The holidays are coming and I've made a tote bag to carry everything to the pool -
It's large, 53 x 45cm (not including straps), so that I can fit everything I need in one bag - so let's see how to make it -
You will need -
90 x 115cm pale green print, for bag outer, and outer pockets
100 x 115cm plain pale grey, for the lining, straps and clamshells
25 x 115cm pale pink print, for clamshells
50 x 115cm fusible interfacing, for the bag outer
20cm white zip
Sewing thread
Sizzix® Big Shot™ Machine (660200), Sizzix® Big Shot™ Express Machine (660850) or Sizzix® Big Shot™ Plus Machine (660020)
Sizzix® Bigz™ Die Clamshell , 4" (659813)
To make -
From the plain grey fabric cut -
2 x 50 x 55cm for the lining
2 x 13 x 70cm for the straps
1 x 23 x 17cm for the inside pocket
From the remaining fabric cut 12 clamshells using the die and the machine.
From the pink print -
Cut 10 clamshells
From the green print cut -
2 x 50 x 55cm for bag outer
4 x 20 x 55cm for the outer pockets
Start by trimming the fusible interfacing to fit the 2 green bag pieces and fuse it to the WS of the fabric.
Stitch the side seams, RS together, using a 1cm seam allowance.
Then make the outer pockets -
Lay 6 grey clamshells along the edge of a green pocket piece, 3 each side of the middle point - the outside ones will overlap the edge but that's ok -
Zig zag stitch around the top edge, and then lay 5 pink clamshells so that they slightly overlap the grey -
pin and then stitch in place -
Pin another green pocket piece, RS together, along the top edge, and stitch together -
and then trim off the excess clamshell bits.
Repeat with the other 2 green pocket pieces and pink and grey clamshells.
Open out the pocket pieces and press the seam, then pin the side seams, RS together, and stitch.
Turn RS out and fold along the top seam and press -
Top stitch 5mm from the fold -
Fold a 1cm seam allowance to the WS along the bottom edge of the pocket, and them pin it 4cms up from the bottom edge of the bag -
Stitch in place, and then stitch from the bottom of the pocket to the top to make separate pockets -
Turn the bag inside out, and stitch the bottom edge, then cut a 3.5cm square from each of the bottom corners of the bag -
Pin the bottom and side seam together, and stitch across the corners like this -
Turn the bag RS out and the corners will look like this -
To make the inside pocket - press a 1cm seam allowance around the pocket piece, and stitch the zip to one long edge -
now pin the zip tape to the bag lining, 21cm down from the top edge, and matching the middle of the pocket to the middle of the lining -
Stitch the zip in place and then fold the pocket down, into place, pin the edge and stitch -
Stitch the side seams, and bottom of the lining, RS together, but leave a 10cm opening in the bottom edge to allow for turning the bag RS out.
Cut a square from the bottom corners and stitch in the same way as for the bag outer.
Make the straps by folding in half along the length, press and then fold the raw edges into the middle (this will make the straps 4 layers thick for strength). Edge stitch along both long edges on each strap.
Pin, and then stitch, the straps to the front and back of the bag, 16cm in from the side edges -
Put the bag inside the lining, RS together, match the raw edges together, pin and then stitch.
Turn the bag RS out through the lining, and slip stitch the open edges of the lining together.
Press the top edge and topstitch 5mm from the edge -
This completes your bag -
Now all you need to do is plan that holiday, or trip to the beach, pack and go.
Well I guess we need to hope for some sunshine too.
Angela