How to Make a Handmade Tote Bag

!±8± How to Make a Handmade Tote Bag

Bags are necessities more than wants. Whether it is a handmade tote bag, handmade diaper bag or handmade wallet, we all need bags for our day to day activities. Making your own handmade tote bag is easy especially if you are crafty, creative and resourceful. A little cutting here and a little sewing there, you will have your handmade wallet in no time. To make your handmade tote, follow the simple instructions below.

First, gather all your materials needed. For this project, we will make a handmade wallet that is 6" in width, 7" in length and 9" in height. Hence, we will use a fabric that is 14" in width and 26" in length for the handmade wallet. For the strap of the handmade purse, you will need an 80-inch cotton webbing strap. For the pocket, you will need a 14" x 9" fabric, although this is optional. You will also need thread that matches the color of the fabric, needle, scissors and sewing machine.

Step 1: Position the wide fabric right side up and the fabric for the pocket right side up. Position the raw edge of the fabric for the pocket 2.5" under and parallel to the top margin of the fabric for the bag. Tack the raw edges of the pocket fabric with different thread to serve as the guide as you place the handmade wallet's strap.

Step 2: place a pin halfway the webbing strap as well as on the center of bag fabric. Line up the pin on the strap to the pin on the bag fabric. Lay down the strap centered on the strap placement mark on the bag's right side, making an uninterrupted circle, turning below the overlapping end. Make use of a piece of tape to hold the straps in place. Likewise, tape the strap to the bag except for the last 3" at the shorter edges of the bag.

Step 3: Attach the part of the strap which ends under the overlapping edges. Sew about the shorter edge of the bag piece to the edge of the strap, crossing over the other end back towards the edge of the bag. When attaching the overlapping straps, sew by the opposite short edge of the bag all the way down, and crossing the part where the edges meet and back again to the edge of the bag. Discontinue all stitching 2.5" below the top edge.

Step 4: Fold the handmade tote in ½ lengthwise, wrong sides together. Pin the layers together.

Step 5: Fold the layers back from the pins with the right sides together ending with a pleat. Sew the layer altogether on all sides with ½ seam.

Step 6: Fold the top edge to the wrong side with an inch hem and sew all around. Be sure to leave a gap in the opening of the pocket. Stitch the strap to the handmade wallet and you are done.