DECORATED TOTE BAG
Supplies: 1 1/8th yd. of at least 60" wide Duck Canvas (makes
4 shopping bags, I found mine at WalMart for $4.44) Because the clerk may cut crooked, I purchase slightly more than the yard I need so I can straighten up the cut ends making the end result the 36" needed for the bags. I find the duck cloth is usually a bit wider than 60". But, your last bag may be a bit narrower than the other three. Preparation Fold the duck cloth the opposite direction so the selvages are at each end. Make the selvages meet so you know everything is straight. Cut the selvages off using a rotary cutter and a ruler. Measure 15" from one cut end and using the rotary cutter, cut for the first bag. Then measure over 15" from that edge and make another cut and then repeat. You should end up with 4 pieces that are 15 X 36. Serge around all the edges of each bag. Lay one strip of the 1" X 15" fusible interfacing along the wrong side top and bottom edges of the fabric and press in place to stabilize the hem. Turn the 1" hems down and press. Construction for 1 Bag 1. Measure over 4" from each side at each end of the bag and make a chalk marking for the placement for the handles. Lay one end of the webbing under the hem and all the way up against the fold in the hem at that marking and pin in place. Make sure the outer edge of the web is 4" from the side of the bag. Attach the other end of it to the marking on the other side and pin in place. Don't twist the webbing. The loop of the handle will be towards the center of the fabric. Sew the hem down by stitching down the center of the serged stitching and enclosing the webbing in the hem. Then pull the handle towards the top of the bag so the handle will be at the top of the bag and make sure it is nice and straight and flat against the hem and pin in place. Topstitch on the top edge very close to the fold of the hem and when you get to the handles, make sure they are nice and straight and flat to the bag and stitch the handle to the top edge of the bag. Do the other end the same way. You might also want to stitch a square with a X where the handles attach to really make sure they are secure. 2. Decorating. Use your template to make your placement lines for the embroidery. I usually fold the fabric in half lengthwise to find the center and I make sure the center line of the template is placed on the line. You decide how far down from the hem you want the design to go. I hoop my stabilizer and spray with KK2000 embroidery spray adhesive and then adhere the bag to the stabilizer. You could use Hydrostick too. 3. Once decorating is completed, then simply fold the bag in half crosswise and make sure the serged side seams are together. Sew the side seams using the A9 stitch (triple action straight stitch) and stitch the seam a bit wider than the serging so the serging stitches don't show. Slightly press a crease at the bottom fold about 3" from each side. This will help you later. Now, place the lower side seam down on a table and pull the bottom of the bag outward on each side of the seam until it forms a triangle on the lower edge and align the bottom crease of the bag over that seam. Then measure from the point of the triangle up the fold of the triangle 3" on each side and place a mark or a pin there. Use a ruler to connect those marks and sew straight across the triangle from one side to the other for both triangles. Turn the bag inside out making sure the points of the triangle go towards the center of the bag to reinforce the bottom of the bag. If you look at the bottom of the bag, you will see that sewing this triangle makes the bag have a squared off bottom. You could measure from the center seam to each side where the bag squares off and press a crease from that point to the top of the bag or you could even topstitch that crease too if you want. You could also measure the width and length of the squared off bottom of the bag and cut a heavy piece of cardboard and insert in the bag for stability to the bottom. J.H.
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