tote bags, basics and beyond: part ii: types of bags
A.1 T-SHIRT BAG
A simple bag; it will be stretchy, so don’t use it for heavy watermelons.
Materials: clean t-shirt, cutting equipment, marking pen, lunch plate, pins, iron, sewing equipment
1] Turn t-shirt inside-out and spread it on cutting surface.
2] Place plate as if to make neckline bigger, trace around plate, cut on this line through both front and back of shirt. This makes your top opening.
3] Cut off sleeves just outside the shoulder seam. This makes your handles.
4] Decide how long you want bag to be. Mark and cut off bottom of shirt, leaving ½” seam allowance.
5] Pin bottom edges together and stitch across. Do not stretch or pull fabric. You should be able to use a regular needle with a slightly longer stitch.
6] Make a box bottom: At one bottom corner, pull fabric to make a right triangle 2-3” high; press; stitch across base of triangle; press triangle toward bottom seam allowance; tack (with a few stitches) point of triangle to bottom seam allowance.
7] Repeat step 6 with other bottom corner; this will make your bag sturdier.
8] Turn bag right-side-out. Done!
A simple bag; it will be stretchy, so don’t use it for heavy watermelons.
Materials: clean t-shirt, cutting equipment, marking pen, lunch plate, pins, iron, sewing equipment
1] Turn t-shirt inside-out and spread it on cutting surface.
2] Place plate as if to make neckline bigger, trace around plate, cut on this line through both front and back of shirt. This makes your top opening.
3] Cut off sleeves just outside the shoulder seam. This makes your handles.
4] Decide how long you want bag to be. Mark and cut off bottom of shirt, leaving ½” seam allowance.
5] Pin bottom edges together and stitch across. Do not stretch or pull fabric. You should be able to use a regular needle with a slightly longer stitch.
6] Make a box bottom: At one bottom corner, pull fabric to make a right triangle 2-3” high; press; stitch across base of triangle; press triangle toward bottom seam allowance; tack (with a few stitches) point of triangle to bottom seam allowance.
7] Repeat step 6 with other bottom corner; this will make your bag sturdier.
8] Turn bag right-side-out. Done!
A.2 KNITTED OR CROCHETED BAG
A knitted or crocheted bag is usually extremely stretchy and needs to be lined with a stable fabric such as quilting cotton. If the knitted/crocheted bag is thin, you may be able to sew by machine using a long straight or zigzig stitch.
1] Trace bag and handles to make patterns.
2] Make handles: see “DAY CAMP” BAG, step 3.
3] Stitch fabric handles by hand or machine to knitted/crocheted handles.
4] Make a lining to fit inside knitted/crocheted bag: see LINED BAG.
5] Add a pocket if desired: see UNLINED BAG.
6] Add interfacing if desired.
7] Stitch around 3 sides of lining, leaving top open. Don’t leave a gap at the bottom.
8] Turn under and press top edge about ½” toward wrong side.
9] Repeat step 8.
10] Topstitch top edge down.
11] Fit lining into knitted/crocheted bag, pushing lining corners into bag corners.
12] Stitch around top of bag by hand or machine to attach lining to bag.
13] Tack down corners and along edges so lining stays in place.
A knitted or crocheted bag is usually extremely stretchy and needs to be lined with a stable fabric such as quilting cotton. If the knitted/crocheted bag is thin, you may be able to sew by machine using a long straight or zigzig stitch.
1] Trace bag and handles to make patterns.
2] Make handles: see “DAY CAMP” BAG, step 3.
3] Stitch fabric handles by hand or machine to knitted/crocheted handles.
4] Make a lining to fit inside knitted/crocheted bag: see LINED BAG.
5] Add a pocket if desired: see UNLINED BAG.
6] Add interfacing if desired.
7] Stitch around 3 sides of lining, leaving top open. Don’t leave a gap at the bottom.
8] Turn under and press top edge about ½” toward wrong side.
9] Repeat step 8.
10] Topstitch top edge down.
11] Fit lining into knitted/crocheted bag, pushing lining corners into bag corners.
12] Stitch around top of bag by hand or machine to attach lining to bag.
13] Tack down corners and along edges so lining stays in place.
B. “DAY CAMP” BAG
A simple bag that a child can sew by hand. Lacks finished look at top of side seams.
