spring-y plaid tote tutorial

When I saw this fabric, I immediately thought of my mother-in-law. I’ve been hoping to make her a tote for Mother’s Day and thought the punchy mix of plaid and flowers would be the perfect mix.

It’s outdoor fabric- sturdy and perfect for a tote.

Plus, I added several nice deep pockets for storing small treasures, keeping water bottles upright, and the like.

I was thinking perhaps we’d fill the tote with copies of the kids favorite books so she’d have a copy as well.

Would you like to make a plaid tote as well?

First cut out your pieces-

Two 15″ x 16″ pieces of main/outside fabric

Two 15″ x 16″ pieces of liner fabric

Two 6″ x 16″ side panels of main fabric

Two 6″ x 16″ side panels of liner fabric

One 6″ x 16″ bottom piece of main fabric

One 6″ x 16″ bottom piece of liner fabric

One 15″ x 16″ piece of main fabric (for interior pocket)

One 6″ x 16″ piece of main fabric (for interior pocket)

One 4″ x 30″ piece of main fabric (for handle)

First fold the pocket pieces in half, wrong sides facing in. Sew the pockets to the lines pieces (the large piece to one of the main liner pieces and the small pocket piece to one of the liner side panel pieces). To sew the pockets in place, just sew parallel lines along the two vertical edges. Also, to divide the main pocket, sew a line up the center of the pocket piece.

Sew to the two liner side panel pieces to one of the main liner pieces.

Then, sew the other main liner piece to the other side of the two side panel pieces, making a bottomless box. Leave a little room at the bottom edge of the lines of stitching (the space will allow you to sew the bottom panel in space). Attach the bottom panel (leave a 4″ gap in one of the lines of stitching attaching the bottom- it’ll become the hole where the bag is pulled right side in). Repeat all of these steps with the main fabric panels.

Fold the long thin 4″ x 30″ rectangle of fabric in half, right sides facing each other. Sew into a long tube. Turn right side in.

With the sewn-together liner standing upright, place the inside out sewn together main fabric box inside the liner (this will make the right sides facing each other). Sandwich one end of the handle between the liner and main fabric one one side panel, and then sandwich the other end between the liner and main fabric on the other side panel. Sew around the perimeter of the entire top edge.

Pull the entire tote through the gap in the bottom panel, turning the entire thing right side in. Sew the gap/hole shut after the tote in turned right side in.

Fill with books, or sunscreen and other spring-ish essentials, and you have yourself one Spring-y tote (that can also double as a mother’s day present if you please).

The HGTV HOME fabric line that I used to make this tote is available in-store at Joann’s and online (and also all on sale 50% off from April 14 – May 4)- I’m especially partial to the emerald green geometric prints, and the prints with a nautical vibe. The coupon above can be use to save an extra 10% on top of that. Happy fabric shopping, friends!