Easy to Sew Tote Bag

I found/bought this cute fabric at the store with the intention of making a tote bag for groceries. Well, I finally decided to make the bag and share it with you all. It's simple, fast to make, and mighty handy to have.

What you need:

- 1 piece of fabric 1 yard by 22 inches (tho, this depends on the size of bag you want to make)
- 2 pieces of fabric 1 yard by 3 inches (for handles, you can also buy belt like fabric for the same purpose).

How to:

1. Once you've cut all the fabric, we'll make the handles first. Take one of the 3 inch pieces, fold and iron each side down about 1/4 inch, then fold and iron in half width-wise. Sew close lengthwise, and fold down and sew in ends and repeat to the other 3 inch piece of fabric.


2. Fold the 22 inch piece in half lengthwise and inside out. I ironed it folded just to make sure it was straight and it makes it easier to work with.

3. Sew each side down.

4. Make a mark 2.5 inches from the fold and 2.5 inches from the sewing line on the bottom of the bag, both left and right side and both front and back.

5. Fold open the corner, so that the fold lines hit both front/back marks on the left side of the bag (you'll repeat the same technique on the right side. Draw a line using a pencil to connect the marks together. Sew down the line. This makes the bottom of the bag rectangular in shape.


6. Fold the top part of the bag down twice. I ironed it down to make it easier to work with. Sew down both the top part and the bottom part of that folded band. (See picture)

7. Pin down the handles. (I placed them 6 inches away from the side seam). Once pinned, sew them down, and sew on an x for a stronger bond.


That's it. Easy, simple, and quick. Now, time to go to the market. :-)