Reusable Scrap Tote

Sarah Brown
by Sarah Brown
3 Materials
$4
2 Hours
Easy
I deplore plastic bags and the people who insist on Double bags while a rack sits nearby full of reusable totes. The crafter in me told me to use my scrap fabrics to create tote bags to use when I shop or need to carry anything. I have them in several sizes from a small purse like size to a few jumbo bags, I could fit a lot of groceries or even a ton of library books into. This is handy because the people in my home fill the bags with just about everything.
You will need scrap fabrics, canvas or denim (old jeans works) and felt, optional to make the quilted effect. sewing machine, or patient hand stitchery.
sew together the scraps of fabric to create the quilted front of the tote
to create tote fold canvas or denim base in half and cut out two small squares of fabric from each corner. This forms the bottom, and sides of the bag. I usually cut out between 3-4 inches, so the tote is wide enough to set things like juices and pasta boxes on the bottom. A good measurement for a Shopping tote is 20 inches wide and 18 tall in raw state. The finished bag will be approx. 16" Wide x 15" tall. You can adjust scale.
opened up it will look like this. Place felt under the quilted scrap front and tack and sew down all edges.
you have option to freestyle or follow design to 'quilt' the front. I free style it because all the extra quilting makes the bag just that much sturdier.
sew bag together.
3 options for straps... a 4th would be to use nylon webbing. A. is a quilted strap. B. standard fold and sew strap. C. bias tape edged strap. Attach to bag a few inches from corners so it in inline with the base of the bag.
 
 
Enjoy making these as simply or as complex as you like and in sizes for every function.
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