Main Tote Bag Tutorial including ideas to customize your bags and photos for inspiration

I enjoy surfing the internet and watching sewing or crafting videos to see what
everyone else is making ...
ok, I watch a lot of these videos as there are
LOTS of great ideas being shared online

Tote bags can be easy to make and are practical to use for:
Carrying your groceries (think of the plastic bags you will be saving from the landfill)
Toting your books to and from the library or to your bookclub meeting
A customized bag to carry all your stuff to and from the gym
(and another tote bag for carrying your sweaty stuff back to the house for washing)
To give as a gift
As a weekender bag for trips

Once you make and use your tote bag, you will want one for everything you do and
​everywhere you go!

Here's a tutorial on a basic tote bag and a few variations to make a tote bag... YOURS

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 FABRIC
Tote bags are great for using whatever fabric you have available in your sewing room
as all you need is a rectangle or square of fabric, matching or non matching fabric
and enough fabric to make a couple of straps (or you can buy pre-fabricated 'webbing'')

Upholstery or Home Decor fabric, denim or twill are great to use for a tote bag as it makes the bag stiff enough to sit up on its own
or you can use fusible interfacing to make the fabric stiff

Another interesting concept can be to upcycle something old into something new...
like a pair of curtains, an old pair of jeans, or a skirt that you no longer wear
and make them into a tote bag!
I have seen a bag embellished with a man's ties 
​there are lots of these ideas online
whatever you have and can re-use to salvage these items from the landfill!

Add a pocket or two, some straps and you have yourself a tote bag!

Measurements

Pieces required:
1 rectangle for the main bag
1 rectangle of contrast fabric for lining
2 pieces for straps
Pocket (optional)

Approximate sizing measurements
Small bag: 10 inches wide by 8 inches tall (cut on fold)
Medium sized bag: 18 inches wide by 14 inches tall (cut on fold)
Large bag:  22 inches wide and 18 inches tall (cut on fold)

The above is measured from the fold on the bottom to the top
i.e. how tall the bag will be

If you have fabric that has 'nap' i.e. an obvious print, you need to make both pieces on each side with the design of the fabric facing the right way top to bottom
so you can cut two pieces
and join them at the bottom (in place of the fold) before beginning construction

Any adjustments that you make to the main fabric will also have to be
​made exactly the same for the lining so the two pieces will fit perfectly when assembled and will look good when the bag is reversed

This is just a guideline of sizes as they will vary depending on the size of the
bag you make and what that you prefer to customize your bag to!

Pocket 
Make a pocket that is the full width of the bag
(and half of the measurement of the bag for height)
OR a square of fabric 
Cut on the fold
which is a rectangle which will be folded in half to make one pocket

Straps (approximate sizes) (Cut 2):
Small bag: 12 by 3 inches
Medium bag: 24 by 4 inches wide
Large bag: 30 inches long 6 inches wide

Supplies Idea: If you make a lot of bags, to save yourself some time, it may be worth investing in a plastic ruler to cut and measure accurately and a plastic square to help with the boxed bottoms
these items are usually found with the quilting supplies of the fabric store or a craft store

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The Basics

I like to make a lined bag which basically requires cutting and making
2 bags and attaching them
The straps can be made from either the main or lining fabric (or both)
or from webbing that you can buy 
It may seem like double the work to line a bag but a lining may save a bit of time because you do not have to finish the raw edges and it provides a nice professional look to the completed project

​The bags described in this tutorial are reversible
It's a fun trick to show off the bags by flipping them inside and out showing both pretty sides so you have 2 bags in one!
Just wait for the 'oohs' and 'aahs' 

The lining of the bag will face right side out when completed
(looking at it when it's inside the bag)
​so choose a nice fabric that contrasts well with the main fabric
The lining also makes the bag thicker so the bag can stand up on its own
​with the boxed corners
​
Using a steam iron will help your bag to have a more professional look when completed

