Flower Power
Shabby n Chic Rag Tote Instructions
by
Caroline Ritzer
http://www.pinklemonadebags.com/
You will need:
For the body:
27~ 5“ squares of flannel (for the lining of the bag)
27~ 5” squares of fleece (the middle layer)
27~ 5” squares of cotton prints (for the outside of the bag)
For the handles:
16” of fabric, cut into 2, 8” high x 26” wide strips for the handles.
For the pocket
One piece of fabric 15” tall x 15” wide.
For the fabric tab:
One strip of fabric 2” tall x 12” wide
Layer
Layer one piece of flannel on the bottom, one piece of fleece in the middle, and one piece of the cotton print (right side facing up) on top. Layer the remainder of the squares in the same manner.
Machine stitch an “X” on each layer set, starting from the point on edge of each square.
Arrange
On a table or flat surface, arrange the layer sets in rows, each row having 3 squares (layer sets.) Take two layer sets, flannel sides together, machine stitch a ½” seam allowance on one edge of the first two squares. Open those two sets flat. Sew the 3rd set to the open edge of those two rows with a ½” seam allowance, flannel side together. This should result in 3 squares sewn together with seams wrong side out (all flannel facing on one side and all cotton print facing on the other.) Repeat for remaining rows.
Lay out 3 rows of the 3 attached squares for the front, 3 rows of the 3 attached squares for the back, one row for right side, one row for the left side and the final row for the base (bottom) of the bag.
Front of the bag
For the front of the bag, lay out 3 rows in front of you, flannel side up. Machine stitch the first two rows, flannel sides facing each other, with a ½” seam allowance, seams wrong side out. Open up the two rows, lay the third row over the middle row, flannel sides’ together, machine stitch together with a ½” seam allowance, seams wrong side out. Lay the front panel flat.
Take the row for the “bottom” of the bag, lay it horizontally across the front panel, flannel sides together. Machine stitch the first two rows, flannel sides facing each other, with a ½” seam allowance, seams wrong side out, on the bottom edge of the squares. Set aside.
Take the 15” tall x 15” wide fabric piece for the pocket, wrong sides together, press in half.
Back of the bag
For the back of the bag, lay out 3 rows in front of you, flannel side up. Take the fabric for the pocket and lay it across the bottom of the first row. At the edge of the first row, fold the pocket fabric back over itself.
Lay the second row, flannel side down, on top of the folded pocket fabric and first row. Machine stitch this together with a ½” seam allowance, seams wrong side out. Open up the two rows, spreading the pocket fabric over the second row, folding back over the second row at the edge.
Lay the third row, flannel side down, on top of the folded pocket fabric and second row. Machine stitch this together with a ½” seam allowance, seams wrong side out. Open up the three rows sewn together for the back panel.
Take the first of the rows for the sides, lay it on top of one edge rows of the back panel, flannel sides together. Machine stitch this together with a ½” seam allowance, seams wrong side out.
Take the second of the rows for the sides, lay it on top of the other side row of the back panel, flannel sides together. Machine stitch this together with a ½” seam allowance, seams wrong side out. Lay flat the sides and back panel.
Take the front panel and lay in on top of the sides/back panel piece. To complete the first side, machine stitch together one edge of the front panel with one edge of the first side panel with a ½” seam allowance, seams wrong side out. To complete the second side, machine stitch together the other edge of the front panel with one edge of the second side panel with a ½” seam allowance, seams wrong side out.
To attach the bottom panel to the back panel, machine stitch together one edge of the back panel with one edge of the bottom panel with a ½” seam allowance, seams wrong side out. Machine stitch together the remaining open edges of the side panels with one edge of the bottom panel with a ½” seam allowance, seams wrong side out.
Handles
To make the handles, interface each 8” tall x 26” wide strip. Fold strip in half and press seam. Lay strip open, fold each edge towards the center pressed seam and press each edge flat. Press the folded handle flat. Machine stitch each edge using a ¼” seam allowance.
Take the first handle and pin each end 3” from each edge of one side of the bag, placing the end of the handle inside the “layers”, ½” into the square. Repeat for the second handle.
Fabric tab
Fold one edge, long side of the fabric strip, ¼” over, wrong sides together, and press. Repeat for the other long edge. Press folded strip. Machine stitch edges with a 1/8” seam allowance. Lay the two ends together, and fold the middle over on itself to create the “tab” and press together. Machine stitch the tab using a 1/8” seam allowance. Pin the edges of the tab, right side facing up, in the middle, top square of the back of the back, so that the edges are inside the “layers”, ½” into the square.
Machine stitch a ½” seam allowance on the top edge of the bag, ensuring the handles and fabric tab have been sewn into place.
Using “rag cut” scissors, hand snip each open seam, at ¼” intervals, over the entire bag.
Run the bag through one cycle in the washing machine on a cold, rinse cycle, so that the agitation with start the rag process. Run the bag through one cycle of the drier, low setting to dry the bag.
Once the bag is dry, hand stitch a button to the middle, of the middle top square, of the front of the bag. Using scissors, trim any loose threads from the “ragged” open edges.
