Create your own tote bag ready for any occasion.

Shopping List:

• Sewing Machine and overlocker
• Woven fabric-cotton 1.3m (Main Fabric)
• 5 x Contrastic fabric, 20cm each
• Coordinating thread
• Iron
• Fusible Webbing 20cm
• Scissors
• Embroidery machine (optional)
• 12mm Bias Binding 3m (same colour as main fabric)

Preparation

Pattern drafting can be as easy as 1, 2, 3! You don’t need to shy away from it. Here is a quick and easy way to learn how to draft your own patterns and build your confidence and skills.

1. Print out the patterns provided, cut out and tape or glue pieces together as indicated.

2. Fold fabric in half, widthwise, right sides together. Pin strap and side strip patterns to your main fabric, on the fold, as indicated. Place bag in remaining space.

3. Cut out all patterns pieces.
4. Trace tree patterns onto paper side of fusible webbing.

5. Roughly cut out shapes of the tree, leave some excess fusible webbing around the shapes.

6. Place the fusible webbing to the wrong side of the fabric ensuring that the paper side is facing up. Iron the shapes onto corresponding fabrics.
7. Once all the tree parts have been fused to the fabric, cut out shapes on traced lines.

Embellishment

8. Remove the paper backing from tree patterns.
9. Arrange the tree pieces place onto one of the bag pieces, centring design.
10. Iron in place.
11. Using your Sewing Machine, select satin stitch (or a tight zig-zag).
12. Satin stitch around the edges of your tree, for more help, refer to our Satin stitch foot How to.

For another side of the bag, pattern chooses either step 13 or 14.

13. Repeat steps 4- 12.
14. Alternatively using the alphabet lettering on the Legacy SE300, and urban threads “Christmas cheer- Snowman” Embroidery Pattern Embroider Design.

Construction- Bag

15. Using bag side strip and (1) bag pattern place wrong sides together.
16. Starting from one of the longest sides of the bag pattern, pin bag side strip to the corner. Once at the corner clip side strip pattern, 6mm in.

17. Pivot fabric so side strip continues around the bottom edge of the bag.
18. Repeat, step 16-17 until three sides of the bag have been pinned in place.

19. Using a 6mm seam allowance, overlocking down one side of the bag. Completely sew off the edge of the fabric.

20. Cut threads, place next side underneath the overlocker and sew. Repeat for last side

21. Repeat step 15 – 20 for the second side of the bag

22. Overlock around the bag opening.
23. Using your bias binding, pin around the overlocking edges of the bag, making sure bias binding even both sides. Repeat for the second side.

24. Using Sewing Machine, stitch around the bias binding to secure it; for how to make your own head to our How to.
25. Fold bag opening down, 1-2cm, pin and sew.

Construction- Straps

26. Using your Iron, fold your straps in half to create a crease.
27. Open straps up, fold long edges 1-2cm into crease and iron (depends on personal preference for thickness)

28. Repeat for another side.
29. Fold down short edges, press.

30. Repeat 26-29 for the other strap.
31. To remove bulk, open the strap up.

31. Clip corner on a 45° angle.

33. Fold back edges back in.

34. Fold strap in half and pin along the edge.

35. Sew down the strap.

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Construction- Straps to bag

36. Pin both edges of one the strap down in position on one side of the bag, at a point that feels comfortable for you.
37. When sewing, start by creating a square to secure the straps to the bag.
38. Create an X in the middle of the square to add more stability to the straps.

38. Repeat process for the other strap end.
39. Repeat 35- 38 for the second strap.

Congratulations on completing your bag, embellish and decorate your bag in as many ways as you can!

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