Making the Straps
Fold each raw edge toward the middle along the long side of the strap piece
The fold is approx. 1/4 to 1/2 inch
Tip: leave a gap between the two raw edges in the middle so that when the strap is folded again, the two raw edges do not overlap and create bulk in the middle

​Pictured above: the 2 raw edge are folded and pressed toward the middle (top photo)
​and the two edges and folded again in the middle (bottom photo)

Press with an iron
Sew each strap with a topstitch along the 'open' edge to close and finish
​I usually sew along the other edge to make it even and keep it in place
Tip: when topstitching, change the stitch length to a longer length (3.5)
​Put the straps aside until later

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Make a pocket (or 2)
It is easier to sew on the pockets on the main (outer pocket) or lining (inner pocket)
fabric BEFORE sewing the side seams together

Cut a rectangle of fabric on the fold
With right sides together sew around the 3 edges (not including the folded edge)
leaving a 2 inch gap
Turn the square right side out through the gap
Press with your iron
Gently poke out the corners to make sure they are a pointed shape 
(being careful not to push too hard that it goes through the fabric)
Use a pin to mark and close the gap 

Pin the pocket to the bag
Stitch 3 of the 4 sides of the way around to attach it to the bag
leaving the top open so you can add items to the pocket
When stitching, ensure that the gap used for turning (where you marked with a pin)
is stitched close enough to the edge of it to close it with the stitching
​Press with an iron

​You can place a pocket on the inside and/or outside of your bag

 Full width of the bag pocket
Cut the pocket fabric on a fold, sew it right sides together
flip to right sides out - it will resemble a 'tube'
Press with an iron
Measure the placement of the pocket to allow the bottom to be a couple of inches from the bottom of the cut squares of the boxed corners and at least 1.5 inches from the top of the bag
Pin and sew the BOTTOM only of the pocket to the bag leaving the top of the pocket open

The side seams of the pocket will be pinned to the bag and sewn at the same time
as sewing together the side seams of the main bag

It is recommended that you place a vertical line of stitching down the center of a large pocket when attaching it to the bag 
This will split the pocket into two separate pockets and ensure the pocket
​does not 'gape' open ​

Below is a photo of the side to side pocket with a
​stitching line down the center of the pocket

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Sew the side seams together
Right sides together, sew the side seams
I use a 1/2 inch seam
Be sure that if you added a pocket, that it is placed in the middle
Reminder: whatever size seam you sew on the main bag, the same must be done exactly to the lining

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Boxing the corners
Cut out a 2 inch square on the bottom fold i.e. the two bottom corners
(see the photo below for placement)
A 2 inch square will create a 4 inch bottom on your bag
3 inch will give you a 6 inch bottom, etc.

Note: On the side side, line up your 2 inches to NOT include the side seam
(i.e. it will be 2 1/2 inches for the side and 2 inches from the bottom fold
so the opening to be created will be an even 2 inches)

​Do exactly the same on both main and lining fabric pieces when making a lined bag
so they will match exactly when sewn together​

Tip:  I measure and cut out the first square and use that piece of fabric
to cut the other squares so they are all exactly the same

To make the 'box'

Fold and put a pin in the center of the bottom of the bag (the fold) to mark it
Put your two fingers into the hole where you cut the square out on the bottom of the bag
and spread your fingers to line up the side seam to the bottom
​fold so that the line that you had previously marked with a pin lines up 

Mark, Pin and then sew each of the corners with a small seam (1/4 inch) along the edge

 Turn the bag right sides out 
Press with an iron

Ensure the boxed edges are properly turned (to create a 'point')
Assemble the lining of the bag in the exact same way

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Attach the main and lining pieces
Right sides together, place the lining bag piece inside the main bag piece
lining up the two pieces at the side seams and boxed corners

TIp: place both your hands inside the bags and turn upside down
​shake the bags around with your fingers into the corners
​until they are correctly lined up in the corners
​
Pin the two together at the top (raw edge)

