Quilted Tote-torial

Part 1: Supplies, Cutting, & Prepping.

Minimal Sewing.
Supplies.
 Fabric Option 1 (3 color tote):
o Fabric A (main exterior) - 1/2 yard quilting cotton (allows for directional
print).
o Fabric B (base exterior, contrast accent interior & straps) - 1/2 yard quilting
cotton.
o Fabric C (contrast accent exterior & lining) - 1 yard quilting cotton.
 Fabric Option 2 (4 color tote):
o Fabric A (main exterior) - 1/2 yard quilting cotton (allows for directional
print).
o Fabric B (base exterior) - 1/4 yard or 1 fat quarter quilting cotton (allows
for directional print).
o Fabric C (contrast accent) - 1/4 yard or 1 fat quarter quilting cotton (allows
for directional print).
o Fabric D (lining & straps) - 1 yard quilting cotton.
 Pellon SF101 fusible interfacing - 3 yards (20" width).
 The Warm Company Warm And Natural Cotton Needled Batting 34"x45"
(NOTE: this is enough for two quilted totes). Or 2 large cotton batting scraps that
can be cut down to 17"x17". NOTE: Do not use polyester batting for this project.
This will be discussed more in depth in Part 2 of the tutorial.
 A YKK® 12 inch (or longer) #3 nylon coil closed bottom zipper - or other brand.
Coats & Clark makes a comparable zipper.
 Optional: any purse tack you wish to add to your key loops such as the 16x30mm
swivel lobster clasp that I added on my second bag.
 Coordinating thread.
  Tools - Every sewist has tools that they prefer, but these are the tools that I used
during this project:
o pins
o ripper
o fabric scissors
o chalk marking pencil
o quilt basting pins
o Fiskars rotary cutter
o Fiskars cutting mat
o Simplicity 2”x18” Draft ‘n Cut ruler
o sewing needle
o Hamilton Beach Durathon steam iron – you don’t need a steam function,
but you at least need a spray bottle with water for fusing your interfacing.
o pressing cloth – any thin flat cotton or linen cloth with no fuzz or texture.
o Brother CP7500 sewing machine – your machine does not need to have
quilting functions, but you will be limited to straight-line quilting without
them.

Cutting.
NOTE: Fabrics listed are for Option 1. For Option 2 fabrics cut (#1, #5, #10) from Fabric A, (#3)
from Fabric B, (#2, #4) from Fabric C, (#6, #7, #8, #9, #11) from Fabric D. After cutting, pieces
will be referred to by their numbers so that the instructions are interchangeable for either Option
1 or 2.

1. (2) 17" x 10" (Fabric A)

2. (2) 17" x 2" (Fabric C)
3. (2) 17" x 6" (Fabric B)
4. (4) 17" x 2" (Fabric B)
5. (2) 12" x 8" (Fabric A)
6. (2) 12" x 6.5" (Fabric B)
7. (2) 12" x 14" (Fabric C)
8. (2) 17" x 17" (Fabric C)
9. (2) 5" x 34" (Fabric C) add 2" on length for knot detail on wide straps
10. (2) 2" x 5" (Fabric A)
11. (4) 2" x 1.5" (Fabric A)
From your interfacing cut the following pieces. Instructions given are to ensure
maximum usage from yardage. If you cut pieces in a different order, you may run
out/need more.

1. Make (4) 17" cuts. Set aside remaining yardage. Trim these cuts to (4) 17" x 17"
squares.
2. Trim leftover 17" x 3" strips to (4) 17" x 2" rectangles.
3. Make a 34" cut. Cut (2) 5" x 34" strips from this.
4. Cut 10" strip into (2) 10" x 14" rectangles. From remaining 20" x 6" cut (2) 2" x 14"
strips

From batting: cut (2) 17" x 17" squares.

And this is what you should have when you are finished:
Piecing exterior panels & exterior pocket panels.
Main Panel: Using 1/4" seam, line up #1 and #2 with right sides together and sew. If
using a directional print for main fabric, be sure that #2 is lined up along the bottom of
the print. Do the same for #2 and #3. Repeat for second panel.

Pocket Panel: Using 1/4" seam, piece #5 to #6 in the same manner. Repeat for second
panel.

Press seams open on all panels.

Fusing interfacing.
For this step you will need an ironing board, an iron, and a pressing cloth.

Fuse interfacing to the wrong side of the following pieces according to the instructions
that come with your interfacing: Main panel, Pocket panel, #4, #8, and #9. For the pocket
panel use the 10"x 14" interfacing rectangles alongside the 2" x 14" strips.

After fusing your interfacing, trim any little bits of interfacing along the edges and
corners that stick out past your fabric. Flip your fabric back to right side up and press
with very light steam from the center out to the edges to get rid of any wrinkles or
bubbles.
Finishing prep.
Straps, key loops, zipper ends, and pin basting.

