Metallic Tote Bag Tutorial ~ DIY Tutorial Ideas!

Tote Bag Tutorial. Making Beautiful Bags. DIY How to Make Handbag.

MATERIALS
■ 0.5m (1/2yd) canvas
■ Two pieces of metallic finish leather hide, one 30 x 35cm(12 x 14") and one 20 x 25cm (8 x 9 1/2")
■ Six 1.1cm (7/16") extra large eyelets, plus setting tool
■ 117.5cm (47") matching cord
■ Woven, fusible interfacing such as Pellon SF101, 67.5m (27")
■ Double fold bias binding, 67.5cm (27")
■ Co-ordinating thread
■ Rotary cutter
■ Cutting mat
■ Cutting ruler
■ Fabric shears
■ Sewing machine and teflon foot for sewing leather
■ Sewing clips/clothes pegs
■ Fabric marking pencil
■ Pen

1. Using the self healing mat, ruler, and rotary cutter, cut a 40 x 66.25cm (16 x 26.5") piece from both the canvas and interfacing. Fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of the canvas.

2. Measure down 5cm (2") from the top of the canvas and mark with the fabric pencil on both ends. Turn under to form the top hem, press, and stitch at the bottom and top to finish and secure.

3. Measure 4cm (1.5") from the left edge of the top of the bag where you've just finished your hem, and centre your eyelet between the two lines of stitching. Use the eyelet to mark a circle with the pencil.
Measure 11cm (4 3/8") across to the right and mark the next eyelet. Continue until you've marked all six of them. Set the eyelets according to the manufacturer's instructions.

4. Using the self healing mat, ruler and rotary cutter, cut two 15 x 33.75cm (6 x 13 1/2") rectangles of metallic leather. Cut one of the bag bottom pieces using the TEMPLATE and set aside. When cutting the leather bottom, be sure to trace around the template with a pen. Don't use pins to secure the template to the leather as they'll make holes. Set the bag bottom piece aside.

5. To finish the top edge of the leather pocket, cut one 70cm (28") piece of double fold bias binding. Press one edge fully open to expose the raw edge. Match the raw edge, keeping the fold side up, to the wrong side of the leather, stitch at the manufacturer's crease. Turn the leather over, bring the bias binding from the back to the front. Topstitch neatly closed along the folded edge. Be sure to use a teflon sewing foot on your machine when working with leather, otherwise it won't flow through the machine properly.

6. Using clothes pegs to secure the leather pocket to the bottom edge of the larger canvas piece, stitch the edges to secure the leather to the bag. Fold the edges of the bag to the middle point to mark pockets, and stitch along the crease you've created. This should result in four pockets.

7. Fold the bag in half and stitch along the vertical edge.

8. Fold the leather bottom bag piece in half to make a crease. Matching the seam edge to one of the crease marks, clip the sides of the bag to the bottom, right sides (RS) together. Carefully stitch together, easing the square bag side fabrics to match the oval-shaped bottom.