Hello everyone,

Welcome to Thread It Thursday!!

You can never have enough bags, so why not add another one to your collection. Let’s jump right into this tutorial.

Materials

1/2 Yard of a woven, canvas, duck canvas or a home decor fabric ( I used a striped woven fabric)

1/2 yard of faux leather, vinyl etc

Directions

Start by cutting your woven fabric.  Fold fabric in half (lengthwise) right sides facing (wrong side facing you) cut 1 piece that is 13.5″ W x 16″ L

Next from the woven fabric cut 2 strips that are 4.5″ W x 27″ L

Faux Leather cut 1 piece 5″ W x 16″L

Take your faux leather and lay it right side up.

Lay your woven fabric on top right side down (wrong side facing you) and clip to hold into place. (No pinning into faux leather) Sew with a 1/2″ seam allowance. Finish seam as desired (pinking shears, zig-zag stitch or serger.)

Next take a large piece of scrap cotton fabric and lay it over your faux leather and press the seam. Then top stitch across the seam to keep it in place and give it a nice professional finish.

All pressed and top stitched.

Now fold your bag in half clip in place.

Now sew with a 1/2″ seam allowance and finish seam as desired.

To create a boxed bottom for the tote the corners need to be squared off. Grab one of the bottom corners and pull and flatten it creating a point. Feel with your fingers to make sure the bottom and side seams are matched up.

Measure about 1″ down from the point creating a triangle that is about 2″ across the bottom and mark with a fabric marker.

Sew across your marking’s and finish seam.

Let’s work on the top of the bag. Fold over the top edge of the bag 1/2″ and then 1″ and press in to place. Sew around the top, close to edge. Now give the bag a good press. Making sure to use a cotton fabric over your faux leather.

It’s time to work on the straps. Fold the fabric in half right sides facing. Press and sew with a 1/2″ seam allowance and finish seam as desired.

Now turn your straps right side out and and press. Turn your ends under 1/2 ” and press like so.

Let’s attach the strap’s to the bag. Measure over 1 1/2″ from side and down 1 1/2″. Pin in place sew using the box with an X inside.

* This part is totally optional. It does give your bag more structure. Again, it’s optional.

Cut a piece of cardboard that is 2″ W x 16″ L.

Then fold your left over woven fabric in half lengthwise (right sides facing) cut a strip that is 4.5″ W x 18″ L.

Next fold over width wise, press and sew each side of the strip with a 1/2″ seam allowance.

Next insert cardboard

Fold in open edge 1/2″ and sew closed.

Give it a good press and it is ready to insert into the bottom of your bag.

If you’re looking for a way to keep your new DIY Tote or handbag’s organized check out this easy tutorial here.

A big thank you to Courtneybre’s fabulous blog. She featured the fabulous Paris themed button down in a blog post which….. I just had to have. Check out how she styled it here.

Thank you for stopping by.

Happy Sewing & Until Next Time,

Sewloveable