Sewing Knitting Bags/Totes

 

I just finished a medium sized tote bag for my knitting projects.

I used hand dyed fabrics that I dyed years ago.

I improv pieced the strips together until I had three pieces the size that I wanted.

I backed each piece with a fusible web, 

then I ironed on a scrap block of cotton batting to each piece.

I then randomly quilted each piece using various threads. 

I liked the look of the threads, plus I wanted to stiffen the fabric.

I squared the bottom of the bag once I sewed the three pieces together.

I added two pockets and a lining, then my bag was ready to use.

I’m jazzed, this is the first bag like this that I’ve made.

For my second tote/bag,

 I had a small piece of Krokbragd wool weaving 

that had been cut off a loom.

I just hadn’t known what to do with it,

 but I knew that I wanted to incorporate it into my next bag.

I also had a quilt that I had made years ago, 

which I really didn’t like, 

so I felt that this was a great opportunity to transform it into something useful. 

So I cut up the quilt for the bottom and back of the tote bag.

I added more random quilting on each piece,

 using various threads, just having fun embellishing it.

Things I learned with the second bag-

1) use a heavy duty needle

2) decrease the sewing speed to prevent the thread from breaking

3) decrease the pressure foot pressure (if you can), I decreased it by half and it made a huge difference

Okay, some of you may be upset because I cut up the quilt to use it like this. I understand. I just didn’t want it sitting in the closet, unused and unloved. Now it’s transformed into a bag that will get used every day. I filled it with my Turkish spindle projects and my wool rolags 😊

After finishing these two bags, I find myself wondering why I waited so long to try my hand at sewing tote bags!

Here’s some dimensions of the second bag if you’re interested:

Two sides were cut 14” x 25”

One bottom 13/5” x 25”

Two straps 3.5” x 55”

Happy sewing,

Judy