DIY Flower Power Tote Bag

With handy mesh pockets, this fl oral tote is the ideal quilt class companion. Flower Power Bag Free Sewing Tutorial.

 Adapt the width of your pockets depending on what you’d like to use your bag for. FINISHED SIZE: 121/2X151/2X4"

 Use a ¼" seam allowance throughout unless otherwise stated
RST – right sides together

MATERIALS
    ◆ 75cm Laki Island Nightfall Aura Hawaiian for main  outer (Fabric A) 
    ◆ 25cm Mau Loa Seabed AuraHawaiian (Fabric B)
    ◆ 80cm Coral Floral Elements for lining (Fabric C)
    ◆ FQ navy blue mesh fabric
    ◆ 80cm Vlieseline H630 fusible wadding
    ◆ 1.5m Vlieseline Style-Vil foam interfacing
    ◆ FQ Vlieseline S320 fusible interfacing
    ◆ 150cm 4cm-wide navy webbing for the handles
    ◆ 18cm navy metal zipper

CUTTING
From Fabric A, cut:
2 33x41cm rectangles for front & back outer panels
2 14x41cm rectangles for side outer gussets
14x33cm rectangle for base outer gusset
2 10x33cm rectangles for top lining trim
2 10x14cm rectangles for top lining trim gussets

From Fabric B, cut:
2 4x75cm strips for handle trims
2 3.5x33cm strips for straight binding 

From Fabric C, cut:
2 33x32cm pieces for front & back main lining panels  

2 14x32cm rectangles for side lining gussets
14x33cm rectangle for base lining gusset
4 14x27cm rectangles for inner slip pockets
22x30cm rectangle for front zipper pocket lining

From mesh fabric, cut:
2 33x20cm rectangles for front & back pockets 
From webbing, cut:
75cm-long pieces
 
From H630 fusible wadding, cut:
2 33x41cm rectangles for front & back outer panels
2 14x41cm rectangles for side outer gussets
14x33cm rectangle for base outer gusset
2 10x33cm rectangle for top lining trim
2 10x14cm rectangles for side top lining trim gussets

From S320 fusible interfacing, cut:
2 12x25cm rectangles for inner slip pockets

ASSEMBLY
1. Fuse Vlieseline H630 to all of the outer panels and also the inner top trims of the lining. Inner top trims are made from Fabric A and they are the only part of the lining to be interfaced.  

2. Attach the inner top trims of the lining to the main lining pieces and top-stitch narrowly along the top edge of the lining (See Pic A.) 

3. For handle trims, fold the trim fabric under by 0.5cm on each side to make a straight binding. Lay this onto the handles centrally and top-stitch it down using matching thread.  (See Pic B.)
Fabric glue or double-sided tape helps it to stay in place as you sew. Repeat for the other handle.  

4. To make straight binding for the mesh fabric, take the strip of fabric and fold it in half lengthways. Crease and fold the raw edges to the centre crease.  (See Pic C.) Iron, then trim one long end of mesh fabric with the straight binding. Repeat for the other one.  

5. For the inner slip pockets, fuse S320 interfacing centrally to the wrong side of two of the pieces of pocket fabric. These will be the outside of the pocket.

6. Take an interfaced pocket piece and an uninterfaced one and, with RST, pin. Sew around the edge of the interfacing  (see Pic D) leaving a turning gap in the bottom. 

7. Trim the pocket seam allowance to 0.5cm and clip across the corners to reduce the bulk. (See Pic E.) Turn out through the gap and close, then press edges. Repeat for other pocket.

8. Slide the pocket onto the main lining in the centre and 15cm down from the top edge. Attach with a narrow topstitch.

9. For the zipper pocket on the front panel, measure down 5cm from  the centre top of the front and make a series of marks. With RST, pin one short end of the zipper box pocket lining to these marks. Measure down 2.5cm on zipper box pocket lining and draw a 1x18cm box. This is the sewing line. Draw another line horizontally down the centre with two angles at each end. This is the cutting line.
(See Pic F.)  

10. Sew around the sewing line and cut along the cutting line and post the lining through the hole. Smooth out on the wrong side and top-stitch the zipper in. Complete the pocket lining by bringing the other short end up to meet the fi rst and sewing the sides and top.

11. Attach the bound mesh pocket to the lower half of the front by  the side and base seams only. Repeat this for the back. 

12. Using a very narrow machine basting stitch, attach the front, back, side and base panels to pieces of slightly larger Style-Vil foam interfacing. Trim back the excess foam. (See Pic G.)

13. Divide up the mesh pockets with some vertical seams going through all layers.

14. Attach the front and back panels to the side and base gussets. Repeat for the lining, leaving a gap in the base. When sewing the bottom corner seams, where a panel meets another, do not sew into the seam allowance. Start and stop 0.5cm before the ends. This creates a Y seam for sharper corners. On the top, sew to the end and reinforce with a backstitch.

15. Add handles by measuring in 7cm from each side. Allow to overhang about 2.5cm on each one.  (See Pic H.) 

16. With the bag outer the right way out and the lining inside out, pull the lining on over the outer. Line up the seams and corners and sew around the top leaving no gaps. Turn the bag out through the gap in the lining and close the lining gap.

17. Stuff  the lining into the bag and top-stitch around the top edge to catch and reinforce the handle ends.