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Placement of the Straps
To create alignment, place a pin in the middle (between the two side seams of the bags)
place another set of pins an even space away from each side of the center pin
(for a medium bag, approximately 3 - 4 inches on each side of the center pin)

Fold the strap in half and pin it on the main bag
The strap will be attached to the RIGHT side of each of the two fabrics
with the raw side of the strap is facing up
​(see photo below for placement)

Take the 'alignment' pins out and replace with pins to hold the straps in their place
Use two pins for each strap (so the strap does not slide if only using one pin)

Note: make sure that the strap is 'straight' and not twisted i.e. 
 that the topstitched seam of the strap is facing toward the sides not toward the middle

Check that the strap placement is in the same place on each side of the bag before sewing

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Sew the two bags together at the top
When attaching the main bag to the lining, make sure the everything lines up properly 
​check the side seams and bottom boxed corners are in correct alignment to each other

Stitch around the top using a 1/2 seam ensuring that
both the bag pieces are sewn together
and the straps are sandwiched in between the two bags
Leave a 4 inch gap for turning
Be sure to backstitch a couple of stitches at the start and end of the line of sewing

The gap should be in between the straps around the side seam
(to ensure the straps are sewn in and not included ​in the gap area)
Below is a photo showing where a gap has been created
(the foot of the sewing machine is on the side seam
depending on the size of your bag, the side seam may be included in the gap)

Pull the bag through the gap so that both right sides will now be facing out 
Tuck the lining inside the bag and line everything up correctly
​Press with an iron

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Topstitch the top
When sewing the top seam, mark the gap with a pin 
When stitching, make sure that you stitch close to the edge all the way around
to ensure that the gap is closed

Great Job!
You have completed your new tote bag

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Photo Gallery

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6 pocket large tote bag tutorial

Description
The oversized bag with boxed bottom allows sufficient space as a weekender bag or
to store gym stuff or I use mine as a fabric carrier tote 

The large pocket piece is broken up by the straps which becomes 3 pocket on each side of the bag
which makes it versatile for storage

The construction is very similiar to the basic bag with a few adjustments
Read the basic bag construction tutorial first to get an idea of how the bag is made

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Measurements and fabric
Measurements: 20-22 inches wide 
18-20 inches height from top to bottom
​ cut your fabric on the fold 
Fabric for straps
pockets (optional)

The boxed bottom can be between 6-8 inches wide 

Upholstery or home decor fabric is great for this large, heavy duty bag or use interfacing to strengthen the fabric

  It is important to sew the pockets and straps on before sewing up the sides of the bag
... much easier to construct while it is flat ...

There are 2 large pockets on this bag, one on each side (the full width from side to side seam)

Each pocket is made from one piece of fabric (on a fold)
Sew a seam along the raw edge to join the fabric (making a 'tube')

Place approximately 8 - 10 inches from the top of the bag

To attach the pocket to the bag, stitch along the BOTTOM SEAM ONLY
​ leaving the top of the pocket open
The straps will cover the pockets that turn one big pocket into 3 sections
The raw edge of the sides will be sewn when sewing the side seams later​

To measure the circular straps, add the height of the bag to the length of the strap you wish 

Attach the raw edges together to make a super long, circular strap
You can use two long pieces for this long strap but if you do
​place the seam at the bottom of the bag where it cannot be seen

Pin the circular straps in place ensuring that they are evenly spaced
from each side of the side seams of the bag
Straps are approximately 5 inches in from each side (on the bag shown)

The straps are stitched over top of the pockets which provides separation of the one big pocket
which creates 3 separate pockets on each side (total of 6 pockets when finished)

If you choose to, you can add an 'x''to reinforce the strap where it meets the top of the bag
as extra support

Sew the side seams
Box the corners
Make a lining
Attach at the top
​
(use the main tutorial a a guideline on these steps)

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​Enjoy your new large sized bag with lots of pockets

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SEW CREATIVE and FUN to make it yourself!