What you need
44″ wide fabric
1 yard for exterior
1½ yard for lining
lightweight sew-in interfacing
fusible interfacing
23″ x 10″ cardboard or heavy weight interfacing (if you like to add extra support at the bottom)
9″ elastic band
16 eyelets with washers (big enough for your flexitube! these eyelets are ¾” and the tube is ½”)
1½ yard of flexitube or cotton piping for bag handles
and the necessary sewing supply
pins, needle, sewing machine, matching thread, pen, ruler, scissors, iron…
Instructions
Finished size 23” w x 13½“h (without handles) x 5“ d. Read through entire pattern before starting to sew. All seams are at 1/4″
1. Cut from:
Exterior fabric:
2 pieces 28½“ w x 17½“ h (exterior main panels)
2 pieces 28½“ w x 2¾“ h (interior upper borders)
1 piece 11½“w x 8” h (pocket)
Lining:
2 pieces 28½“ w x 15¼ “ h (interior panels)
1 piece 11½ “w x 8” h (pocket)
Cut strips h 1¾” to be sewn together to cover the piping or flexitube (length 1 ½ yard) (if you are using a different diameter of the fexitube or cord you have to increase the height of these strips)
Interfacing:
2 pieces 28½“ w x 17½“ h
1 piece 11½“w x 8” h (pocket)
Fusible interfacing:
4 pieces of 28½“ x 2¾“.
2. Place one main exterior panel wrong side up. Match the upper 28½“ edge and a strip of fusible interfacing. Press. Repeat for the other main panel.
Attach the other 2 strips on the wrong side of the 2 pieces of exterior fabric 28½” x 2¾“ (interior upper borders).
3. Place one interior panel right side up and pin on the 28½“ side one of the strips 28½” x 2¾“. Repeat for the other panel.
4. Sew at ¼” and press open the seams.
5. Prepare the interior pocket. Take the pieces of exterior fabric, lining and sew-in interfacing measuring 11½ “w x 8” h. Match the edges. The right sides of the exterior and lining are facing and the interfacing is under the exterior fabric.
6. Sew all around at ¼” leaving a 2” opening for turning. Pin the elastic band at ¼” on the 11½ “ side.
7. Sew the elastic band only at sides.
8. Turn right side out through the opening.
9. Close the opening with hand stitches.
Press and place the pins where the elastic band ends. This is where you’ll sew.
10. Sew following the pins. Remember to remove pins as you sew. Don’t sew the elastic band.
11. Decide the position of the pocket on the right side of the interior panel. Pin in place.
12. Sew the pocket.
13. Place the interior panels right sides together. Match the edges and pin in place. Sew the sides and the bottom leaving a 4” opening on the bottom to turn.
14. Take the main panels and interfacing measuring 28½“ w x 17½“ h. Place a piece of interfacing, 2 main exterior panels right sides together and the other piece of interfacing. Match the edges. Be careful to match also the sides on which you have attached the strips of fusible interfacing.
15. Pin in place. Sew 3 sides at ¼” leaving the 18 ½” side with fusible interfacing open.
16. Match the side and the bottom seams and pin. Draw a line at 2 ½” from the corner. The line should be 5” long.
17. Sew following the line and cut at ¼”. Repeat on the other corner.
18. Repeat also on the lining.
19. Turn the exterior of the bag wrong side out. Slide inside the bag the lining, wrong side out. The right sides are facing. (in this picture you see the right sides together of lining and exterior).
20. Match the side seams and baste with pins all around the upper edge. Sew at ¼”.
21. If you like, you can add an extra support at the bottom. Cut from cardboard or heavy weight interfacing 2 pieces 23” x 5” and sew with little hand stitches at corners.
22. Turn right side out through the opening.
23. Press all seams open and baste with pins the bag top.
24. Topstitch at ¼” and 2”. Close with little hand stitches the opening on the lining.
25. Mark the position of the eyelets. From each corner mark 1”, 3 ½ “, 6”, 8 ½ “. This mark is the center of each eyelet.
26. These are the eyelets in the bag ready for the handles.
27. Sew together the strips 1¾ ’’ h to create the length of the tube. Fold in half lengthwise and sew at ¼”. Turn right side out and press.
Insert the plastic tube in the fabric tube and then through the eyelets.
28. Decide the length of the handles, make a big knot to secure and cut the excess.
The bag is finished!!!
Absolutely terrific bag, I am off to make a couple for presents
How very clever! 🙂
This bag is smashing! The directions are through enough even for a relative beginner.
wow, that’s awesome!
It was a great project to make, and the tote looked awesome. Thank you very much for posting!!! I’m a novice, so I did find step 25 a little confusing, but after a couple of re-reads I worked out the overall outcome is to have the eyelets evenly spaced, (2.5†between each one). Thanks again!!! :o)
love it!