Quiltingboard Forums - Simple and quick tote tute

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Bare with me everyone I'm having computer problems.

finished tote is about 12 wide and 10 tall 5 deep

SUPPLIES

two cuts for the body 9x17

one fabric for bottom 12x17

fusible batting pellon 971

fusible interfacing pellon 950

1 lining fabric 17x27 1/2

4 handle fabrics 3x 25 (longer or shorter its your preference)

10 1/2x4 1/2 inside bottom of bag either foam board or plexi glass, again its up to you

pocket for plexi glass needs 10x13 cut of fabric.

4 strips of batting 1 1/2x 25 or the length of your handles.

Here we go!

If your using a fabric with a picture such as my santa make sure you get them going the right direction. Sew these 3 together using 1/4 seam

[ATTACH=CONFIG]138758[/ATTACH]

Press those seams to the dark of course, should look something like this, go ahead and fuse this to your pellon 971. I just lay this on top of the pellon and cut

[ATTACH=CONFIG]138759[/ATTACH]

fuse your lining fabric to the pellon 950

[ATTACH=CONFIG]138760[/ATTACH]

After you get your bag body fused to the pellon you can quilt as you like. I dont quilt mine I just add a few fancy stitches for eyecandy and to keep the project quick. The pellon will hold the fabric even after washed if fused correctly. So read those instructions and test by trying to pull the fabric away from the pellon. If it comes off easily it wont stand up to washing and you need to repress with more steam alot slooooooower.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]138772[/ATTACH]

now fold the body of the bag in half, lining up those seams, i pin them together.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]138781[/ATTACH]

sew along both sides, I use about 3/8 to 5/8 seam here, makes for easier pressing. Before pressing the seam open snip the ends right up to the stitched seam this to will make for easier pressing and cutting.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]138786[/ATTACH]

You need to do the same for the bag lining. Now lets make that bag bottom by matching up the seams and drawing a line 2 1/2 inches up from the bottom. This is your stitching line. Do this on both corners of the bag body and lining. Go a head and stitch right on top of those lines you have drawn making sure to back stitch where you start and stop. This adds strength to the bottom of the bag. We tend to put bricks in our bags.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]138796[/ATTACH]

Cut off the excess on all corners about 1/4 inch away from stitched line. Once you've cut them turn the body of the bag right side out. Push the corners out. Leave your line wrong side out and slip the bag body inside the lining. Set it aside and get your handle pieces ready, iron heated up.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]138797[/ATTACH]

Take your 3x25 inch fabric and lay them wrong side up on ironing board, lay your fusible pellon971 in the middle rough side up and press like so....careful this can get quite tricky. Be careful not to get the iron on the pellon it will stick to your iron. You could use a pressing cloth or teflon sheet, I just prefer not to. Repeat for all four strips

[ATTACH=CONFIG]138803[/ATTACH]

Boy my computer really is giving me fits tonight. Took a coffee break, ready to finish totey tute. Here goes the second half. We,re almost there!

You can iron these two strips together if you like, the batting will fuse together and help hold the two pieces together. I have found for me that I like to be able to shift the two layers in case of puckers. Sew them together using 1/8 inch on each side and then move over 1/8 to 1/4 in and sew again on both sides. Then straight down the middle. You don't have to have 5 lines of stitching 2 will work I just find it easier later to line them up on the bag and the more stitching the more sturdy the handles.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]138814[/ATTACH]

You should end up with 2 of these

[ATTACH=CONFIG]138815[/ATTACH]

Now go get that bag we set aside, mark a line 5 inches over from the sides. This is you handle placement. Oops thats the top of the bag we're marking.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]138816[/ATTACH]

line up and pin those seams

[ATTACH=CONFIG]138817[/ATTACH]

This is where that middle seam on the handles comes in handy, drop the handle in between the bag body and the lining, line up the middle stitch on your handle to the placement mark we made and pin in place, do this for all 4 ends

[ATTACH=CONFIG]138818[/ATTACH]

Looks like this?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]138821[/ATTACH]

Pin it all together

[ATTACH=CONFIG]138822[/ATTACH]

Sew around the top using your 3/8 or 5/8 seam allowance, leave a hole, I start at the edge of the handle, Dont leave it to small about 4 inches should do.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]138823[/ATTACH]

Pull that bag throught the hole, hint pull the bottom of bag first not the handles. you should have something like this.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]138824[/ATTACH]

Shew that was some work, pin that hole shut , I also pin around the entire top just to keep my seam straight. Now sew it around the top edge of the bag about 1/4 inch from the top, starting at the side seam.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]138825[/ATTACH]

