Felt Tote Bag

I have been wanting to make a tote bag for awhile and have been looking at pattern after pattern and frankly they confuse me. I can sew but simple things. Straight things. Zippers frighten me. So last week I was blog hopping and came across something from Martha. A "Felt Shopping Tote" and I thought ok felt, I can work with that and for some reason I have ALOT of felt on hand. No idea why. I printed the pattern out and pieced it together. Pinned it to the fabric, cut it out, stitched it up and I got myself a tote.





Of course I had to add some bling to it. I rolled a bunch of flowers from cotton/poly blend fabric and attached them by sewing them on at first but after breaking about six needles because I had so much glue holding the flowers together I ended up glueing them on with a felt glue.

Now the bag is felt and I'm not sure actually how much stuff I could put in it.

I was thinking perhaps a couple of books to go back and forth from the library or running some errands (I hate plastic bags that stores give you)

I was thinking I might add some bias tape around the exposed edges and handles to give them some more stability. Overall I love it. Very simple to make. And the cost is small.

I recommend using a 72" wide felt and all you need is 1/2 a yard that way you won't have a seam on the handles but 1 yard of 36" wide felt would work too.

Embellish the tote before you stitch the front and back together. I was worried I would glue them together attaching the flowers.

I am thinking of trying another material perhaps something like a canvas, something that doesn't need the edges finished. Joann's had some real pretty outdoor canvas in stock last week. I have worked with it before and its quite durable and easy to work with.

Ain't she pretty ?????


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