So honored that Kathleen asked me to join in on the fun of free pattern month.  There has been so many awesome patterns already, and hopefully you’ll find this one handy for summer.

I scored lots of madras last week for $2 a yard and couldn’t think of a better project than a fun and functional summer tote.

There’s always room in your collection for another bag, right?!  I hope so.

The best part is that the exterior and lining of the bag is made with 1/2 yard cuts, so I think in total my bag cost me around $8, not to shabby.  Plus I won’t feel bad kicking it around at the library, ice cream shop, and around town.

With two exterior front pockets my super important stuff won’t ever get lost at the bottom of the bag, and this tote is a big one.

Materials:

• 1/2 yard exterior
• 1/2 yard lining
• 1/2 yard cotton canvas – used as interfacing
• cotton webbing for handles, I have 1.5″-wide available in my shop, or 1″-wide webbing (both widths available natural and black by-the-yard)
• small strip of straight grain double fold bias tape, you can make it yourself with a piece of scrap!
• size 14 needle

Cut:
2 pieces of each exterior, lining, and canvas to 17″ wide by 16.5″ tall.
1 piece of each exterior, lining, and canvas to 17″ wide by 9″ tall
1 piece for the bias tape 17″ wide by 2.5″ tall
2 – 24″ pieces of cotton webbing

[1/2″ seam allowance included unless otherwise noted]

Prepping the exterior pocket:

Start by making the bias tape strip.  You’ll need to fold it in half lengthwise WRONG sides facing, open up, turn raw edges to pressed line and press again.

Take the three pocket pieces (exterior, lining, and canvas) and place them WRONG sides facing with the canvas in the middle.

Open up the bias tape, pin along top edge of pocket. Sew along first crease line.

Fold the bias tape over to the back (lining) side of the pocket and sew again close to the edge.

Baste along remaining edges of pocket piece.  Set aside.

Assembling exterior:

Place one piece of exterior fabric on top of one piece of canvas.  Then place the assembled pocket piece exterior facing up on top.

Sew down the middle of the pocket piece, marking a line with a water soluble pen if desired.  This creates your divided pocket.  You might also want to do a few stitches across the top just to reinforce the pocket.

Now place the remaining exterior piece RIGHT side down, then the remaining canvas piece of top of that.  Pin along both sides and bottom edge.  Sew along all three edges.

Now stick your hand inside the bag and pinch the bottom corner so that the side and bottom seams are aligned.  With your water soluble pen mark a line that is 2″ from the tip of the corner, perpendicular to the seam.  Sew along that line.

Clip corner.  Repeat for remaining corner.

Assemble lining:

Place lining pieces RIGHT sides together.  Pin.  Sew along both sides and bottom leaving a 5″ opening along the bottom edge for turning. Again as with the exterior, stick your hand inside the bag and pinch the bottom corner so that the side and bottom seams are aligned.  With your water soluble pen mark a line that is 2″ from the tip of the corner, perpendicular to the seam.  Sew along that line.  Clip corner.  Repeat for remaining corner.

Handles:

Align the raw edges of each handle with the raw edges of the top of the tote.  Baste in place so that the handles are 5″ apart.

Finishing the tote:

Slip the exterior into the lining piece RIGHT sides facing.  Sew around top opening of the tote.  Turn right side out through the opening you left in the lining.  Tuck in raw edges of lining and sew shut using a small seam allowance.  Push lining into the exterior and press along the top edge.

Sew two rows of top stitching along the top edge.  I suggest using a slightly larger stitch length for top stitching.

Sling it on your shoulder and you’re ready for a fun summer!  Thanks so much for having me Kathleen.

I first want to say thank you to Dana and Rae for hosting such an awesome event.  If you haven’t been indulging in all the fun already, go check out both of their blogs for lots of great inspiration.  There has already been so many great ideas!

