A new cotton tote bag is one of summer's simple pleasures. The perfect tote has to be big enough to fit the summer essentials; a book, a bottle of water, and maybe a swimsuit, but it can't be so big that it gets in your way.
It also has to have specific places for the things that constantly get lost at the bottom of any bag, like your keys and cell phone. With all that in mind, I think this bag is pretty close to perfect. It's a just-right size, and it has three separate pockets that just happen to be on the outside of the bag!
So we got really excited to construct a new bag that showed its crisp seams on purpose and, at the same time, highlighted our bright selection of bias tape.
The Inside Out Bag is very simple to construct and comes out looking so clean and summery. It's made of sturdy organic Cotton Duck in a pretty natural color that sets off the vivid bias tape accents. There is a 12-inch deep pocket on one side, which I think of as the magazine pocket, and two 7-inch deep pockets on the opposite side which I like to think of as the pen, key, and cell phone pockets. Best of all this bag is a breeze to make, so you can be out toting things around in no time!
Materials
To make one bag 14-inch wide by 16-inches tall:
1/2-yard of Carr Textiles Organic Cotton Duck in Natural
3-yards of Bamboo Bias Tape or Polka Dot Bias Tape I used Red Bamboo Bias Tape, and Yellow, Navy and Turquoise Polka Dot Bias Tape.
100% Cotton Thread in color 1040 to match the Duck
100% Cotton Thread in a color to match your bias tape
2-yards of Cotton Webbing in Natural
Cutting
Cut two 21-inch lengths from the webbing for the handles.
From the Cotton Duck:
Cut a 14-inch by 34-inch rectangle for the main bag panel.
Cut a 14-inch by 20-inch rectangle for the pocket panel.
Prepping the Pieces
This fabric is the same on both sides but for the purposes of this pattern I will be referring to a right side and a wrong side. You might want to make a removable mark with a fabric marker on the wrong side to keep track of it better.
On the wrong side of the main bag panel, along one of the 14-inch sides, pin the raw ends of one of the handle pieces 3 1/2-inches from either side. The handle should be facing towards the bag panel as shown in the picture above. Make sure the webbing isn't twisted.
Pin the other handle piece to the opposite 14-inch side of the main bag panel in the same manner, on the wrong side of the fabric with the handle facing the fabric.
Using the natural colored thread sew the handles on with a 1/4-inch seam allowance.
Keeping the handles in the same orientation pin the bias tape over each 14-inch raw edge of the main bag panel includeing the raw ends of the handles. Edge stitch the bias tape on using the matching thread and making sure to catch both sides of the tape.
Fold these finished sides over 1-inch toward the right side of the fabric. The handles should now be facing out away from the bag panel. Pin the fold and handles down. Using the natural colored thread sew the fold and handles down 1/4-inch from the top edge and then again directly above the bias tape. Do this on both ends of the main bag panel.
Pin the bias tape along both 14-inch edges of the pocket panel. Edge stitch it on using the matching thread and making sure to catch both sides of the tape.
Sewing Together
Press the main bag panel in half lengthwise and wrong sides together so the top finished edges match up perfectly make a clear crease at the bottom fold.
Press the pocket panel wrong sides together so that one side is 8-inches and the other side is 12-inches making a clear crease at the bottom fold.
With both pieces facing right side up pin the pocket piece to the main bag panel along their bottom creases making sure to line up their raw side edges as well.
Using the natural colored thread sew the pieces together along this pinned bottom fold. Now one side of the bag has a 12-inch pocket and the other side has an 8-inch pocket.
On the right side of the 8-inch pocket mark a line down the center of the pocket, 7-inches from either raw edge. I used a hera marker but you could also use an erasable fabric marker. Using the natural colored thread sew the pocket panel to the main bag panel along this marked line back stitching at the beginning and end of the seam. This line is highlighted in red in the picture above.
Fold the bag together along its raw edges it at its bottom fold. The handles and top finished edges should match up perfectly. Using a rotary cutter trim the raw side edges so they are perfectly straight and clean cutting off any messy bias tape ends in the process.
Pin the bag together along the raw edges. Make sure to pin down the pocket panels securely as well.
Using the natural colored thread sew the raw edges together with a 1/4-inch seam allowance back stitching at the beginning and end of each seam.
Finishing
Pin bias tape around the raw side edges. This edge is a little thick so take your time. You can even pin both sides of the tape to make sure it's secure.
To hide the bias tape's raw ends just fold the ends inside before pinning the tape lengthwise.
Using the matching thread, edge stitch the bias tape on making sure you catch both sides of the tape and back stitching at the beginning and end of the seams.
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