Materials: fabric for front, back, and handles; sewing equipment, cutting equipment, thread, scissors, pins, iron
1] Cut two rectangles for front and back, ex. 16” wide x18” tall
2] Cut two rectangles for handles, ex. 5”x20”
3] Make handles: press fabric WST in half the long way; open and press each long side WST toward center fold; press fabric RST in half the long way (you will have 4 layers approximately 1+¼” wide); stitch the length of the handle 2 or 3 times; repeat to make second handle
4] Make band at top of bag: WST press down 1+½” from top of 18” piece; press under ¼”
5] Stick ends of handles under this band, approximately 6” apart, being careful not to twist handles; pin or stitch in place
6] Pin across ¼” part you turned under; stitch across; press
7] Pull handle up and out, topstitch to band so it will stay in place
8] Repeat steps 4, 5, 6, and 7 for second 18” piece
9] RST pin front to back around sides and bottom; stitch; press
10] Turn right-side-out; press; topstitch around band, keeping handles up and out of the way
A simple bag that a child can sew by hand. Lacks finished look at top of side seams.
Materials: fabric for front, back, and handles; sewing equipment, cutting equipment, thread, scissors, pins, iron
1] Cut two rectangles for front and back, ex. 16” wide x18” tall
2] Cut two rectangles for handles, ex. 5”x20”
3] Make handles: press fabric WST in half the long way; open and press each long side WST toward center fold; press fabric RST in half the long way (you will have 4 layers approximately 1+¼” wide); stitch the length of the handle 2 or 3 times; repeat to make second handle
4] Make band at top of bag: WST press down 1+½” from top of 18” piece; press under ¼”
5] Stick ends of handles under this band, approximately 6” apart, being careful not to twist handles; pin or stitch in place
6] Pin across ¼” part you turned under; stitch across; press
7] Pull handle up and out, topstitch to band so it will stay in place
8] Repeat steps 4, 5, 6, and 7 for second 18” piece
9] RST pin front to back around sides and bottom; stitch; press
10] Turn right-side-out; press; topstitch around band, keeping handles up and out of the way
C. UNLINED BAG
This is how a basic tote bag is constructed. Learn to make this and you can create almost any kind of bag.
Materials: fabric for body of bag, pocket, and handles; sewing equipment, cutting equipment, thread, scissors, pins, iron, chopstick
1] Cut one rectangle for body of bag (front and back), ex. 32” wide x 18” tall
2] Cut two rectangles for handles, ex. 5”x20”
3] Cut two rectangles for pocket, ex. 8”x8”
4] Make handles: see “DAY CAMP” BAG step 3
5] Make pocket: place 2 8” squares RST, pin around all 4 sides, stitch around all sides, leaving 3” gap; turn right-side-out through gap, poke corners out with chopstick; press; close gap by hand-stitching, fusing, or topstitching
6] Decide where you want pocket (on front or back of large rectangle); center pocket on front or back with top of pocket pointing towards top of bag; pin in place; topstitch around two sides and bottom of pocket
7] Place RST of 32”x18” to make a rectangle 16”x18”; pin side and bottom seams; stitch; press
8] Make a box bottom: see T-SHIRT BAG steps 6 and 7
9] Make band at top of bag: WST press down 1+½” from top; press under ¼”
10] On front of bag: stick ends of one handle under band on front approximately 6” apart, being careful not to twist handle; pin or stitch in place
11] Repeat step 10 for back of bag
12] Pin around part you turned under ¼”; stitch around; press
13] Pull handles up and out, topstitch to band so they will stay in place
14] Turn bag right-side-out; press
15] Pulling handles up and away from bag, topstitch around band
16] Topstitch sides: pinch an imaginary line from one bottom corner up to top of band; press; pin; topstitch close to edge (¼”) from bottom to top
17] Repeat step 16 with other three bottom corners; this will give shape to your bag
D. LINED BAG
You already know most of the steps for this bag; there is some magic involved in turning the bag right-side-out. Trust and believe!
Materials: fabric for body of bag (outside), lining, pocket, and handles; sewing equipment, cutting equipment, thread, scissors, pins, iron, chopstick
1] Cut one rectangle for body of bag, ex. 32” wide x 18” tall
2] Cut one rectangle for lining, ex. 32” wide x 18” tall
3]] Cut two rectangles for handles, ex. 5”x20”
4] Cut two rectangles for pocket, ex. 8”x8”
4] Make handles: see “DAY CAMP” BAG, step 3
5] Make pocket: see UNLINED BAG, step 5
6] Decide where to put pocket, on body of bag or lining; center pocket with its top pointing toward top of bag; pin in place; topstitch around sides and bottom of pocket
7] Place RST of body fabric to make a rectangle 16”x18”; pin side and bottom seams; stitch; press
8] Make a box bottom: see T-SHIRT BAG, steps 6 and 7
9] Turn body of bag right-side-out; press
10] Pin ends of handle even with top of bag front 6” apart, being careful not to twist handle, let it hang down
11] Repeat step 10 to attach handle to back
12] Stitch all handle ends in place
13] Stitch lining: repeat step 7, leaving a 4” gap at the middle of the bottom seam
14] Create box bottom for lining: repeat step 8
15] With RST, push body of bag down into lining, matching up the 4 bottom corners; push handles down and out of the way between body of bag and lining
16] Rearrange bag and lining if needed so the two top edges line up; match the side seams of bag and lining; pin the two layers together all around the top edges, making a tuck if one piece has a little extra fabric
17] Carefully stitch all around the top edge, backstitching over handle ends; press
18] Turn bag right-side-out, reaching through the gap and pulling the bag and handles all the way out through gap; shake everything out; reach inside and poke out bottom corners; lining will look upside down; trust and believe!
