Rag Tote Bag Tutorial--The 4 Patch Bag

4 Patch Rag Tote Bag Tutorial: *Before we start this party I need to type up a disclaimer.*

Disclaimer:

I don't have an awesome camera of coolness. I don't even have a camera that can focus. So go easy on the grumbling when you check out the following tutorial. And also---whether Elizabeth made these bags up or not, I don't know, all I know is that she showed me how to make them and so I'm giving a big thank you to her for this idea, that I have been obsessed with, for the past 3 years.

Ok, now that I've said what I needed to say, let's get started!

What you'll need:

a sewing machine thread

14 pieces of felt cut into 5 inch squares

14 pieces of fabric cut into 5 inch squares

4 pieces of felt cut into 5" x 2 and 1/2 inch squares

4 pieces of fabric cut into 5" x 2 and 1/2 inch squares

Step #1

Lay out your fabric squares in the pattern you like best for your bag. (You'll need 4 squares each for the front and back, 2 squares for each side, and two squares for the bottom. Each handle will be 4 rectangles long.)

Step #2

Start sewing your squares together. When sewing the squares together you will put WRONG SIDES TOGETHER---this is backwards to how you sew most items but for this bag we want all seams on the outside. Also EACH fabric square must be sewn with a felt piece underneath it. (It's like your making a little felt sandwhich...Everytime you sew something on this project you will be sewing through: fabric, felt, felt, fabric.)

You can start sewing with the rectangle handles. Sew them short sides together. Sew 4 of them together in a long strip. You will make 2 long strips.

Next sew the squares together for each side and then the bottom. Now attack the front and the back--sewing all 4 squares together. When your done you'll have something like this:

Step#3

Now attach all the pieces. The easiest way is to sew the front to the right side. Then the bottom to the front and right side. When I am done it looks like this:

Next I sew the back to the left side. And finally sew that piece to the piece in the photo above. Now you have your bag.

Step#4 Attaching the handles. Before attaching the handles run a seam along the edge of each side of each handle. Like this:

Next you are going to run a seam along the entire top edge of the bag. While doing this you are going to attach the handles. I start my top seam on the edge of one of the side pieces. Like this:

When I come to a front or back square I place one edge of the handle inside the bag, far enough down to be run over by the seam. Like this:

Then I keep sewing until it's time to insert another handle piece. (Each top square on the front and back will have part of a handle attached to it.) From the inside it will look like this:

Now you are completed with the sewing portion of the bag.

Step#5

Clipping. Clip about every 1/4 to 1/2 inch along all of you seams. But be careful not to cut through the seam or else your bag will have a hole in it.

Step #6

I now put my bags into the washing machine on the rinse and spin cycle. Next, I throw them into the dryer. This makes the fraying nice, and cute, and fluffy.

Now your all done! Happy toting! Linked Here and Here and Here.