Quilted Lunch

Tote Tutorial
for Sew Mama Sew
www.sewmamasew.com
by Green Bag Lady
(aka Teresa VanHatten-Granath)
www.greenbaglady.org
Materials:

sewing machine
cutting mat
ruler
scissors
rotary cutter (optional)
straight pins
small hair binder (sold at Walgreens, WalMart, Target, etc)
1 button, at least 1 inch in diameter
fabric (1/2 yard each of 2 coordinating prints or solids, 1 for outside and
1 for lining)
cotton, bamboo or polyester quilt batting
fusible interfacing (I used Pellon 950F)
1 yard, 1 wide handle strapping or webbing (usually sold by the yard at
fabric stores)
1 inch biased tape maker (if you choose to cover your webbing)
disappearing ink pen (found in notions section of fabric store)
iron and ironing board
page 2
Part I--Prepare Handles

Step 2--Follow bias tape maker instructions

and make covers for both straps.

Step 1--Out of LINING fabric cut 2 strips 18X2

for handle cover (if using plain strapping/webbing
skip this page of the pattern).

Step 4--Sew fabric on to webbing on both

sides, 1/8 from the edge.

Step 3--Pin fabric to webbing.

Step 5--Trim o any excess fabric. Your handles will look like this,
set aside.

page 3
Part II--Prepare Lining

Step 1--cut 2 squares of OUTSIDE fabric 12X12

(see upper photo on page 2)
cut 2 notches out of both bottom corners Step 3--Place lining pieces together right
sides facing.
Step 2--cut 2 squares of LINING fabric 12X12
(see upper photo on page 2)
cut 2 notches out of both bottom corners

do not
do not sew sew here
between
marks
Step 5--Pin lining and sew along the
edges. Do not sew in between marks
or notches! Only sew where dotted
Step 4--With a disappearing ink pen put a lines are shown.
mark 2 inches in from each bottom notch, DO
NOT SEW between these marks!

Step 6--Leave a 1/4 seam allowance while Step 7--Mark the corner of each notch
sewing the lining. (front and back) with a dot.

page 4
Step 8--Pinch dots and pull fabric apart.

Step 9--Pin.

Your lining should look like this.

Step 10--Sew from one dot to the

other, removing pins as you sew.

Step 11--Sew the other corner so you lining looks

like this, set aside.

page 5
Part III--Prepare Outside

Step 2--Trim around edges so both outside pieces

look like this.
Step 1--Iron cover pieces on to fusible interfacing.

Step 3--Decide how you would like to quilt your outside pieces. You can do curvy lines, straight (using a ruler
to help) or a spiral from the inside out. Use your disappearing ink pen to draw your design. If you dont like
your first attempt, spray fabric with water, lines will disappear as it dries and try again. Then, pin your out-
side pieces to a piece of batting that is about 14X14. Just enough so there is about 1 of spare batting
around the outside edge.

start start
sewing sewing
here here
start
sewing
here

Step 4--When quilting, it is best to start sewing on a middle line, or in the case of the spiral design, start your
quilting in the center and work your way outward. Remove pins as you sew. You may find it helpful to use
safety pins instead of straight pins for this step.

page 6
Dont worry if your sewing does not follow your
drawn lines exactly. The lines are only a guide.
Have fun with the quilting! Step 5--Trim o excess batting.

Step 6--Place both outside pieces together,

The back side of your quilted pieces will look right sides facing.
something like this.

Step 8--Sew together the same as the lining

Step 7--Pin around edges of outside pieces. pieces. You DO NOT leave an opening in the
bottom. Again, use a 1/4 seam allowance.
page 7
Your sewn outside pieces will look like this. Step 9--Turn right side out.

Step 11--Pin your handles on at 3 and 8. If you

Step 10--Using your disappearing ink pen, mark the covered your handles, made sure the covered
bag at 3, 5.5 and 8. fabric side is FACING the bag

Step 12--Pin the hair binder on at 5.5 on the side of

the bag you want to be the BACK. Button will get
sewn on later to the FRONT.
Step 13--Sew around entire bag
about 1/8 from the top edge.

Step 14--Flip bag over to back and make sure

Your bag will look like this when you are finished with your button mark is at least 1 long so you can
Step 13. still see it after the next steps.
page 8
Part IV--Putting It All Together

Step 15--Tuck the entire outside bag into the lining. Your bag will look like this.
Make sure the handles and hair binder are in too.

Make sure you line up your seams on both Step 16--Pin around the entire top Step 17--Sew around
sides. You dont want a wonky bag! of the bag. the entire top edge
using a 1/4 seam
allowance.

Pinch the binder together The top of Step 18--Pull outside of bag, handles and all,
through the fabric before you sew your bag will through the hole in the bottom of the lining.
over it so that it does not separate. look like this.

page 9
Step 19--Continue to pull outside of bag until it looks Step 20--Press and pin hole at
like this. bottom of lining.

Step 21--Stitch hole closed either by hand or with Step 22--Stu lining down into
your machine. outside of bag.

Your bag should now look like this. Step 23--Press top of bag so Step 24--Pin in place.
lining and outer shell are
nice and flat.

Step 25--Sew around Button should be positioned approx- Step 26--Sew on your button and
entire top of bag 1/8 imately 3/4 from top of bag. This you are finished!
from the top. depends on the size of your binder.
page 10