Saturday, September 24, 2011

Christmas around the corner

I am trying hard to get some Christmas gifts finished before the last minute this year! We will see.
But I have finished a couple more tote bags! I love these, they are quick and easy, and a great size to haul all my stuff around in.

This time I decided to add a little zipper pouch to clip onto the bag to hold some of the smaller stuff that tends to get lost in the bottom of the bag.
So I cut a 10"x12" piece of both the Home Decor fabric and the lining..

and added a zipper..
Fold the outer fabric in half and sew the zipper and outer fabric right sides together..

then sew the lining onto the zipper, right sides together. I always pin it in first, so I am sure I have it correct and can still turn it right side out once it is sewn. Believe me, I learned this from experience, and have ripped others out a few times before!

Turn right sides out and open the zipper to top stitch close to the zipper edge.


I made a little tab with a D ring on the end so I could clip it to the bag..

And tuck this inside the outer fabric so you catch it in the side seam...

Then sew the side seams, leaving a gap on one side of the lining to turn it through..

slip stitch the opening ....(of course...this is an example of why I dont do much hand sewing!!)

And Voila!! done!

For one of the little pouches, I squared off the bottom, the other one I just left it flat.
Sometimes I don't line these, and then they are even easier to make. All you do after you have the zipper sewn in and top-stitched is sew up the side seams. I like to zigzag all the edges if I am not lining the bag, to keep it tidy inside.

I also added a strap to the bag with a little swivel hook on the end, to snap the zipper pouch....or a set of keys onto..
and that's all folks!


9 comments:

  1. Love the totes and wristlets. Great gifts anyone would enjoy.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow, you are organized! Love those bags; great gifts and very practical as well.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great tutorial Flo, when we are all scrambling to sew gifts the week before you will be relaxing.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Those look great - anybody would be over the moon to receive these as gifts. You are clever.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow,they are great. Theay`re a wonderful gifts.Well done.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow! Love, love, love this!! I have made a few totes over the years...still trying to get good at it! I am definitely going to implement this new feature! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  7. So, what do i have to do to get on YOUR christmas list - great totes and pouches Flo - great idea!

    ReplyDelete
  8. The bags are great! The fact that you mentioned the word Christmas...gave me a chill. I haven't even thought about that yet!

    ReplyDelete
  9. WWWOOOOW. You are such an excellent sewist!! omg

    ~Monika

    ReplyDelete

Please leave a comment or just say hello....It's nice to know I am not talking to myself!