Starting at the center, pin baste exterior bag panels to cotton batting.

Regular straps: Press each strap #9 in half the long way, then press in sides to meet the
line created by original pressing. Press in half again (pictured: straps from draft 1 of this
design).

Wide straps: Pin each strap #9 inside out along the long edge.
Repeat method for regular straps with key loops #10.

Press edges on zipper ends #11 in 1/2" along one 1 1/2" edge.
Part 2: Quilting panels, sewing
straps & zipper.
Quilt Main Exterior Panels.
Because you are quilting without a backing, it is not essential to use a walking foot
unless you prefer that. Personally, I use a 1/4" piecing foot for my straight line quilting
on bags, and I maybe pull out the FMQ foot if I decide to do a more interesting design.

It is VERY important that you use a cotton batting if you are machine quilting here. I
have found that poly batting without a backing will get snagged on the sewing machine
quite frequently. At best, you'll need to unscrew the panel and clean out your machine
after each panel. At worst, you could damage your machine or your fabric.

For my panels I used straight line quilting for the entire thing. I simply drew diagonal
lines with a washable fabric chalk pencil & fabric ruler before I began and buried and
knotted any extra ends when I was done.

After quilting, trim any excess batting and thread from edges.
Sew straps.
Sew fabric loops #10 closed along pressed edges 1/8" seam. Repeat with #9 for regular
straps.

Wide straps: Sew along pinned edge 1/4" seam. Press seam open. Turn right side out
and press so that seam runs down center back of each strap. If using longer straps for
knot detail, tie a single knot centered on strap.
For both types of strap, take one #4 piece and one strap and pin strap 3.5" in from each
edge as shown. Take another #4 piece and place face down, removing pins one at a time
and using them to pin through entire fabric sandwich. Repeat with second strap. Sew
using 1/2" seam.
Sew straps to quilted panels as shown below using 1/4" seam.

Repeat for second quilted piece and strap.

Install Pocket Zipper.

Unzip zipper halfway, then trim to 12" (make sure your zip toggle is inside of the
margins before cutting). Line up two #11 pieces covering 3/4" on each end of the zipper
wrong sides together as pictured below. Pin and sew using 1/8" seam.

Take one pocket lining and lay it face up. Place zipper face up, lined up with the top
edge. Cover with one pocket exterior and pin. Repeat for other side.
Sew using a 1/4" seam. You can hand sew, use a zipper foot, or use a 1/4" piecing foot.
(For the last option simply unzip the zipper, sew to the halfway mark, zip the zipper all
the way, and resume sewing.)

Repeat on other side of zipper for second pocket lining and exterior.

Press open, trim edges & topstitch using 1/8" seam.

Part 3: Sewing bag body & finishing
Sew interior.
Read carefully before sewing.

Trace and cut 2.5" squares from the two bottom corners of each lining and exterior
panel.

Center pocket layers across bottom edge of one lining panel, right sides together. Place
second lining panel on top, right side facing in and pin all layers. Sew across bottom
using 1/2" seam, starting and stopping 1/2" in from edges.

This will allow you to fold back the edge to sew the sides as follows:
Fold down side of square cutout to line up with the bottom edge of the bag lining &
finger press. Line up top of square cutout to line up with the side of the cutout and the
bottom edge of the bag lining & finger press. Pin. Repeat with second corner. Flip over
and repeat on the other side.
Pin each side as shown below. Green pin indicates a pinned corner. Sew using 1/2"
seam, stopping 1/2" in from bottom edge.

Pin & sew corners using 1/2" seam.

Turn interior right side out as shown below.

Sew exterior.
Pin as shown below using different colored pins as indicated.
This is where you will add your #10 key loops as well. Pin your key loops between the
orange and white pins for interior loops or between the green and orange pins for
exterior loops. Shown below is one key loop pinned for an exterior loop.

Note: Now is also the time to add any optional clips or key rings to your key loop.

Use a different color pin to mark the center 5-6" of the bottom edge, as you will not be
sewing this portion. Sew sides and approximately 3.5" on each end of the bottom edge
using 1/2" seam.

Pin & sew corners as you did for the interior using 1/2" seam.
Sew interior & exterior together.
There are 2 ways to do this. I found it most comfortable to have the exterior right side
out and the interior inside out with the exterior in one side of the divider like this:

I pinned one side, and sewed it using 1/2" seam, then put the exterior into the other side
of the divider and repeated the process.
You can also have the interior right side out with the exterior inside out around it like
this:

Either way, pin & sew using 1/2" seam making sure both straps are inside the bag and
not caught in the seam.

This is what you'll have when you are done.

Finishing.
Turn bag right side out through the unsewn bottom of the exterior.

Pin and sew bottom opening shut using 1/8" seam.

Grab bag by handles and straighten so that exterior and interior are fully seated
together. Press and topstitch 1/4" seam around top edge of bag. Trim or weave in any
remaining threads.

And you are finished!