Cooler Tote Bag

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• Sewing notions
• Marking pen
• Rotary cutter & cutting board
• Zipper, parka - khaki 30"
• Pellon Sew In Flex Foam, 20", 1 1/4 yards
• Cotton filler cord, 5/8", 2'
• Canvas, cotton duck, 60", khaki, 1/2 yard; natural, 1/3 yard
• Fabric clips or binder clips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut:
2. Natural canvas: Lid: 1 @ 8"x 15"
3. Sides & front: 1 @ 4"x 29"
4. Back: 1 @ 4"x 15"
5. Handles: 1 @ 3"x 42"


6. Khaki canvas: Sides & front: 1 @ 7"x 29"
7. Back: 1 @ 7"x 15"
8. Bottom: 1 @ 8"x 15"
9. Pockets: 3 @ 8" Hx 6" W


10. Foam: Lid: 1 @ 7"x 13 3/4"
11. Back: 1 @ 9 1/4"x 14 3/4"
12. Bottom & sides: 1 @ 7 1/2"x 31 1/4"
13. Front: 1 @ 9 1/4"x 13 3/4"


14. Silver foil vinyl: 1 @ 33 1/4"x 35" cut to template shape
15. Cording: 2 @ 11"


16. RST baste 1/2" SA, lid to sides & front panel. Two short sides and one long side of lid to one long side of sides & front. Start and stop stitching 1/2" from either end. Press seam open. Match center of front seam and center of zipper. Pin zipper facedown centered on seam. Ease corners. With zipper foot, sew zipper on both sides starting and stopping stitching 3/4" from raw edges of fabric. Move pulls of zipper to sew. Use a seam ripper to remove baste stitch.


17. Handles: Fold 3"x 42" strip in 1/2" on both long sides, press. Fold in half lengthwise, press. Cut length to 2 @ 21". Sew 1/8" from folded edge starting at raw edges up 5". Turn and sew along other side to raw edge. Place cording inside center 11" of handles, in between machine stitching. Hand stitch handle closed around cording.


18. Attach handles to natural canvas front & back. Raw edges of handles will lay flush with the bottom raw edge of the front and back panels. Fold in half to mark the center of the length of the front & back. Place the inner edge of the handle 3" from the center mark. There will be 6" between the lower flat sections of handles. Keep the hand-sewn seam on handles facing center. Sew flat portion of handles 2 1/2" up from raw edges, 1/8" from both folded sides.


19. RST khaki canvas front & sides to natural canvas front & sides. Fold khaki to find center. Repeat with natural canvas. Line up centers and corners of two canvas panels. Sew 1/2" SA. Press seam toward khaki canvas. Topstitch if desired.


20. RST khaki canvas back to natural canvas back. Line up corners. Sew 1/2" SA. Press seam toward khaki canvas. Topstitch if desired.


21. Pockets: Fold both long sides 1/2", press. Fold over one short side of pockets 1/2" then fold again 1", press. Topstitch double fold 1/2" from top folded edge.


22. Fold the khaki front & side fabric in half to find center. Fold one pocket in half to find center. Place centers together with pocket top lined up with seam of khaki and natural fabric. The bottom raw edges will line up. Sew pocket 1/4" from both folded side edges. Place one pocket on either side of khaki fabric side. Top of pockets lining up with seam and back sides of pockets 1 1/2" from back raw edge of khaki. Sew pockets 1/4" from both folded side edges. Bottom edges will be caught with the bottom seam.


23. RST back to lid. Natural canvas long edge to raw edge of lid. Lid edge will be 1" shorter due to the fold for the zipper. Sew 1/2" SA from lid corner to other lid corner.
24. RST sides to back. Place zipper pulls toward RS fabric, close to front center of bag and tails of zipper toward WS of fabric. Line up seams between natural and khaki canvas. Fold over top corners of back to line up with top edge of sides. Sew 1/2" SA from top edges to 1/2" from bottom edges.


25. Open zipper.


26. RST bottom to sides & front and back. Pin and sew one side at a time. Line up corners. Sew 1/2" SA starting and stopping 1/2" from corners. Clip corners to reduce fabric bulk. Turn RSO.


27. Cut foam and silver foil vinyl. Transfer all lines from template on to the WS of vinyl starting with the center line.
28. Lay the lid foam onto the WS of vinyl leaving 1" of vinyl exposed around three sides. See template. Line up the fourth edge with the line between the lid and the back. Sew 1/4" from the line to secure one side of foam to the vinyl. Cut a 1" square off the vinyl corners. Draw lines perpendicular to the 1" excess vinyl to the corners of the foam. Cut. Fold side 1" of vinyl over foam, sew 3/4" from folded edge. Repeat for other side. Fold front of lid 1" of vinyl over the two folded sides of vinyl and foam, sew 3/4" from folded edge.


29. Back foam to WS of vinyl. Sew 1/4" from all edges of foam.
30. Bottom & sides foam to WS of vinyl leaving 1" of vinyl exposed on either short end of foam. Sew 1/4" from both long edges. Fold end 1" of vinyl over foam, sew 3/4" from folded edge. Repeat for second end.


31. Front foam to WS of vinyl leaving 1" of vinyl exposed on one long side of foam. Sew 1/4" from three edges. Fold 1" of vinyl over the foam, sew 3/4" from folded edge.


32. Sides to front. RST match up top folded edges of sides with top folded edges of front. Hold or clip together raw short edges. Sew 5/8" SA. Repeat for back edges of sides. Trim close to seams.


33. Set vinyl/foam liner into canvas bag. Match all corners. Edges of lid vinyl should lay 1/8" - 1/4" from zipper teeth. Use fabric clips or binder clips to hold in place.
34. Sew 1/4" from folded edges of vinyl around three edges of lid and the top edge of the front and sides.

JOANN HACKS:

• Spray stain protectant on canvas outer fabric to protect from stains.