Now you can put in your foam board or plexi glass. I buy plexi in large sheets at home depot and cut down to size. If you use plexi glass you need to sand down those sharp corner points they will rip your fabric. Its real easy to sand and only takes a few quick swipes. Make that little pocket for the bottom by folding over the top edge and stitching, then sew right sides together leaving one end open. slide in plexi. I dont close this pocket so it can be thrown in the washing machine, I fold the edge under to the bottom.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]138828[/ATTACH]

under 2 hours a finish!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]138832[/ATTACH]

One bag...one big mess!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]138833[/ATTACH]

Great clear and concise. makes it easy to accomplish. Now to get to cutting. Thanks for the tute.

Thank you for the tutorial. I'm bookmarking it.

Wow...great job on the tute. Very clear instructions and a lovely bag at the outcome. Thanks!

very nice tute, easy to follow and beautiful bag.

A great bag and a great teacher......

Thank you for the tute. It is very easy to understand.

What a great bag. Thanks for the tute.

Great job ... thanks!! :):)

Thank you very much :D:D:D

Thanks for going to all that trouble to teach us.

Could you tell us what kind of saw you use to cut the Plexiglass?
Other plastics I've tried to cut gummed up my saw blade.

Thanks so much for sharing with us! There will be some of these in my future.

Sue

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramona Byrd

Thanks for going to all that trouble to teach us.

Could you tell us what kind of saw you use to cut the Plexiglass?
Other plastics I've tried to cut gummed up my saw blade.

Oh heavens no I dont have a saw in my sewing room, However Ive been known to work on my car and have my own tools. You just score the the plexi with a box knife, I use my cutting board and my ruler just as were cutting fabric, but instead of a rotary cutter I have a box knife. After I score it a couple times I line up the score mark on the edge of the table and hit it swiftly and it breaks straight on the score. If you leave the plastic coating on the plexi sheet it holds onto the broken piece so it doesnt fall to the floor. Plexi is really cheap, about $10 for a sheet thats 30x36. thats alot of bag bottoms. I find it on sale and buy bunches, the last batch I got for 50% off. The quilt shop sells Baggee bottoms for an outrageous amount. And they are nothing but precut plexi.

Awesome tute and clear pictures. Thank you! I printed them out.

Bookmarking this for sure...looks like something I might be able to achieve! Thanks for the clear, concise instructions...I am a bit tote phobic, so this will be good for me to start with.

This is great! Thank You.

Great tute! Do you have trouble with things getting under the plexi-glass bottom?

That fabric is beautiful! and the tutorial is so easy to follow!

Thanks so much! Booking marking that!

many many thanks for the nice tutorial

Wonderful instructions. I'm going to try making one...I know I can do it now!

Thanks - great picture instructions! Definitely bookmarking it.

Thank you so much for teaching us how you make the tote. These will be easy to make for Christmas gifts. Not alot of work.

Thanks for a really understandable tute!!! How thick is the plexiglass...that's really a great idea.

Thank you -- I wonder how many things I can have on bookmarks and my favorites, even if they are only links --lol

Thanks for the tutorial, looks simple enough for and old lady to make. Love different bags to carry as purses.

How do you bookmark it to save for reviewing when sewing.

I love the tutorial, thank you for sharing and for your beautiful instructions. I've wondered this for a long time, can we print a tutorial so that we can have it by our work tables? I noted a member saying that she was going to bookmark it, but you still need the computer to view. Any help gratefully appreciated.
Love the tip on the plexi, so true that if you put a special name on a common product it will cost you double.

Great Purse but, I would have to add pockets. You did a great job on showing how to make it.

Cookie

Thanks lea been looking for something fast to use for a gift bag to put lotions and what nots in for my DILs.If any one has what not ideas let me know.

Very nice job. Well done. I may just have to make a couple of these for Christmas presents.
Thank you.

Oh, WONDERFUL!!!! Thank you soooooo much!

Your bag is beautiful and the tutorial is excellent, thank you so much.

Elise

Yes you can print the instructions. Just go to your computer under file and click on print preview then you can look at the number of pages you need to print. Hope this helps.

Great tute. Thanks for sharing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Annaquilts

Awesome tute and clear pictures. Thank you! I printed them out.

How did you print them out?

Quote:

Originally Posted by OraLee

Yes you can print the instructions. Just go to your computer under file and click on print preview then you can look at the number of pages you need to print. Hope this helps.

Thank you very much. I should have known how to do this. Your tip woke my aged brain up and now I have the instructions. I do so much appreciate you taking the time to help.