Super Simple Tote Bag Tutorial

I've been making this cute tote bags for the young girls at church, they absolutely love them, and here is the tutorial so you can make one too....

You'll need:

1 yard of fabric for the outside
1 yard of liner or any other fabric you want to use for the liner
Sewing machine
Scissors/rotary cutter
Thread (it can be matching or contrasting thread)
Iron and Ironing board

Let's start:

Cut your liner fabric (the fabric that goes inside,and in my case is white ) on fold, measuring 18'' long x 20'' wide. Cut two pieces for the straps, measuring 2'' x 20''

Do the same with outside fabric. (blue)

You should now have two 18'' x 20'' pieces (liner and outside fabric) and four 2'' x 20'' pieces for the straps.

Take one strap piece, and lay it right side down, and iron it in half (wrong sides together, if your fabric has a motive if not then it doesn't matter what side)

Open it up, and now you have a pressed line in fabric. 

With the iron press outside edges towards the middle line you created before.

Repeat this with all four straps.

Pin together one outer and one liner pieces (wrong sides or folded sides together) right sides out

Sew the straps on both edges, 1/3-1/4 seam allowance is good.

Sew sides of bags up, right sides together.

Iron the seams of both liner and outside fabric.

Turn your outside fabric in, so you can't see the seam. Leave the liner with seams out. Fold the top seam out for the liner and in for the outside fabric, about 1-2 inches. 

Place liner inside pretty bag (outside bag, blue in my case), match up seams and pin in place. Leave a space between liner and pretty fabric to place the straps in between, repeat on the other side of strap.

Match other strap and pin in place. Sew around top of bag twice, so you have a double seam 1/3'' - 1/4'' from top of bag. Iron. 

Turn your bag inside out and making sure your outside fabric is touching the liner, pin the corners and sew it, so you have a nice finish on the outside, like a "rectangular" base. 

To finish your bag with an embellishment, cut two circles, one of 8 1/2'' in diameter and one of 6 1/2'' in diameter. Follow the steps of making a felt or fabric flower here add a button, jewel or beads to the center.
Add a safety pin on the back of the flower and place it anywhere on your tote bag.