How To Sew A Grocery Tote

This large tote bag is fun and easy to make… and can be used for all your heavy duty tote bag needs. This is the perfect reusable grocery tote. With its reinforced bottom and straps that are sewn around the base of the bag, you can use this tote to carry heavy groceries… books at a book store… or stuff it with your crafts and supplies.

Not only can you use this strong tote bag for carrying lots of items, you can use this bag for stylish and creative storage. Install hooks on your wall, and fill each tote bag with your fabric, fat quarters and more. Make each tote bag a fun color and brighten up your craft room!

Supplies

2 yards of strong fabric (48” wide fabric) or 1 1/2 yards of fabric (60” wide fabric)

**Choose sturdy fabric like canvas or burlap

Straight edge ruler

3 yards of 1” webbing

21” x 8” piece of fabric used for bottom reinforcement of bag

**Choose sturdy fabric like face fabric... or try vinyl. If you plan on having the reinforcement piece on the outside of the bag, choose a fabric that complements your main fabric.

Matching thread

New sewing machine needle and sewing machine

Sharp fabric shears 

Sew Your Tote

Step 1. Cut a 51” wide by 46” long piece of fabric

Step 2. Fold your fabric in half lengthwise... and then in half widthwise.

Step 3. Cut out a 19” square from the corner. When you unfold your fabric it should look like the diagram below.

Step 4. Fold the reinforcement fabric in half both ways to find the center along each edge. Unfold.

Step 5. Draw and cut out the shape based on the diagram below.

Step 6. Fold under the raw edges 1/2” and press.

Step 7. Lay the face fabric right sides up. Lay the reinforcement piece in the center wrong sides down. Refer to the diagram to the below.

Step 8. Stitch along the outer folded edge.

** This design will have the reinforcement piece on the outside of the bag. You could alternatively sew the reinforcement piece to the wrong side of the face fabric to keep it on the inside of the bag. **

Step 9. Lay the face fabric wrong sides up. Fold down the outer edges 1” and press. Fold in another 1” and press. Measure to make sure that each folded edge is 17” from the inner corners.

Step 10. If you want the straps on the inside of the bag, leave your fabric as is... otherwise, turn your fabric over so that it is right sides up.

Step 11. Lay and pin the webbing straps onto the fabric as shown in the diagram. You want the outer edges of the straps to be 2” from the outer raw edges

Step 12. When the ends of the straps meet, fold under one end 1” and lay it over the raw edge of the other.

Step 13. Sew the straps in place by stitching 1/8” in from the side edges.

Step 14. Sew a square with an X in the center where the ends of the straps overlapped and where the straps intersect the outer 1” seams.

Step 15. Sew a straight line from the tip of each triangle up the center of the 2 side pieces. See the diagram to the right.

Step 16. Now fold the bag to align the raw edges of a cut out... the fabric should be right sides together. Sew a 1/2” seam. Repeat this for the other 3 edges of the bag.

Step 17. Reinforce the edge seams by sewing flat fell seams.