As promised, here's a little "market bag" for the fruit. You can also use these principles to make a tote bag of any size you like. As always, read all the way through the instructions before you begin.To start, you'll need 2 pieces of fabric 9" wide and 11" high. Cut a 1" square away from each of the bottom corners. For handles, you will need 2 pieces 3" wide and 14" long. You could use ribbon or trim for the handles instead, if you would rather.
To prepare the handles, fold in half and press a crease. Unfold and place the long raw edges inside the crease you just pressed.
Press again. You should now have 14" long, 3/4" wide pieces, the long raw edges enclosed.
Topstitch along both sides of your handle pieces.
Once your handles are ready, let's start on the bag pieces. Turn down 2" at the top and press. Then tuck the raw edge into the crease you just made, similar to the way we just did handle. Press. This gives you a 1" hem at the top.
Unfold the hem you just pressed, and stitch the bottom and sides of your bag using a 1/2" seam allowance. Ignore that 1" square cut out of the corners for now. Finish your seams. (Hint: if you cut out the bag with pinking shears in the beginning, your seam finishing is done!) At this point, your bag parts should look about like this:
Re-fold the hem you pressed in the top of the bag. Tuck the ends of the handles into the hem, a scant 2" from the seams. This will hide the raw ends.
Hem the top of the bag, being sure to catch all the handle ends.
Now run another line of stitching at the very top of the bag. Flip the handle up into place, and stitch back and forth over the handles as you come to them.
Now we address those funny cutouts at the bottom corners. Pinch one up and match the bottom seam to the side seam.
Stitch across using the same 1/2" seam allowance. Repeat for the other bottom corner, and finish the seams.
This will help your bag sit up when it's full. Your bag should now look about like this:
Press as necessary, turn right side out, and you're done!
For the patterns and instructions for the fruit, click here.
To prepare the handles, fold in half and press a crease. Unfold and place the long raw edges inside the crease you just pressed.
Press again. You should now have 14" long, 3/4" wide pieces, the long raw edges enclosed.
Topstitch along both sides of your handle pieces. 
Once your handles are ready, let's start on the bag pieces. Turn down 2" at the top and press. Then tuck the raw edge into the crease you just made, similar to the way we just did handle. Press. This gives you a 1" hem at the top.
Unfold the hem you just pressed, and stitch the bottom and sides of your bag using a 1/2" seam allowance. Ignore that 1" square cut out of the corners for now. Finish your seams. (Hint: if you cut out the bag with pinking shears in the beginning, your seam finishing is done!) At this point, your bag parts should look about like this:
Re-fold the hem you pressed in the top of the bag. Tuck the ends of the handles into the hem, a scant 2" from the seams. This will hide the raw ends.
Hem the top of the bag, being sure to catch all the handle ends.
Now run another line of stitching at the very top of the bag. Flip the handle up into place, and stitch back and forth over the handles as you come to them.
Now we address those funny cutouts at the bottom corners. Pinch one up and match the bottom seam to the side seam.
Stitch across using the same 1/2" seam allowance. Repeat for the other bottom corner, and finish the seams.
This will help your bag sit up when it's full. Your bag should now look about like this:
Press as necessary, turn right side out, and you're done!
For the patterns and instructions for the fruit, click here.
3 comments:
Kim,
With your great instructions (and pictures!) even I could sew this, and I am sewing machine challenged (just ask Wanda!). Thanks for sharing this!
this is awesome!!!
i think i can, i think i can, i think i can...
Great readd thankyou
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