Uppity-Mama

Tote Bag Variations :a tutorial addendum

Here are a few variations/extras you can add to your tote bag.

To make a bigger, sturdier bag today, I am using home dec/upholstery weight fabric for the outside and canvas for the lining.  I cut my fabric into rectangles this time 18" x 15".

Instead of using webbing for the straps,  cut 2  4" x 20" strips of the outer fabric. Fold a strip in half lengthwise and press.  

Open up the strip to reveal a lovely crease down the middle.

Fold in the lengthwise edges of fabric to meet the crease and press.

 

Fold in half again and press.

Using a 1/4 inch seam allowance ( I move my needle over to do this) sew up the open edges of your strap.

 

Repeat instructions or second strap.

 

There you go...follow the rest of the instructions in the original tutorial.  Or maybe you'd like to add an interior pocket:

Cut a square of fabric 1/2 inch bigger than the size you want the pocket to be.  I cut mine 7' square.

I serged the edges for the sake of neatness but this isn't necessary.

 

Fold down the top of your square about 5/8 of an inch, press and stitch.
 

Mark your lower square corners 1/2 inch in from the side and bottom.

 

Lay a ruler across the top points of your lines and trim off the corner.

Fold the corner in and press.

Then fold in each side and press.

Your pocket should look like this from the back:

Place the pocket where you'd like it to be on one piece of your lining fabric.  Pin and sew, the sides and bottom, pivoting at the two bottom corners...but don't sew across the top!   

Now if you want to square off the bottom corners of your bag, which I think gives nice structure to bigger bags, follow these instructions:

After you've sewn all the way around your inside-out bag as per the basic bag instructions but before you turn it right side out, pull apart the fabric at one corner of the bag lining and flatten it as you see below. That is the bottom of the lining you are looking at.

I used the square on my grid  and a ruler to draw a diagonal line across the bottom like this:

  Can you see the line?  Now sew on that line across the bottom of the lining.

Do the same thing for the other lining corner and for the 2 outer bag corners.

 

Cut off the excess fabric past your stitching line on all four corners.

 

 

Now turn your bag right side out and proceed as directed in the basic bag tutorial.

Again, let me know if anything is unclear.

Happy Sewing!

Tote Bag Tutorial

Several people have requested a tutorial based on my QUICKEST TOTE BAG post.  I'm going to give you the basic bag tutorial today.  Ready?  Here it goes:

You will need four squares of fabric,  two for the outside of the bag, and two for the lining.   For this bag I am using quilting weight cottons and they are 12" square. 

You will also need 30 inches  of webbing for the handles and coordinating thread for topstitching your bag.Cut 2 15 inch pieces of webbing.  These will be your straps. 

Take one of the straps and lay it on top of one piece of lining fabric placing the ends equidistantly ( I put mine 3 inches in from the sides) as shown below. Leave about 1/2 inch of strap sticking out the top.  Make sure the strap is not twisted.  

Lay one piece of outer fabric on top, right sides facing, sandwiching the strap in between.  Pin the straps in place and add a few more pins across the top for security.   Do the same thing with the other 2 pieces of fabric and strap.

Sew along the tops with a 1/2 inch seam allowance being careful to keep the straps in place as you sew across them.

Now they should look like this.  

You have 2 halves of your bag, already!  Now you have to sew them together.  Place them together, right sides facing, lining to lining and outer fabric to outer fabric with the straps tucked safely inside. 

Line up and pin your pin the seams first, finger pressing your seam allowances in opposite directions to reduce bulk. 

Pin a bit around all four sides of your rectangle.

 Starting at the bottom of the lining, sew around the bag using a 1/2 inch seam allowance.  

 

Leave a hole in the bottom of the lining fabric. 

If you like you can use pinking shears to trim a bit of excess fabric off the edges, but it's really not necessary as these edges will be inside and the 1/2 in seam allowance doesn't create much bulk. 

Now turn your bag right side out.

Poke out your corners with a point turner, the eraser end of a pencil or your finger.

Fold under the fabric edges at your turning hole and press. 

Now sew along the bottom, making sure to catch those folded edges.  

Now stuff your lining down into the bag and press all around the top.  I find this easier to do if I use a sleeve board.

