SUPPLIES & TOOLS:
- Market Bag Pattern
- Cotton - 1 3/4 yds
- 6" Polyester all-purpose zipper
- Interfacing - 3/4"x 7" piece
- Disappearing ink pen, optional
- Button
- 1/2" Bias tape - 50"
- Basic sewing supplies
DIRECTIONS:
To find the downloadable patterns click on the "GET PATTERNS" tab above.- Cut out all pieces using the Market Bag pattern.
- The 54 1/2" pieces are the straps - press them in half lengthwise and sew down the long open side with a 1/2" seam allowance. Repeat for the second strap and set aside.
- Press the zipper flap (2"x 6 3/4") in half lengthwise and sew down the long open side with 1/4" seam allowance. Turn right side out and set aside.
- Press the key strap (2"x 7") in half lengthwise and sew down the long open side and one short side with a 1/4" seam allowance. Fuse the strip of interfacing to one side and turn right side out.
- On the zipper, make a mark 5" from the zipper stop and move the zipper pull below that mark. Either tape or pin zipper together at that point. Place a 1"x 2" piece of cotton facedown on top of the zipper with a short edge lined up with that 5" mark. Tape or pin in place and stitch across the short side of cotton at the 5" mark. Repeat on the other side of the zipper, at a point just after the zipper stop. Set aside.
- Pin front pocket (8"x 10") pieces right sides together, and sew across one short side. Flip right side out and press.
- Center the sewn, pressed edge of the front pocket to the zipper, pin or tape in place, and sew onto zipper with zipper foot.
- Center onto bottom of one of the main body (14"x 24") pieces and baste around the pocket and top of the zipper.
- Line up the top of the zipper flap with the top of the zipper, tape in place, and edge stitch at the top of the flap.
- Make a mark at the bottom of the main body 2 1/2" in from the side on either side. Line up the short edges of the strap so that the outside edge lines up with the mark, and pin. Angle the strap inward so it meets the edge of the zipper. Check that the strap isn't twisted and pin in place. Make a mark across the straps at the top edge of the bag, 1/2" down from the top. Edge stitch the strap edges starting at the bottom and stopping at the 1/2" mark. (One of the last steps will be to fold the edge of the bag down, and you will need that 1/2" of room to do so.)
- Repeat the process for the second strap on a second main body piece. As there is no zipper to angle toward, place the second main body piece on top of the first and angle the second strap to match the angle of the first. Set aside.
- Fold the raw edge of the key strap up twice 1/2" and stitch folded edge. Center your button about 1/4" from the top and mark the top and bottom of the button. Make a buttonhole, starting and stopping at your marks.
- Place the key strap on a third main body piece, at least an inch from the top edge.
- Make a mark through the center of the buttonhole. Pin key strap out of the way and sew button in place on that mark.
- Place this third main body piece, wrong sides together, on the first main body piece with the zipper. Baste together around all edges.
- Place the second main body piece, wrong sides together, on the remaining fourth main body piece and baste together around all edges. Set aside.
- Place the two bottom pieces (6"x 16") wrong sides together and baste around all edges.
- Line up bottom piece to the bottom edge of a main body piece, wrong sides together. Sew with a 1/4" seam allowance. Trim the seam allowance down to 1/8". Fold along the sewn line and press with an iron. Sew the edge again with a 1/2" seam allowance. Repeat for the other main body piece.
- Wrong sides together, line up the main body pieces and the bottom so that the bottom is folded in half. Pin in place and sew down both sides with 1/4" seam allowance. Trim seam allowance down to 1/8". Turn so that the right sides are together and sew with a 1/2" seam allowance. Turn right side out.
- Open one of the sides so that it is centered in front of you, and lay it down flat. Tuck the bulk of the bag bottom upward so there is just a triangle of the bottom piece showing. The triangle piece should be roughly 6" at its base and the point of the triangle should extend 4" out. Pin in place and sew across the base of the triangle, just above the french seam. Trim off the triangle, leaving 1/4" seam. Flip right sides together and sew over the same seam with a 1/2" seam allowance. Repeat for the other side. Flip right side out.