So I know, you’re probably thinking, ‘What? She has two girls, how’d she get in the mix?!’  Well, I pretty much slipped Dana a twenty and told her I just had to join in on the fun.  But really, I think there’s a part of me that really clicks with all things boy. So here I am, onward with the tutorial…

• 1/4 yard fall suiting fabric (tweed, plaids, etc., usually made from wool and/or synthetic materials)
• 1/4 yard lining fabric
• scrap of leather (optional)
• rivets, grommet (optional)
• scrap of medium weight fusible interfacing

{1/4″ seam allowance throughout unless otherwise noted}

Cutting the pieces:
From the exterior fabric:
– cut one piece 8.5″ wide by 4″ tall
From lining fabric:
– cut 1 piece 8.5″ wide by 4″ tall (this is the wallet lining piece)
– cut 1 piece 8.5″ wide by 3.75″ (this is the card holder lining piece)
– cut 1 piece 8.5″ wide by 9.75″ tall (this is for the card holder slots)

I’ve made tons of these little zippered pouches and I think they’re so useful and can be personalized in so many ways.  Plus, they’re super handy when it comes to organizing your purse (or at least make you look like you have an organized purse).

I know there are a ton of other zipper pouch type tutorials out there, but I thought it would be fun to share how I make mine.

Materials needed:

• fat quarter or 1/4 yard linen (or any solid fabric would look great, or for that matter just use what you love)
• fat quarter of 1/4 yard of lining fabric
• small scraps varying heights by 5″ long
• scraps of cotton quilt batting (or you could also use fusible fleece)
• 8″ zipper (or longer, just follow instructions on the package to shorten any zipper)
• thread

{1/4″ seam allowance throughout unless otherwise noted}

Cutting the pieces:
From the linen cut: one piece for the back 9.5″ wide by 8″ tall, and two pieces for front side panels 2.75″ wide by 8″ tall
two pieces of lining 9.5″ wide by 8″ tall
two pieces batting 9.5″ wide by 8″ tall

Assembling the front:

Sew scraps RIGHT sides together until you have a pieced fabric measuring 5″ wide by 8″ tall.  Press seams to one side.

Next, you’ll sew each of the side panels RIGHT sides together to each side of the scrap panel, press towards sides.

Add any quilting details (optional):
Here’s where you can add some fun quilting details.  You certainly don’t have to and most of the time I don’t do this step, but it can add a lot of interest to your pouch.

Layer the front piece you just created WRONG side facing down on top of one piece of batting and quilt away!  On the examples I’ve shown I’ve sewn a straight line down one side of each scrap panel seam.

Assembling the pouch:

Place exterior RIGHT side up, put the zipper face down with the pull tab at the left.  Place lining piece RIGHT side down on top of that.

Pin and sew using your zipper foot.

Flip those fabrics WRONG sides together to get them out of the way.

Next, lay the remaining exterior piece RIGHT side up, align the zipper with the top edge zipper face down with pull tab at the right this time.  Place lining piece RIGHT side down on top. Pin and sew.

Flip fabrics WRONG sides together on both sides of the zipper.  Press.

Switching back to your regular sewing foot, top stitch next to the zipper on each side.

Now flip fabrics around so that the exteriors are facing RIGHT sides together and linings are facing RIGHT sides together with the zipper in the middle (you won’t be able to see the zipper, just know that it’s there).  Pin and sew around the whole perimeter using a 1/2″ seam allowance and leaving a 3 to 4″ opening in the lining for turning.

You could be finished at this point, but we’ll take it a step further and box the corners so this baby can stand up on it’s own!

Boxing the corners:
Put your hand in through the opening of the lining and pinch the exterior fabrics corners together aligning the seam.

Finger press the seams open and with a ruler mark a line perpendicular to the seam 1.25″ from the tip of the corner.

Mark the line with a water soluble pen and sew along that line.

Clip corner leaving a 1/2″ seam allowance.  Repeat for other exterior corner and both lining corners.

Finish:
Turn pouch right side out through opening in lining.