Another Easy Tote

I stopped by a local thrift shop looking for specific household linens to make bags and a top for me. Here is what I found at the one shop. All these goodies for $12.

The bright yellow, red, black, brown and blue is a heavy canvas shower curtain. I fell in love with it immediately. I knew exactly what I was going to make with it – another easy tote bag. Before I get to that tutorial, I’ll show you my other treasures.

The first are two king pillowcases. Not sure what I’ll make out of them, but loved the feel and the design.

Two quilted pillow shams. I plan to cut them up, but not sure quite what I’ll do.

Two cotton/poly curtain panels. I bought a pattern recently, and this is just the fabric I want to use. I won’t need all of this fabric but thought just in case I screwed up, I’d have plenty.

I’m always on the lookout for nice place mats to use in our dining room. These were perfect and with the 75% off, cost me 75 cents for the four.

But I wanted to start on another version of an easy tote. Check out this post and this one for other ways to make easy totes.

Let’s get started. I cut my fabric 18 x 36 inches, and webbing 45 inches. Then I cut the webbing in half, to have two straps.

I took a lighter and sealed the ends of the webbing.

Now it’s time to sew it up. Start by laying out the fabric horizontally. Fold up in half, and then another half and mark.

Open the fabric up and mark that first fold.

Open up your fabric and you will have two marks on the short side of one side of the fabric. Those are your marks for where the straps will be attached.

Center the straps over the marks and clip.

Turn over and line up the other strap to match the one above.

Take to the machine and zigzag the two short sides. Sew over the strap a couple of times.

Once the tops are zigzagged, put right sides together.

Now, zigzag the sides.

Now we need to box the corners. Measure 3 inches from sewing line (not the edge) and draw a 3-inch box on each corner.

Put your hand inside the tote and fold down the corners so the corners of the squares meet and clip.

Now sew on that line making sure that you sew down the seam on both triangles the same way. You don’t need to cut off the triangle. It gives the tote a bit more stability.

Turn down the top about an inch and clip or pin.

Turn right side out. Take it back to the machine and sew from the inside on the zigzag line, and then 1/4 inch or less from the top. When you sew over the straps, go back and forth a couple times for extra stability.

And you are done!!

If you have a serger, it would make the side and top seams look a bit better finished, but zigzag works. Now you have a nice little grocery tote, or you could put a present in it instead of using a paper bag or wrap. Since this is not lined, you need to use a heavier fabric than quilting cotton.

If you’d like to see a video on this, check this one out on Christina’s YouTube channel.  I love listening to her and she has such great ideas.

Do I like this as much as the other two I’ve sewn? I’m not sure. I like the lined totes, the links I inserted above, but this tote works with heavier fabric. It would make a more professional tote if I used my serger, which I’ve not used for years.

Anyway, that’s what’s going on in my studio this week. I’m looking forward to working with that other thrifted stuff I bought.

We got another round of snow last night. It’s pretty but I’m really wanting Spring to come. Hope you are keeping warm or cold, depending on your climate, and getting in some creative fun.