- Open up a fold of the bias tape and pin right sides together along the top of the bag. Fold and press one end in 1/2" and pin the other end over top of it, trimming so it overlaps 1/2". Sew in place along the crease of the bias tape. Flip the bias tape up and fold down over the raw edge of the bag, pressing down with an iron, pinning down along the interior of the bag. Stitch along bottom edge of the bias tape.
JOANN HACKS:
- For any edge stitching, baste near the edge first. This will keep the material firmly in place and help keep your edge stitch straight. Then remove the baste stitches.
Rated 1 out of
5
by
Kat52 from
instructions soooo confusing
I consider myself a fairly advanced seamstress but after trying to figure these instructions out, I guess I'm just intermediate because I need clearer direction! The vague "Place the key strap on a third main body piece, at least an inch from the top edge" confused me because- do I just decide where in relation to the sides of the bag" do I need to do it in the center or way to the side or 1/3 in from sides? And am I pinning the folded edge or the button hole edge there? Then the "Make a mark through the center of the buttonhole. Pin key strap out of the way and sew button in place on that mark" - is that mark with the key strap hanging or the 1" from the top mark. There's more that is confusing to me, I guess I do need more instruction than I thought (in my defense, I took this to JoAnn and asked the person at the cutting table if she could help me figure it out- she said she is the educator for that location and she found it confusing as well)
Date published: 2022-03-23
Rated 3 out of
5
by
ToriLynn from
Intermediate bag
This pattern if clearly marked not for beginners. That being said, choose another bag pattern with pictures and steps if you are new to bash making.
Date published: 2022-03-03
Rated 3 out of
5
by
Maria from
Nice Tote with front pocket and zipper.
I made the tote bag. Instructions aren't clear, however I read several times and got most of it. For example, tells you to attach first strap on main body but not the other side. Had to figure that out.
Date published: 2022-02-22
Rated 2 out of
5
by
Elf777 from
Skill Building Tote Directions Could Be Clearer
This tote looks like a winner. However, some of the instructions are unclear, and could be clarified with some simple drawings of the most confusing steps. I agree, this is not for a beginning sewist. Pattern pieces should be labeled. This step would have taken two minutes for the instruction writer. Probably a good one for unflappable sewists.
Date published: 2022-02-03
Rated 1 out of
5
by
Kat77 from
Poorly written directions
No instruction to turn strap pieces right side out and press.
Diagram for zipper stop...which stop? Top of zipper or bottom of zipper. Placing a 1x 2 strip of fabric over zipper??? What?
The bag looks great. But these directions are so poorly written and with no diagrams it is difficult to comprehend how to properly construct this tote bag.
Date published: 2022-01-30
Rated 1 out of
5
by
MLSS from
Skill building tote
Joann’s does not make very good instructions on their projects. Especially this tote. I agree the pattern pieces are not labeled and the directions are very difficult to follow. Whoever is in charge of writing these instructions should be reviewed and taken to task for such a poor job.
Date published: 2022-01-26
Rated 3 out of
5
by
Kathy Cottrell from
Not for a new or even intermediate sewer
For someone who makes and sells tote bags I'm always looking for a great pattern that I can tweak to my customer's specs and also something that goes together fast and easy. THIS IS NOT THE PATTERN FOR SOMEONE JUST STARTING OUT!! The pattern picture is difficult to understand and the pieces aren't labeled. The driections are not clear in that spaces should be put between each step so the user can review and comprehend. do not recommend this
Date published: 2022-01-26
Rated 4 out of
5
by
Barb from
Nice tote
Overall I think this is a great project. My main recommendation is to name the pattern pieces. For a relatively new sewer, this would help a lot.
Date published: 2022-01-23