To keep the lining from slipping up above the bag, you should topstitch it all around the top edge using a 5/8 inch seam allowance.  This is a great place to use a decorative stitch if you have some on your machine.  

Just be aware that some decorative stitches have a hard time going over bumps so watch it on your seams and on the places where you are sewing over the straps.
I'm sure I shouldn't, but if mine gets stuck, I give the fabric just the tiniest tug to get it out of the rut.  See the splotch in the stitching below...yeah, that's where it was stuck. 

 

And you're done!  A handy little tote bag in about 30 minutes.  

Next time I'll show you some fun variations.  Please let me know if anything in this tutorial is unclear-  I'm still learning how best to explain things!

Playing With Circles, Part 3 (a tutorial, kinda)

My friend Lisa kindly showed me another circle method the other day involving freezer paper.  Lisa learned this method here, but I believe there are other places to find similar methods.  Check this out.

 Cut a square of freezer paper.  Use a compass to draw a circle in the middle and cut that out.

Next iron the freezer paper, shiny side down onto a square of fabric.  Sorry, I used white fabric but I think you can see the differentiation between it and the paper.

Cut the circle out of the middle of the fabric (I used my new Olfa circle cutter which is awesome) leaving about a half inch allowance. Clip the fabric allowance close to the paper. 

 

 

Remove the freezer paper stencil.
Run a glue stick around the edge of the fabric. Yes, I did it on the paper but that was silly.

 

Using your fingers and the tip of your iron (or a mini iron) press the snipped seam allowance back onto the fabric.

Apply more glue stick (or basting glue, or Elmer's school glue) to the edge of your circle.

Here's Lisa doing it with basting glue.  Can you see that incredibly thin line of glue she got with that thing?!  It has a really fine tip, like a needle.

Place a square of fabric that will become your circle onto the back of your fabric and dry iron again.  I let it sit for a few minutes to dry/set the glue before I... 

Flip it over to the right side, pull back your outer fabric and carefully stitch right on the crease. 

From the right side, you will have no visible stitching!  After you sew it, you can iron the fabric snips toward the center for more of a puffy, applique look, or back over the outer fabric for a nice flat look (my preference).

Now, after all my circle play, I have to decide (by tomorrow) what instructions to give my fellow quilters for the Los Angeles Modern Quilt Guild bee... Circles?  Improv. log cabin?  Both?? 
 

Tutorial: Folding Chair Makeover

So I had these ugly folding chairs 

and I thought they would probably be useful to have in the shop.  But first I had to pretty them up.

What you'll need for 1 chair:

1 yard of upholstery weight fabric

1.5 yards of coordinating piping

hot glue gun

staple gun

screwdriver

Step 1.  Measure your seat cushion in both directions, though it should be a s quare.  Add 2 inches to each measurement and cut your fabric to those dimensions.  Mine was 15 and 3/4 inches each direction so I cut out a 17 and 3/4 inch square.

My seat cushion could not be removed because of these bolts, 

So I decided to hot glue it to the chair while adding piping.  If you have a serger, finish the edges of your fabric before starting to keep the fabric from fraying.  If you don't have a serger you can cut the square with pinking shears to finish the edges.  Place your fabric over the seat cushion and tuck it under as best you can.  I used a point turner to help me tuck. 

Now get your piping.  I bought some pre-made grey piping but if you're so inclined you can make it yourself.

Starting in the middle of the back, get your hot glue gun and put some glue between the fabric and the metal.  Working quickly in small increments, because the glue dries fast, put on your piping.  Again I used my point turner to help me get the piping on without burning myself.  Yes, I will need a new point turner.

When you get back to where you began just glue the ends neatly under.

Voila, seat cover done.  Now unscrew the top cushion from the back of the chair.

Lay the cushion on the wrong side of your fabric and trace around the outside with an erasable fabric marker.  

Now use your seam gauge or a ruler to add 2 inches all around and then cut it out.

Time to staple!  Start by making sure your fabric pattern is the way you want it and then carefully staple alternating sides so that you can pull the fabric taut.  Because the top cushion is curved, it helps to flatten it a bit when you are pulling the fabric. Make sure you don't cover up your screw holes.  

Screw that top back on and TADA!  You have a custom folding chair!