19] Close gap in lining by topstitching, hand-stitching, or fusing
20] Push lining back into bag and match up bottom corners; press
21] Pulling handles up and away from bag, topstitch around band
22] Topstitch sides: see UNLINED BAG, steps 16 and 17, being careful to catch lining in the fold you’re stitching
You already know most of the steps for this bag; there is some magic involved in turning the bag right-side-out. Trust and believe!
Materials: fabric for body of bag (outside), lining, pocket, and handles; sewing equipment, cutting equipment, thread, scissors, pins, iron, chopstick
1] Cut one rectangle for body of bag, ex. 32” wide x 18” tall
2] Cut one rectangle for lining, ex. 32” wide x 18” tall
3]] Cut two rectangles for handles, ex. 5”x20”
4] Cut two rectangles for pocket, ex. 8”x8”
4] Make handles: see “DAY CAMP” BAG, step 3
5] Make pocket: see UNLINED BAG, step 5
6] Decide where to put pocket, on body of bag or lining; center pocket with its top pointing toward top of bag; pin in place; topstitch around sides and bottom of pocket
7] Place RST of body fabric to make a rectangle 16”x18”; pin side and bottom seams; stitch; press
8] Make a box bottom: see T-SHIRT BAG, steps 6 and 7
9] Turn body of bag right-side-out; press
10] Pin ends of handle even with top of bag front 6” apart, being careful not to twist handle, let it hang down
11] Repeat step 10 to attach handle to back
12] Stitch all handle ends in place
13] Stitch lining: repeat step 7, leaving a 4” gap at the middle of the bottom seam
14] Create box bottom for lining: repeat step 8
15] With RST, push body of bag down into lining, matching up the 4 bottom corners; push handles down and out of the way between body of bag and lining
16] Rearrange bag and lining if needed so the two top edges line up; match the side seams of bag and lining; pin the two layers together all around the top edges, making a tuck if one piece has a little extra fabric
17] Carefully stitch all around the top edge, backstitching over handle ends; press
18] Turn bag right-side-out, reaching through the gap and pulling the bag and handles all the way out through gap; shake everything out; reach inside and poke out bottom corners; lining will look upside down; trust and believe!
19] Close gap in lining by topstitching, hand-stitching, or fusing
20] Push lining back into bag and match up bottom corners; press
21] Pulling handles up and away from bag, topstitch around band
22] Topstitch sides: see UNLINED BAG, steps 16 and 17, being careful to catch lining in the fold you’re stitching
E. WATERPROOF/WATER-RESISTANT BAG
Follow directions for LINED BAG, using a waterproof or water-resistant fabric for the body of bag or the lining. Waterproof fabrics may contain toxic chemicals, may be eco-friendly, may be food-safe: know what you’re using.
To learn about sewing information, click the button for Tote Bags, Part I
Follow directions for LINED BAG, using a waterproof or water-resistant fabric for the body of bag or the lining. Waterproof fabrics may contain toxic chemicals, may be eco-friendly, may be food-safe: know what you’re using.
- Usually comes with sewing directions, or ask retailer
- Usually requires a sharp, thin needle (ex. Microtex, size 70/10 or 80/12)
- Usually is sensitive to heat (don’t press it directly)
- Don’t poke holes in it: don’t stitch pocket on it; use pins in seam allowances only; use Wonder Clips, hair clips, low-tack tape when sewing
- Expensive; try different stitching techniques on a scrap before making a whole project; try using a longer stitch
- Vinyl: can be sticky: try using a Teflon or roller presser foot
- PUL: polyurethane laminate fabric: washable, breathable, often used for diaper covers; fairly easy to work with; regular presser foot
- Other choices: ripstop nylon, oilcloth, microfiber, pleather, Gore-Tex
To learn about sewing information, click the button for Tote Bags, Part I
Copyright Jane McLean, 2025