Bag Lady Week- Bias Tote Bag Tutorial

I love me a good bag for toting stuff! I guess that comes with being a mom of 3...never enough hands! So here we go, another bag hopefully help you schlep stuff around like me!

You will need:
approx 1/3 yard canvas or decor weight material (vinyl would also work)
one package of coordinating bias tape
strap material...such the cotton webbing seen here
coordinating thread
Cut:
2 pieces measuring 17.5" by 16" for front panels
1 piece measuring 46" by 6" for side/bottom panel (Note- the fabric I used had a wide WOF of over 50". If your fabric is less, this length can be pieced together) straps- cut 2 piece of 26" each

Let's go!
1. Place 2 bag pieces wrong sides facing, and cut slight curve to bottom edges as shown. 2. Fold over top of each piece 1/2 ". Press. Fold over 1". Press.
3. Insert edge of strap under fold, 5" from each end. Fold over so handle is facing up as shown. Pin in place to secure. 4. Sew 1/4" from bottom fold and from top fold to finish top and to secure handles. Repeat with second piece and handle.
5. Fold over short ends of long piece of fabric (sides and bottom of bag) as you did above- fold over 1/2 inch, press, fold over 1 inch, press. Sew at 1/4 inch from top fold and from bottom fold.


6. With WRONG sides facing, line up bottom/side fabric along length of one of the front panels. Unfold bias tape, and pin along, with folds facing downwards and with about 1 inch extending over the top, and all raw edges lining up as shown: (NOTE: I goofed in this picture and did not have the extra 1" of bias tape extended past the edge of the hem. You will need this later to finish the corners)


7. Sew along pinned edges, using 1/4 " seam allowance. Fold bias tape back up over the raw edges.


8. Tuck ends of bias tape in to finish corner:

9. Sew, close to edge of bias tape, to finish edges.
10. Repeat steps 6-9 to add second front panel to other side of side/bottom panel. This will complete the tote!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial for the Bias Tote. Please feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions or problems! As with all of my tutorials, this is intended for personal use only. I would love to see your creations! Please feel free to blog about them, but credit and a link back to this tutorial would be appreciated. Happy sewing!