The "Its So easy its Scary!!!"....Tote Tutorial

~Trick or Treat! We have been pretend trick or treating all week long. This is the first year that Burger seems more excited about trick or treating than he does scared of it. So I decided to make him a treat tote since I had this kooky Frankenstein family fabric that he was digging.( we are knee deep in Halloween library books 'round here and burger is loving all the characters that he is discovering)
...I found the owl fabric tucked away in my scrap stash and there you go everything we needed.
~It was such a super quick and easy project,( I did it all in less than one hour) so I thought I would make another to share as a tutorial. This one I made as a fall tote for myself with longer straps.
...I used a pretty vintage table cloth adorned with some of my favorite fall veggies for my outer shell. This is a great project to show case some pretty scraps like this table cloth( that may have some extra wear on them).
...There are few places on my shell that may fray after use but since there are several layers involved here I don't have to worry about it. I can just be just be thrilled this table cloth has a new life as my latest fall accessory.

materials
thread
sewing machine
marking tool( either chalk or marker)
scissors
iron
ruler
Fabric
fusible interface

Directions

1.cut and iron all your fabric
you will need 6 rectangles of fabric measuring 11"x14" for the bag body they can match , coordinate, or all be different. For my bags I Cut my fabric as follows...
2pieces for your outside
2 pieces for your inside liner
2 pieces of fabric for interface for the bag I used some old whitish sheet here,you could use anything that will not show through any of your outer fabrics or you could use real interface.
2 fabric rectangles (measuring 14"x4" for the treat tote or 22"x4" for the fall tote) with fusible interface attached
3. Make your straps
Iron the folded straps in half . Then iron 1/4 to 1/2 " form outside edge on each side of the fold. Press entire strap and pin if so desired.Top stitch 1/4 " in from edge down the entire length of strap.
4. Sew outside shell. With right sides together stitch sides and bottom of bag with 5/8 " seam allowance turn and press
5 Sew liner with interface. Layer the fabric as follows: interface, liner fabric right side up, liner fabric right side down, interface. Sew around the sides and bottom of bag liner with 5/8 " seam allowance and press.
6.Mark where your straps will be. Measure on the shell and liner 1 1/2 " in from each side and mark.
7. Assembly. put outside shell inside the liner right sides together line your straps up with your marks and pin strap to the layers in between the liner and shell. Take care to make sure the straps are not twisted and stowing the them inside the bag.
8. Sew inside to outside.You will leave about a 3" opening so start near the side so you will make sure all the straps are attached. ...for this seam I like to give a big seam allowance like a whole inch just to make sure I catch all my fabric.
9. Turn carefully and make sure all your corners sharp. Press
10. Press and stitch the bag opening. These are the times when a good hot pressing iron is a seamstress's best friend. Take your time to get the top of the bag very neat especially the opening then top stitch 1/4" from the edge making sure to catch the opening. ( I start just before my opening that way I know exactly where it is.)

Yippee!!! Happy Halloween