Square Tote Bag Free Tutorial

 Essentially this bag is just a half yard of fabric folded in half.  You can also use two fat quarters sewn together. The fabric here is an upholstery weight cotton from ikea – but quilting weight is great too!

This Large tote uses 3/4 yard total for the bag and handles, though two fat quarters can be used for the body. It’s not lined, so it’s nice and
lightweight but super sturdy for all your shopping, stuffing toting and
traveling...

This is my favorite size tote bag --big – the sewn corners give it a little structure but it’s still light enough to stuff into a purse for handy traveling.

 Square Half-Yard Totebag - Unlined

You’ll need:

Bag Fabric 41x18
While upholstery fabric works great for this bag, quilting weight fabric is nice and light too. Note – this is a
standard half yard of fabric or two fat quarters sewn together. The size is pretty flexible with this bag – the
measurements don’t have to be exact.
Handle Fabric - Two pieces - 41x5

Make a fabric loop
Fold in half wrong sides out with 18 inch edges together. Sew a ¼ inch seam along the 18 inch joined edges to make
a loop.

Zig zag along sewn edge to secure raw edges.

Turn right sides out and iron seam flat.

Make the top of the Bag

Turn wrong side out. Fold top down ½ inch and iron  Fold this down ¾ inch and iron again. Turn right side out and sew ½ inch from the top of the bag to secure the folds. Sew another line a scant ¼ inch from the top of the bag.

Turn right side out. Iron the bag flat with the sewn seam as one 18inch edge. Use your iron to create a crease along the 18 inch edge opposite your sewn seam so your bag is flat. Sew ¼ up the folded seam of the bag.

Sew a very scant seam outside the seam you have just sewn so that you have two parallel rows of stitching as seen to the left.

Next, sew two parallel lines up the opposite folded 18inch edge of the bag, so that you now have a flat loop of fabric with two outside edges (and a finished top).

Tip: Shorten your stitch length at the top and bottom of the bag edge to secure your stitches.
Now draw a line 7.5 inches in from one outside edges you have just sewn.
Fold the bag along this line and iron it to create a crisp fold.

Flip the bag over and draw a line 7.5 inches from the opposite outside seam.

Fold the bag along this line and iron it to create the 4th corner fold of your bag.

Hold your bag up and test it to make sure your folds are in the correct places. It should hang open to create a four sided bag, with your two finished corners opposite/diagonal to each other.
Sew parallel lines up the two remaining folded sides.

Now you should have a four sided rectangular tube with a
finished top – time to finish the bottom!

Sew the bottom of the bag closed
With the bag wrong side out, press all four side seams open.
Flatten your bag with sides lined up.
Line up side seams and pin to secure them together.
Sew 1/4 inch from bottom edge.
Sew another zig zag line to secure raw edge.

Square your corners to make a fl at bottom
Draw a mark 3.5 inches in and up from the bottom corner. Draw a diagonal line to the bottom corner of the bag.
Repeat on both sides of bag for both corners.
Pull the bag open so the two lines create a triangle with the bottom seam of the bag in the middle. Pin along the top of the triangle.

Pin and sew along the seams at the bottom of the triangle.
Turn your bag right side out to check your work. You should have a square bottom on side of your bag  (yay!).

Turn wrong side out again and now repeat on the opposite side.

You should now have two floppy dog ears on each side of the bottom of your bag. You can either cut these off and zig zag the raw edges or secure them to the bottom of the bag.

Optional: To secure the flaps to the bottom of the bag, turn
the bag right side out and press the triangles flat against the bottom of the bag. (This takes some manuevering with the bag!).

When the bottom is square and flat, pin the edges of the triangle in place and sew along the edges. Then sew along the bottom seam of the bag so that it lies flat.

Make the straps
Cut two pieces  of fabric - 40 x 5

Fold in the short ends a half inch and iron.
Fold in half lengthwise and iron. Open back up and fold and iron outside edges into the middle.

Fold outsides together and iron. Sew around outside edges to secure.

Attach the straps.

Mark two inches in and 1.5 inches down from top edge. Pin strap edge.

Sew handles onto bag. Start and stop with a short stitch and back stitching to secure stitches.

Below is a graphic of the way I sew handles onto bags, starting at the bottom left corner to reduce stress on your stitches when you have a heavy load.

Attach all four handle ends this way. Make sure the handles aren’t twisted before you attach them!

Now iron the bag to make all the seams nice and crisp and you’re done! Amazing work!

 Pattern by Dana at WaterPenny.net