Hey everyone! Today you will learn to make a sturdy everyday tote bag that shows off a soft, starry blender in the best way.
Meet the Fabric
Here we go. This one is quiet and pretty.
It is 4th & Main Favorites Galaxy in Dove. It comes from Northcott. The collection is 4th & Main Favorites.
The print is Galaxy. The color is Dove. That is soft dove gray, just like it sounds.
It layers starry galaxy texture across that soft dove gray. Night-sky calm is exactly right.
This is a quilting fabric, 45 inches wide, sold by the yard. It comes from High Country Quilts through Linda's Electric Quilters.
It is a coordinating blender, versatile for quilts, backgrounds, and coordinates. All true, folks.
But on a tote, this blender gets to be the whole show. Just like that.
That gray goes with just about everything. And that starry texture keeps it from looking flat.
Why It Works for a Tote Bag
A tote bag is one of my favorite useful makes. Groceries, library books, a project to guild — it earns its keep.
We are aiming for about 15 inches wide, 14 inches tall, and 4 inches deep. That is a good everyday size. Big enough for books. Not so big it drags.
This fabric suits it for a simple reason. The texture is all-over, so you do not have to fuss over matching a big motif at the seams.
I have tried that fussing before. One side lined up perfectly. Oh my goodness. The other side was off by a mile.
With Galaxy Dove, you can just cut and sew. The stars are forgiving, and the blender look hides a little travel in your quilting lines.
You have options here, too. Make it unlined for a quick market bag, or add a lining and an inside pocket. My preference is lined, with a pocket. But it is completely up to you.
What You Will Need
- 3/4 yard of 4th & Main Favorites Galaxy Dove for the outside
- 3/4 yard of a coordinating fabric for the lining
- 1/2 yard of fabric for the handles and inside pocket, or use lining fabric
- One piece of batting or fusible fleece, about 22 inches by 36 inches
- 50-weight cotton thread for piecing and construction
- An 80/12 quilting or universal needle for piecing, and a 90/14 needle for the thicker handle seams
- Rotary cutter, ruler, mat, pins or clips, and your iron
We are not reinventing the wheel here.
Brief Steps to Make It
Step 1: Cut the outside. Cut two pieces, each 16 inches by 15 inches, including seam allowance. Take your time. A straight cut now saves a crooked tote later.
Step 2: Add the batting. Cut batting the same size as each outside piece. Baste or fuse it to the wrong side. Smooth from the center out.
Step 3: Quilt lightly. Quilt a few straight lines, or do a soft meander. Set your stitch length to about 2.5, roughly 10 to 12 stitches per inch.
Step 4: Make the handles. Cut two strips, each 4 inches by 22 inches. Fold in the long edges, fold in half, and topstitch both sides. Go slow where it gets thick, or the needle can snap.
Step 5: Sew the body. Sew the outside pieces right sides together with a 1/2-inch seam. Box the bottom corners 2 inches in to make that 4-inch base. Do the same with the lining, leaving a 4-inch opening in the bottom.
Step 6: Finish it. Pin the handles inside the outside tote, loop down, ends up. Slip the lining over it, right sides together. Sew around the top. Turn it through that opening, close it, push the lining in, and topstitch the top edge.
Practical Tips From My Sewing Room
First, press as you go. Crisp seams make a tote look good. Two minutes at the iron makes a real difference.
Second, reinforce those handles. Backstitch where the handle meets the top edge. That spot takes all the weight.
Third, do not overload your first test carry. Start with books or fabric, not a gallon of milk and a watermelon. Alrighty?
And here is your permission beat, friends. It does not have to be perfect. If one handle sits a tiny bit off, that is fine. You are your own worst critic. Nobody will measure your handles.
If I can do this, y'all can do it. Take your time. It is not a race. Enjoy carrying something you made.
Super duper useful, and super duper fun to sew.
Thanks so much for sewing with me today. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the 4th & Main Favorites Galaxy Dove 45" wide fabric per yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