You will need:
For the body:
27~ 5“ squares of flannel (for the lining of the bag)
27~ 5” squares of fleece (the middle layer)
27~ 5” squares of cotton prints (for the outside of the bag)
For the handles:
16” of fabric, cut into 2, 8” high x 26” wide strips for the handles.
For the pocket
One piece of fabric 15” tall x 15” wide.
For the fabric tab:
One strip of fabric 2” tall x 12” wide
Layer
Layer one piece of flannel on the bottom, one piece of fleece in the middle, and one piece of the cotton print (right side facing up) on top. Layer the remainder of the squares in the same manner.
Machine stitch an “X” on each layer set, starting from the point on edge of each square.
Arrange
On a table or flat surface, arrange the layer sets in rows, each row having 3 squares (layer sets.) Take two layer sets, flannel sides together, machine stitch a ½” seam allowance on one edge of the first two squares. Open those two sets flat. Sew the 3rd set to the open edge of those two rows with a ½” seam allowance, flannel side together. This should result in 3 squares sewn together with seams wrong side out (all flannel facing on one side and all cotton print facing on the other.) Repeat for remaining rows.
Lay out 3 rows of the 3 attached squares for the front, 3 rows of the 3 attached squares for the back, one row for right side, one row for the left side and the final row for the base (bottom) of the bag.
Front of the bag
For the front of the bag, lay out 3 rows in front of you, flannel side up. Machine stitch the first two rows, flannel sides facing each other, with a ½” seam allowance, seams wrong side out. Open up the two rows, lay the third row over the middle row, flannel sides’ together, machine stitch together with a ½” seam allowance, seams wrong side out. Lay the front panel flat.
Take the row for the “bottom” of the bag, lay it horizontally across the front panel, flannel sides together. Machine stitch the first two rows, flannel sides facing each other, with a ½” seam allowance, seams wrong side out, on the bottom edge of the squares. Set aside.
Take the 15” tall x 15” wide fabric piece for the pocket, wrong sides together, press in half.
Back of the bag
For the back of the bag, lay out 3 rows in front of you, flannel side up. Take the fabric for the pocket and lay it across the bottom of the first row. At the edge of the first row, fold the pocket fabric back over itself.
Lay the second row, flannel side down, on top of the folded pocket fabric and first row. Machine stitch this together with a ½” seam allowance, seams wrong side out. Open up the two rows, spreading the pocket fabric over the second row, folding back over the second row at the edge.
Lay the third row, flannel side down, on top of the folded pocket fabric and second row. Machine stitch this together with a ½” seam allowance, seams wrong side out. Open up the three rows sewn together for the back panel.
Take the first of the rows for the sides, lay it on top of one edge rows of the back panel, flannel sides together. Machine stitch this together with a ½” seam allowance, seams wrong side out.
Take the second of the rows for the sides, lay it on top of the other side row of the back panel, flannel sides together. Machine stitch this together with a ½” seam allowance, seams wrong side out. Lay flat the sides and back panel.
Take the front panel and lay in on top of the sides/back panel piece. To complete the first side, machine stitch together one edge of the front panel with one edge of the first side panel with a ½” seam allowance, seams wrong side out. To complete the second side, machine stitch together the other edge of the front panel with one edge of the second side panel with a ½” seam allowance, seams wrong side out.
To attach the bottom panel to the back panel, machine stitch together one edge of the back panel with one edge of the bottom panel with a ½” seam allowance, seams wrong side out. Machine stitch together the remaining open edges of the side panels with one edge of the bottom panel with a ½” seam allowance, seams wrong side out.
Handles
To make the handles, interface each 8” tall x 26” wide strip. Fold strip in half and press seam. Lay strip open, fold each edge towards the center pressed seam and press each edge flat. Press the folded handle flat. Machine stitch each edge using a ¼” seam allowance.
Take the first handle and pin each end 3” from each edge of one side of the bag, placing the end of the handle inside the “layers”, ½” into the square. Repeat for the second handle.
Fabric tab
Fold one edge, long side of the fabric strip, ¼” over, wrong sides together, and press. Repeat for the other long edge. Press folded strip. Machine stitch edges with a 1/8” seam allowance. Lay the two ends together, and fold the middle over on itself to create the “tab” and press together. Machine stitch the tab using a 1/8” seam allowance. Pin the edges of the tab, right side facing up, in the middle, top square of the back of the back, so that the edges are inside the “layers”, ½” into the square.
Machine stitch a ½” seam allowance on the top edge of the bag, ensuring the handles and fabric tab have been sewn into place.
Using “rag cut” scissors, hand snip each open seam, at ¼” intervals, over the entire bag.
Run the bag through one cycle in the washing machine on a cold, rinse cycle, so that the agitation with start the rag process. Run the bag through one cycle of the drier, low setting to dry the bag.
Once the bag is dry, hand stitch a button to the middle, of the middle top square, of the front of the bag. Using scissors, trim any loose threads from the “ragged” open edges.
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