin or clip your lining fabric rectangles RIGHT sides together. So the sides you want facing out on the inside of your bag goes together. (If you are using a solid colour cotton, the right side may not be obvious. So just guess! It won't be noticeable.)
Sew a 1/4 inch seam around the 3 sides sides of the rectangles BUT leave about a 4"-5" opening in the bottom. It doesn't have to be precise, but has to be big enough to push the whole bag through at the end.
**Note: I mark, with a disappearing marker, where to stop sewing to remind me I need to leave an opening because I have the memory of a goldfish. You can also pop some extra pins in there as a reminder if you don't have a disappearing/washable marker.
STEP 4:
Clip both corners on the outer fabric and the lining. Be sure not to cut through your stitches! Clipping close to the stitches just around the corners helps to create a straighter corner when you flip it right side out.
I like to iron the opening edges back on the seam. This step is up to you, but I feel it makes it easier to achieve a straight edge at the end when you sew it up.
STEP 5:
Turn the lining right side out and press with an iron.
STEP 6:
Stuff the lining inside the outer fabric. The outer fabric is still right side in so the right side of the lining and the right side of the outer fabric will be touching each other.
Line up the edges of the tops of the lining and the outer fabric.
Match up the side seams of the outer fabric and the lining, then pin. When the bag is finished, it will look super nice to have the seams lined up on the outside and the inside of the bag.
STEP 7:
Now its time to find the center of the bag. The easiest way to do that is to fold the bag in half lengths way, and just press the top of the fold with an iron.
You then want to measure 3 inches out from both sides of the fold line. Place a pin or mark with a disappearing marker. This is where the inner edge of your handles will line up.
**Note: I only mark this on one side of the bag. For the other handle, I just match it with the handle I already pinned. I find that way is easier to have an exact match.
STEP 8:
Time to add the handles!
As I mentioned before, its super important to have the handles the same length. Mark 1 inch from the end of each piece of webbing. This 1 inch of handles will be hidden inside the bag once you've finished sewing.
Make sure that your handles are not twisted - that the same side of the webbing is facing up on the whole handle.
Now take one handle and sandwich it BETWEEN the lining and the outer fabric. Make sure the inside edge of each side of the handle is lined up with the 3 inch mark from the center.
**Note: In the first picture you see my handles on the outside, but that is just to properly measure the 1 inch. Remember - the handles get sandwiched BETWEEN the lining and the outer fabric
Pin. All you should be able to see now is the 1 inch pieces sticking out the top.
Flip over your bag and repeat the process with the other handle. With the bag lying flat you can match up to the already pinned handle to make sure they are even.
STEP 9:
Remove the storage part of your sewing machine so you can slide the top of the bag around the arm of your machine. This allows the fabric to move freely under your machine so you can sew around the whole top of the bag.
Sew a 1/4 inch seam around the top of the bag.
STEP 10:
Pull the lining out of the outer fabric of the bag.
Then reach your hand through the opening and pull the handles and outer fabric through the opening until the whole bag is right side out.
Look at those pretty matched up seams!
STEP 11:
Now it's time to close the opening.
**Note: Before you close the opening, make sure you push out the corners of the outer fabric of the bag.
If you pressed back the seam in step 4, this part will be easy. Just do a quick press with an iron, pin, and sew up the opening as close to the edge as possible.
This seam us at the bottom inside of your tote. You will never see it. So it doesn't need to be super perfect.
**Note: Alternatively, if you really don't want to see this stitching, you can use iron-on adhesive to close the opening.
STEP 12:
Stuff the lining inside bag and press the top edges with an iron. Make sure the seams are straight and flat.
**Note: At this point, if you have finished all the wine in your house, have been sitting in front of the sewing machine for 5 hours and are mentally exhausted, you can just stop here. BUT come on - you've come this far! The next part of this step gives your handles extra strength and makes the bag look professional!
Slide the bag back over the arm and then top stitch a 1/4 inch from the top of the bag. I personally like to top stitch once more a 1/2 inch from the top line. But thats totally a personal preference - up to you!
AND THAT IS IT! YOU ARE FINISHED! Look at you - being all productive and crafty and shit!
Let me know in the comments what you thought about this tutorial! Would you like to see a more advanced tote tutorial with an inner pocket and a vegan leather bottom? Let me know!
Materials List:
Outer Fabric:
Cotton + Steel - Rifle Paper Co. collection Meadow - Wildflower Field Cream (Canvas)
Purchased from Thread Count Fabrics
Lining Fabric:
Purchased from Fabricland. I can't for the life of me remember the name.
Cotton Webbing:
Thread:
Quilting Clips:
Note: I love these so much. I sew with a a lot of waterproof and vegan leather fabric - so I can't use pins because they'll leave a hole. DO NOT buy these clips on a local store. They are ridiculously expensive! I bought 100 on amazon for $12.99.
Disappearing Marker: