Quick and Easy Lined Tote Bag Tutorial

Here is a quick tutorial for making a lined tote bag. I have found that I can get nice results with a minimal amount of fuss using this method, it avoids all hand stitching and gives a nice finished look. I used quilting cotton for lining and outer fabric and fused iron on interfacing (medium or heavy weight) to all pieces which gives you a very structured tote that will stand up on its own. If you want something less stiff you could use interfacing on the outside only or not at all. Of course you could also use a heavier weight fabric in lieu of interfacing.

This bag was for my daughter and ended up about 8" wide by 10" tall and 3.5" deep.

Cut two pieces 12.5" x 12.5" of both outer and lining and two pieces 2" x 15" of each fabric for the straps. Cut the same size for interfacing for all pieces if you like. (1/2 yard is plenty for each fabric and you need 50" of interfacing that is 20" wide)

Fold the long edges of the strap pieces towards the middle. Put one outer fabric piece with one lining fabric piece and topstitch along the edges. Put the two lining pieces right sides together and sew up the sides, do the same for the outer fabric.

Turn outer fabric tube right side out, center and pin down the straps on either side.

Put the outer fabric tube with straps inside the lining tube so that right sides are together.

Sew around the top, turn and topstitch.

Make sure the bag is inside out and sew all layers together at the bottom. I like to use a 1/2" seam then trim to 1/4" and zigzag over the edge. If you have a serger I am sure it would be much easier to just sew up the bottom with that.

In the corners on both sides of the bottom mark out a 1.75" square from the folded edge and the seam. Pinch the corners so the lines line up and sew along the line.

Turn it right side out and you are done!

Boxy Pouches: Tutorials, Sizes, Tips

This post is meant to serve as an easy one stop reference for making the ever popular boxy pouch. I am including links to a number of tutorials and if you think I should include others please let me know. I am also including a explanation for making a custom pouch size and some examples of sizes I have made and the size fabric I used to make them.

Tutorials
Vera Jean - one piece, fully lined
Pretty Modern - fully lined

Drago[knit]fly - partially lined, with handle
Indie House - partially lined
Projects by Jane - Fully lined
Projects by Jane - Pleats
Annie - Fully lined
Lizze Tish - French seams

Custom size - To make any size pouch just follow these easy steps.

Choose your size length (zipper) x width x depth. [For example 4"x3"x.5" for a change purse.]

cut fabric:
length + depth + seam allowance x 2 [4+.5+(2x.25) = 5"]
by
width + depth + seam allowance x 2 [3+.5+(2x.25) = 4"]

buy zipper the length of your fabric, or preferably a couple inches longer.

For for this example cut your fabric 5" x 4" and use a zipper at least 7" long.

Some examples

Pencil Case - two rectangles 5 x 11" to 6 x 12"



Toiletry bag - two rectangles 8.5 x 13" to 10.5 x 16"

Medium pouch - two rectangles 7 x 10" to 10 x 12"

Small pouch - two rectangles 5 x 7" to 6 x 8"

Small Duffle - two rectangles 16 x 22"

Tips

I like using a fairly heavy interfacing for both my outer fabric and lining because it gives it nice shape and makes it easier to work with. It also helps to prevent raveling if you leave any raw edges showing and seems to help prevent fabric from getting jammed in the zipper. My current favorite is a heavy weight interfacing meant for tailoring from Pellon.

A wide twill tape is handy for adding a quick tab at either end of the zipper, which makes zipping and unzipping much easier.

Zipper foots are very nice for getting the fabric sewn close to the zipper, many swear by them, I don't use one myself.

Journal Covers

I have always liked journals, not to write in, I have never been much of a diary keeper, just to admire. I just like to look at them, admire the pristine blank pages, I generally have not felt that I could write anything that would be good enough to mess up that pretty paper. When I have kept a journal and read it months or years later I am always horrified by how stupid it sounds the second time around. Then while listening to NPR I heard about line-a-day diaries, John Quincy Adams kept one and it is now being posted on Twitter, here is a depression era diary also on Twitter. After all, how stupid can I sound in just one line?
I saw this as a perfect excuse to actually buy one of those wonderful journals but I figured I should start small so I just got a two pack of thin moleskines. Then I decided that the journals were a great excuse to try out one of the fun tutorials I could remember seeing. So I got on the interwebs and starting looking around and I found a couple good tutorials, here by keyka lou and a reversible one by Lara Cameron, but I made mine mostly like this one by Bloom and Blossom. I made a few changes and put mine together slightly differently.

My journal is 5" x 8.25" x .25". So I cut:

• Outer fabric 16.25" x 9.75"
• Interfacing 16.25" x 9.75"
• Lining 7.5" x 9.75"
• Twill tape for tie 19" long

I fused the interfacing to the outer fabric then placed the lining centered on the outer fabric then sewed along the top and bottom with a .5" seam.

I turned it right side out then pressed the raw edges in all around, folding them over .5" Now is a good time to check and be sure that your cover is 1/4-3/8" taller than your journal.

Then I placed the end of the twill tape in to the fold on the center of what will be the front edge and wrapped it around the end.

Then I top stitched the fold edges along the two sides, but not the top and bottom.

Then I folded the ends towards the center by 2.5" to create the flap and pressed. This is a good point to wrap it around your journal to make sure it is the right size.

Then I topstitched 1/8" in from the edge along the top and bottom and voila!

Lined tab top curtain tutorial.

These curtains are for my mother in law and are my favorite kind, easy to sew and a nice clean simple look. They are lined to block a bit more light and keep them looking nice from the outside too.

Ingredients:

Body of curtain - A panel of fabric either whole or pieced (mine is pieced) the size you want the curtain to be plus 2" in length and 2.5" in width

Lining - piece of fabric of a similar weight to your curtain and 2" shorter and 3" narrower than the curtain piece.

Tabs - I usually space mine every 6-9" so determine how many tabs you need. For each tab you will need a piece of fabric 3.5" x 8 or 9"

First we will get the tabs ready. You can either hem each tab individually or hem one long strip 3.5" wide and cut it into individual straps, which is what I did.

First fold the edges in by 1/4" and press, the fold over 1/2" and press. For some reason I found this very soothing and satisfying.

Now top stitch the hem trying to catch close to the edge of the fold. You can use a fairly large stitch for this because there is very little strain on this seam.

If you did the tabs in one long strip cut the strip into individual tabs of around 8-9" if you did them individually then you are done.

Now we will hem the bottom and sides of the curtain and lining in a similar manner. First press a 1/4" fold on all three sides, then press a 1" fold on all three sides. When you unfold the fabric it should look like this at the corners:

Fold the corner in and press like so:

re-fold and press the 1/4" and 1" seams and it should look like this:

Now you can either top stitch, hand sew or you the fancy hemming stitch on your machine. Great hemming tips at Hoppo Bumpo. I used the fancy hem stitch on my sewing machine which looks something like this _ _ _^_ _ _^_ _ _

This shows on the back:

And the front looks like this:

But feel free to use just a plain straight stitch.

Also fold and press the top edge at 1/4"

Repeat for your lining.

Once you have your lining and curtain hemmed you can put it all together. Place your curtain down face up. Line up your tabs along the top edge, folded in half, upside down:

Center your lining carefully on top of the a curtain, lining it up with the top edge. Pin and sew all three layers together with a 1/2" seam.

Turn and press. Top stitch along the top edge about 3/8" down, this will finish off the edge of the curtain that goes a couple inches past the lining and tabs on each side. Done!

Coasters/Hot pads

I have a wedding coming up and I have been wondering what to make for a gift. I was thinking pillowcases originally but I couldn't muster too much enthusiasm and I would have had to go buy fabric for the gift, which means I would have to wait to start. As many know, I am not terribly good at waiting. As I was browsing my flickr favorites I hit upon inspiration. These lovely coasters. I basically followed the instructions from this website (I know, Martha Stewart, gasp), originally from the book (which I just realized I currently have on loan from the library) Last Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts. I took some photos of each step as I went along for those of you who might be interested because the website instructions and the book do not include step-by-step photos. That and I just like taking photos.

This first one is actually not a coaster but rather a hot pad/trivet and measures about 7" x 11".

First I cut out two 7.5" x 11.5" pieces of cotton batting, 1 7.5" x 11.5" piece of brown cloth for the bottom and pieced a 7.5" x 11.5" piece for the top (the inner rectangle measures 3" x 7").

Then I laid them out like so:

Pinned:

Sewed around the edges leaving an opening to turn, I like to back stitch at the ends of the stitching so the stitches don't pull apart as I turn:

Trimmed to 1/8" from the seam on three edges but left the edge with the opening at 1/4":

Turned and pressed:

Quilted, one continuous coiled line of stitching:

Then I zigzagged the edges because the quilting did not catch the edges of the opening very well. You can skip this step if you have more skills than me:

I pressed it and voila!:

How to: Felted baby chain

  

This was super easy and fun to make. I only hope that Clara will like it as much as me. 

I used size 9 circular needles and a variety of feltable wool yarn from worsted to bulky weight. Each ring only takes  2-3 yards so this is very good for using up scraps. I knitted four 9" long I cords (cast on 5) then joined the two ends with kitchner stitch (don't forget to link them up). Then I hand felted them. Ta Da! that's it.

The finished rings are closer to 6" in diameter and the chain is about 8.5" long.

Kimono Tute

Here is the pattern for how I make a baby kimono, it is actually significantly different from Habitual's pattern that got me started. I like to do the sleeves separate because then I can fit it on a smaller piece of fabric. This pattern also gives you long sleeves rather than short, uses extra ties and uses all bias tape rather than hemming

For a newborn the dimensions are:
A - 4.5 B - 5 C - 9.5 D - 13 E - 2.75 F - 8 G - 7

For 0-3 months
A - 5 B - 6 C - 10 D - 14 E - 3 F - 8.5 G - 7.5

For 3-6 months

A - 5.5 B - 7 C - 11 D - 15 E - 3.5 F - 9.5 G - 8

Other sizes may come later.

You also need about 3 yards (one package) of bias tape and 8 (or 12) 10" pieces of ribbon or whatever you want to use for ties. I like ribbon because it isn't too bulky when tied, comes in lots of colors and the ends are easy to finish.


First sew the sleeves onto the body pieces, I also topstitch the seam so it lays towards the sleeves.

Now put the back right side up and put the left side right side down and pin the ties on top of the two layers. I line the top one up with the corner of the front flap or about 1" under the armpit and then 4" below that on a NB sized kimono on the next size up you may want to do 3 ties along each side though 2 might be sufficient. Now sew the two pieces of fabric together along the edges of the sleeve and down the side.

Now we sew on the other side but this time pin the ties in the same position between the two layers.

Turn right side out. You will want to clip the seam at the inside of the armpits so it lays nicer.

Now the kimono is sewn together and we just have to add the binding. First pin ties along the edge of each flap.

I just use bias tape that I buy at the fabric store but it is possible to make your own if you are feeling adventurous. I start the bias at the middle of the bottom edge holding open with the end folded over and the smaller half of the binding lined up with the edge of the right side of the fabric. Then sew in the fold indicated by the white headed pin.
Here is a video that shows how to sew on binding in more depth.

Keeping going all along the edge of the kimono, and over lap the starting edge then cut off the extra. Now fold the bias tape over the edge of the kimono and using a medium zigzag stitch in matching or contrasting thread along the edge of the bias that you just sewed down. It should catch the back of the bias tape. I fold the ribbon over as I zigzag over it.

Do the same to the sleeves, careful not to sew the two sides of the sleeve together and you are done. I usually start sewing the binding on the underside of the sleeve.


This one is for a friend having a little baby boy in December. I bought this fabric to use in the quilt I made for him and I liked it so much I had to get extra but I had trouble figuring out what to use it for.

Tutorial not for commercial use. Feel free to link to the tutorial or repost with a link to this original post.