I live in a studio apartment. My sewing space is my work space is my drawing space is my eating space. So, I keep my quilting items in bins to easily clean up and move from activity to activity. I had repurposed (recycled!) a little cardboard box for all my notions, but eyeing my growing pile of batting scraps, I got inspired. It started with a sketch, and a couple hours later, it actually worked! I had a quilting tote I could store and organize all my sewing goodies. Below is the quilting tote free pattern (pocket on the inside). Next week, I’ll share a similar free tote pattern with the pocket on the outside and another way to do the handles.
Supplies
- outer (quilted) fabric – ¼ yard
- 2 – 12″x 6½”pieces (side)
- handle/pocket fabric – ¼ yard
- 2 – 12″x 4½” pieces (pocket)
- 2 – 24″x4″ pieces (handle)
- lining (black) fabric – ½ yard
- 2 – 12″x 4½” pieces (pocket)
- 2 – 23″x 8″ pieces (bottom)
- 2 – 12″x 6½” pieces (side)
- binding – ¼ yard
- 3 – 2½” width of fabric strips you need iron in half lengthwise
- batting
- 1 – 23″x 8″ pieces (bottom)
- 2 – 12″x 6½” pieces (side)
- interfacing (optional, but it will make the pocket stiffer) – ⅛ yard
- 2 – 12″x 4½” pieces (pocket)
Directions
Step 1
First, take a handle piece (24″ x 4″) and iron it in half the long (hotdog) way so the wrong sides are together. Then open the piece and fold each long edge into the center crease you just made. Again, fold the piece in half (along the center crease) so there are 4 layers of fabric and iron. This should make a long strip that is 24″x 1″. Repeat this step with the other handle piece, so you have two folded handle pieces.
** Check out the outside pocket quilting tote free pattern (out next week!) for how to use bag strapping instead of making your own.**
Step 2
Next, take one of the handle pieces and open the center fold. Fold ½” of the top edge down and then close the center fold. Do the same on the bottom edge. Then sew a ¼” seam around the edge of the handle piece and one more seam down the middle. This will make three lines across the handle which are ¼” apart (see third pic below). Repeat this step for the second handle piece and then set both handles aside.
Step 3
Next, place the side lining (12″ x 6½”) wrong-side down on to the side batting (12″ x 6½”) and then sew around the outside edge with a ¼” seam. Repeat this step for the second side piece.
Step 4
Then align the ends of each handle pieces on the lining side of a side piece, making sure the handles are not twisted–the outer corner of the handle on each side should be 3″ from the top and 3″ from the side. Then pin handle in place and sew a ~½” square with an ‘X’ through it on each strap end to secure the strap in place.
Step 5
Next, flip both side pieces over. Place outer side pieces (12″ x 6½”) on the side pieces with the wrong side towards the batting and then pin the layers in place.
Step 6
Again, flip both side pieces over so the lining side is facing up. Fold the handles down and then align a strip of binding along the top edges (remember — you should have already ironed the strips in half the ‘hot dog’ way). Sew the binding in place with a ⅝” (aka slightly large ¼”) seam on both side pieces, and then trim the binding to size.
Step 7
Once again, flip the side pieces over so the outside is facing up and then wrap the binding around the top edge. Pin the binding in place and then secure by sewing a seam right next (~1/16″) to the edge of the binding.
Step 8
Next, position the handles upright and pin them in the final position you would like them to be. Then quilt the sides pieces as desired, sewing over the handles. I stitched in the ditch along the diagonal my half square triangles, but if you do not wish to quilt, then sew a ¼” seam around the left, right, and bottom edges (you already sewed the top edge with the binding!). Finally, sew over the binding seam one last time to firmly secure the handles upright. Set the side pieces aside.
Step 9
Then iron on the fusible interfacing to the back of the pocket fabric (12″x 4½”). Wrong-sides together, sew the pocket fabric to the lining fabric (12″x 4½”) with a ¼” seam and then repeat with other pocket.
Step 10
Next, turn the pocket pieces over over so the lining side is facing up. Then sew the binding on both pocket pieces as you did in steps 6 and 7.
Step 11
Next, lay both side pieces down with the lining side up. Place a pocket piece, lining side down, on each side piece, aligning it to the bottom of the the side piece. Then sew pocket pieces to the side pieces along the right, bottom, and left sides with a ¼” seam. To form two pockets, sew a line down the middle of the pocket piece. I sewed down the middle seam in my quilted outside fabric to hide the seam.
Step 12
Round the bottoms corners of each side piece. This makes it easier to sew the bottom piece to the side pieces. Then set both side pieces aside.
Step 13
Next, layer the bottom lining piece, the bottom batting piece, and the other bottom lining piece together with the wrong sides of the lining towards the batting. Quilt as desired or sew a ¼” seam around the outside edge.
Step 14
Then sew binding on to one of the short sides of the bottom piece using the methods in step 6 and 7.
Step 15
Lining (inside) sides together, align the binded edge of the bottom piece along the top right of a side piece and then sew the bottom piece to the side piece with a ½” seam. As you get to the curve you trimmed in the side piece, stop your needle and adjust the bottom piece to align around the curve every 2-3 stitches. Then keep sewing, stopping and adjusting every few stitches until you make it around each curve. Stop sewing 3 inches from top edge of the side piece on the far side.
Step 16
Next, sew the other side piece to the free edge of the bottom piece, but make sure the lining (inside) sides are together and that you start sewing from the binded side of the bottom piece. TIP: This means that the side piece will be on top of the bottom piece when you sew this time. Again, stop sewing 3 inches from binding of the side piece on the far side.
Step 17
At this point, the unbinded edge of the bottom piece will be a flap that is taller than the top edges of the side pieces. Trim this flip so it is the same height of the side pieces, and then bind the raw edge of the bottom piece with the method in steps 6-7.
Step 18
Finish sewing the last 3″ of seams for the bottom piece and the side pieces, and then trim the raw edges on both sides to ~¼”.
Step 19
Now we need to sew the binding to those long edges you just made. But, before we do this, take your binding strip and open it. Fold the top ½” down and then close the binding strip. This will hide the fraying raw edge. Repeat this with a second strip.
Step 20
Finally, sew the binding strip along a long raw edge, following the instructions in step 6, but stopping 3″ from the top edge on the far side. Then trim the binding to ½” above the top edge, folding that excess ½” into the binding (like we did in step 19), and finish sewing the binding on with the instructions in step 6 and 7. Lastly, sew a binding on the raw edge on the other side as well.
And there she is–you did it! Now you’ve got a fantastic little quilting tote with inside pockets that can carry your notions, threads, scraps, or even yardage.
Sew on!