Poppy Mini Market Tote
This little tote bag sewing pattern will quickly become a new favorite. Have a bold fabric in your stash you just don’t know what to do with? These mini tote bags are a quick and easy beginner sewing project that just begs for bright, poppy prints. Customize these bags and they make the perfect gifts for a bridal party or girl’s weekend. The Poppy Mini Tote Bag is exactly the right size for carrying a little armful of stuff; snacks for school pickup, a notebook, keys and a phone, or even use it as a cute little purse. No room to accumulate clutter so you’ll stay organized! What a fun, stress-free sewing project. You can make one in about 30 minutes – So sew easy!!!
Click here to get the FREE PDF sewing pattern – it is a free sample from our pattern called Totally Totes Templates that has 5 easy-to-sew projects just like this! Totally Totes is available October 1st!
Supplies:
- .5 yard each of 2 coordinating cotton fabrics – I recommend 100% cotton fabric such as high-quality quilting fabric or lightweight cotton twill. The printed fabrics shown in this project are from Spoonflower by designer Katie Kortman.
- .5 yard cotton duck or canvas fabric
- All-purpose cotton thread
- Adhesive tape for fabric – I used 5/8 inch Peel N Stick Fabric Fuse Tape from Therm-O-Web
- Bias tape (or make your own with the accent fabric)
Tools:
- Cutting tool – a rotary cutter or scissors
- (optional) Pattern weights
- (optional) Iron
Poppy Mini Market Tote Bag Sewing Instructions
Seam allowance is 5/8 inch for this project unless otherwise specified.
- Cut template pieces – You will have one base piece, two folded top pieces, two bias tape pieces, two long solid fabric pieces for the inner handles, and two long patterned fabric pieces. Pattern Piece Measurements: (2) Tote Top: 12 1/4 in. x 20 in. folded(1) Tote Base: 13 1/4 in. x 20 in. with 2 in. x 2 1/2 in. rectangle cut out of center edges.(2) Accent Bias Tape: 2 1/4 in. x 10.5 in.(2) Outer Handle: 2.5 in. x 20 in.(2) Inner Handle: 2 in. x 20 in. The Free PDF Pattern makes measuring easy! Click here to get emailed the free PDF pattern for this project>
- Attach the right and left top pieces to each side of the base – You will sandwich the base piece in between each top piece and fold under the raw edges of the top pieces for a clean finish. Secure with adhesive fabric tape and sew. Repeat on the other side.
- Create the handles – Sew the solid and patterned strip pieces together at the edges. (Tip: This piece will not lay flat – this is so the patterned piece can peek out of the edges when it’s sewn, turned inside out, and flattened with an iron.) Trim seams to 1/8 inch and turn inside out. Iron flat.
- Attach the handles – Measure two inches from each side and two inches from each of the patterned top sections. Use adhesive fabric tape to place the handles in the correct spot. Sew all the way around the handles to secure. Repeat on the opposite side without flipping the fabric.
- Sew the sides – Fold your bag with the handles out and bias tape strips over the side edges and sew a seam from top to bottom. (Tip: take care not to sew your handles into the side seams.)
- Create the box bottom – Flip your bag inside out. (The handles should now be inside.) line up the raw edges so the seam is directly in the middle. If desired, fold bias tape over this before you sew. Sew across using a 5/8 inch seam allowance.
