Heyhey,

weather is unusually hot for Germany so everything is going a little slower at the moment 😉 nonetheless here finally this weeks quick and easy project suitable for beginners. This project includes some more seams then the cowls, so it will need some more time, do not get discouraged. The time will pay off in a nice tote-bag no one else has.

What you need:

• paper, pen, paper scissors and ruler for the pattern
• woven (un-stretchy) fabric, I use a denim with a print
• fitting sewing thread
• pins
• tailors chalk
• fabric shears
• sewing machine (only normal straight stitching required)

 I started by drawing the final size I want my tote to have on a paper, with some free space around it (mine is 30cm x 30cm (12x12inch)) (blue lines)

 now I added to the sides and bag-bottom half the depth I want my bag to have (I want it to be 5cm(2inch) in between front and bag, so I add 2.5cm(1inch)) (pink lines)

last I add seam allowance to sides and bottom (I use 1cm) and 4cm to the top. you can use any seam allowance you feel comfortable with, at the top you should add at least 4cm, so it gives a nice finish and a good base for the straps (green lines)

 now I cut the pattern at the green lines and placed it on the fabric, if you are buying new fabric for this project, make the pattern first, then measure it top to bottom and you know how much fabric you will need to buy

 then I pinned it in place

 and cut all around it with fabric shears

 now I placed the 2 parts on top of each other and pinned side seams and bottom seam

wrong sides inside right side outside

 and sewed them with 1/3 of my seam allowance, always securing my seams with a few stitches forward and backward and beginning and end

 with 1cm seam allowance that is just a few mm

 then I ironed those seam allowance apart (even though with this weather ironing is really the last thing you would like to do ;))

 looks like this so far, I iron those seam allowance apart, because it makes it easier, when you turn them around

 and the wrong side out, because it will fold right at the seams

 and now I sewed all 3 seams again, this time with 2/3 of the seam allowance. This seams are called french seams and I do them because they give a nice clean finish on the inside

 and outside, and not everyone has a serger/overlock when starting to sew. (if you do, you can of course just do normal seams and serge them on the inside)

 now I closed the corners by pinning seam on seam, wrong side inside

 looks like this

and sewed again with 1/3 of my seam allowance

 then turned wrong side out again and sewed with 2/3 of my seam allowance

 my tote bag so far

now I marked 2cm at the top, that is half of my 4cm I added at the top, so if you used a different measurement mark the half of that

 and I ironed the top 2cm inside

 and then folded it over again and ironed that in place

 thats what my bag looks like so far

 nice and tidy on the inside, and lots of space for all the stuff I like to carry around.

next week I will add the straps and finish the top part, so stay tuned and check back on Wednesday!

Do you have any questions about this project so far? Or do you have any ideas or wishes for future tutorials?

I am already so curious what lovely tote-bags you will create!

If you like my print, you can buy the fabric here. (also in different colors) Its my own design, so if you order any of it, I will earn a commission.

keep sewing and smiling 

your TailorFairy