It all started a few days ago when the regular purse I’ve been using just wasn’t holding all of my kids winter gloves, my massive wallet and the stash of protein bars I store like a squirrel in the dead of winter.
You see, I want to be a minimalist mom who only carries a few items but alas…. my life keeps getting in the way. I had my small purse packed so tight it struggled to close and it’s poor zipper was about to burst.
I had been soooo excited to start carrying a small, petite bag once my youngest was potty trained and I could sell my massive- yet totally practical diaper bag on Poshmark. So I decided to ditch my diaper bag long before I ever donated our unused diaper stash.
Then one night, when I knew I should be using a larger bag anyways, I slung my tiny purse over my shoulder, packed all four kids up, and took them out for a night of family fun. We headed to a small, Christmas market and found ourselves an hour later each with massive sticks of cotton candy in both hands.
An hour and ten minutes after arriving, the cotton candy was gone…. and my kids were covered in an impressively sticky mess.
Then one asked for a baby wipe. Nope- that wouldn’t have fit in my tiny bag. Right after that, one got a runny nose…. but I had no tissues either. Now it felt like their whole bodies were incredibly sticky. This particular market also had no restrooms whatsoever but only outhouses and sanitizer bottles. I was stuck in a mess!
So I did what most moms with messy kids do and told them to resist trying to lick their own chins and waddle back to the car with their hands shoved deeply into their pockets so they wouldn’t touch anything- especially me. Once their hands were secure in their pockets, they were so sticky they wouldn’t come out anyways so I was almost home free.
When we arrived home, I got them cleaned up and almost immediately started planning this project.
Today’s simple tote bag tutorial is a stylish, spacious tote bag pattern that is also reversible on either side. It’s big enough to store the biggest bi-fold wallet you own, your laptop, an entire tissue box, your entire spare key collection, and yes… even baby wipes for your ten year olds. Tha’t’s a lot of stuff, right? Perfect size.
DIY Tote Bag Supplies
How To Make A Tote Bag
The first step is to cut your tote bag pattern. For today’s tutorial, I first wanted to be sure this pattern was as easy to make as possible so it’s literally only 2 measurements. This complicated-looking bag truly has the simplest tote bag pattern I’ve seen- especially for a reversible design.
Are you ready for it? Just cut two fabric pieces- one piece of faux fur and one piece of faux leather to 24″ x 19″. No need for a PDF Pattern, which makes this a great free bag pattern for beginner sewers. Stack the fabric on top of each other with the “right sides” together.
Simple enough sewing instructions so far right?
Pin and sew along three raw edges of your rectangular shape. You’ll want to close up the two long straight edges and one short end to create your DIY tote bag.
Next, fold the two closed corners down at the ends like this:
You can create a square, flat bag bottom purse just by sewing a straight stitch line perpendicular to the seam line with your pouch is folded in this position. Trim off any excess fabric and make the line as long or thick as you like.
Tip: For a wider bottom, sew a longer seam that cuts more into the body of your bag. For a more narrow tote, only take about 2 inches off here. As a result, you are able to customize your tote bag pattern to different sizes. Customization is part of the fun of DIY after all!
Next it’s time to add some detail! You’ve probably noticed that your DIY tote bag size is incredibly long. This is 100% intentional so we can do this next step:
Now, you’re going to take a ruler and trim 6″ off the top edge of the bag and separate it from the body of your bag. This section will create the reversible top of the bag.
Your new DIY tote bag is almost done!
Now you just need to attach the pre-made purse handles (see the shoppable link in the “supply” section) and you’re done!
Trim four 1 1/2″ x 6″ pieces of faux black leather to create loops for strap placement. This will connect the purse straps to the body of your bag.
Here you should fold the 1 1/2″ strips and slide them through the rings of your pre-made purse handles. Then, pin them into place on the body of your bag and sew into place.
Tip: If the faux leather fabric is tacky against your sewing machine pressure foot and won’t glide through smoothly, just stick a piece of basic tissue paper over the leather before sewing. It won’t interfere with the needle, creates a smoother surface for sewing, and can be ripped off easily after the stitching is complete.
The next step is the hardest part- deciding which way to wear your new reversible tote bag! There’s no wrong side with this great bag. I love how its a great option. It makes an entirely different look depending on which side is facing forward. What a sturdy bag for such an easy project!
I hope you loved this little easy tote bags pattern. As always, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask in the comments below! Happy sewing!
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