How to make a foldable shopping bag | DIY reusable shopping bag tutorial | Foldable tote bag.
When I head to the supermarket for my weekly grocery run, I always bring a basket and some sturdy bags along. However, I haven’t yet managed to handle the many small, everyday errands that pop up throughout the day—like picking something up from the cobbler, the pharmacy, or a stationery store while I’m already on the go.
I often find myself at the checkout, reluctantly accepting the bag they offer because I have no other way to carry my items. These kinds of purchases, and the issue of bags, are a constant source of frustration for me.
I used to keep those little nylon bags—the kind you can buy at drugstores—in my handbag. While they’re usually hideously colorful, they fold up very small and can be tucked away into a little pouch when not in use. The trouble is, I’m constantly losing those pouches! Why aren’t they attached to the bags themselves? Eventually, I hit upon the idea of just sewing some for myself.
(Photo: First prototype)
My bags fold down small into an integrated storage pouch, making them easy to tuck into a handbag—yet when opened up, they are spacious, sturdy, and stylish.
(Photo: Second prototype)
If you would like to sew a handbag-style shopping tote like this one, here are the instructions. I’ve made sure to include plenty of photos so that even those with less sewing experience can follow along—I don’t want anyone to get frustrated and give up halfway through!
A few notes before you begin:
You don’t need to worry about adding extra seam allowances; they are already included in the cutting dimensions.
Unless otherwise specified, sew with a "presser-foot width" seam allowance. This means the needle should be centered, and you should guide the edge of the presser foot along the edge of the fabric.
Always secure (backstitch) your seams at the beginning and end—sew a few stitches forward and backward to lock the thread in place.
You will need:
50 cm of a sturdy fabric (such as canvas, lightweight denim, home decor fabric, or heavy-duty linen) for the main bag.
20 cm of a contrasting, sturdy fabric for the straps (if the fabric is 140 cm wide or more, 10 cm will suffice).
Fabric scraps for the inner pocket—which will later serve as a pouch (22 x 38 cm). I use canvas for the exterior and cotton for the interior.
22 cm of cord (or a fabric scrap that can be sewn into a strap/tie).
A sturdy button, at least 23 mm in diameter, that complements the fabric used for the inner pocket. Alternatively, you can use a cover-your-own button kit and a fabric scrap. I’ve explained how to cover a button here.
Thread that matches all the fabrics you are using.
And here’s how to make it:
Press all your fabrics first; this ensures more accurate cutting.
From the outer fabric, cut two pieces, each measuring 50 cm high by 45 cm wide. Cut 2 pieces measuring 10 cm x 68 cm from the fabric intended for the straps.
For the pouch, cut a piece measuring 22 cm wide x 38 cm high; for the lining, cut a piece measuring 21 cm x 38 cm. Yes, the lining fabric should be cut 1 cm narrower.
If you don’t have a cord handy, cut a piece of fabric measuring 5 cm x 22 cm. Fold this strip lengthwise and press the fold. Unfold it, then fold the outer edges toward the center and press again. Fold it shut once more along the center line and sew along the open edge, stitching close to the fold.
Let’s begin with the straps. Follow the same process for both straps.
The 10 cm wide strips are folded lengthwise and pinned in place. Sew them shut, leaving the short ends at the top and bottom open.
Now rotate the strap so that the seam is no longer on the side, but positioned in the center. Secure it with pins or clips to prevent the seam from rolling back toward the side.
Now, use your fingernail to open up the seam, then press over it with plenty of steam until it lies flat and straight. Next, turn the strap right side out. You can do this using a turning tool.
Iron again using plenty of steam, making sure that the seam on the back is positioned straight down the middle.
Next, the straps are reinforced with stitching. To do this, set your stitch length to approximately 3.5 and sew a line of stitching along each edge, spaced one presser-foot width from the side. Then, add a second line of stitching alongside each of these, positioned slightly closer to the edge than the first.
This creates sturdy straps that won’t easily crumple in your hand, while also securing the folded-in seam allowance on the inside. Set the straps aside. This ensures that nothing will twist out of shape, even after washing.
Now it’s time to sew the small pouch. Lay the outer piece lengthwise in front of you and mark a spot in the center, 8 cm below the top edge. You will sew a buttonhole here.
If you have never sewn a buttonhole before, now is the perfect time to try—it’s easier than you might think! Many sewing machines come with a special presser foot for this purpose; simply follow your machine’s manual. Alternatively, this YouTube video provides an excellent explanation of how to do it without a special presser foot.
It is important to note that this buttonhole is not intended for a button, but rather as an opening for a drawstring. A width of about 1.4 cm is sufficient (though this may vary depending on the thickness of your cord).
The sewn buttonhole is opened using a seam ripper. Placing two pins just before the outer stitching lines helps prevent you from accidentally cutting into the stitching.
If you don’t feel confident making a buttonhole, you can opt to insert an eyelet instead.
Now, on the back of the inner fabric, mark the center point 10 cm below the top edge using a pen. Form a loop out of the cord and place it in position, leaving an overlap of approximately 1 cm (see photo). Secure it by stitching over it with a tight zigzag stitch at the spot indicated by the line in the photo.
This seam will end up on the inside, so it doesn’t need to look good. It just needs to be strong.
The back side will later be on the inside of the pouch, where it will be visible.
Now, place the inner fabric of the pouch—with the drawstring facing upward—onto the right side of the outer fabric of the inner pocket. The outer fabric should be 1 cm wider than the inner fabric (see photo). Join them along one side with a seam.
Then the second side. Turn over and iron.
The open top edge is now folded over by 2 cm and pressed.
and then another 2 cm. This creates a nice edge. It is secured with two lines of stitching (increase the stitch length back to 3.5).
Sew once along the very edge, then sew a second time at a distance of one presser-foot width from the first line of stitching.
This is what it looks like from the inside. Next, mark a line on the outer fabric, 4 cm below the top edge. Pull the cord through the buttonhole and pin it out of the way.
Now fold up the bottom section to this line and pin it in place.
Now sew along both sides from the top all the way to the bottom. When doing so, stitch over the transition point—at the level of the marked line—a second time.
This seam will be subjected to stress during unwrapping and rewrapping, so it is important that it be sturdy.
Turn the inner pocket right side out, use a blunt pencil to push out the corners, and press with an iron. The section above the 4 cm line should fold over, and the inner portion should lie flat without any creases. To ensure the inner fabric is held slightly taut, we cut it 1 cm smaller.
If any creases remain, smooth them out toward the sides and tuck them underneath the folded-over edge. It is best to secure the top edge—using a sewing machine or, as shown here, an overlock stitch—to keep it smooth. This raw edge will not be visible later on.
Set the inner pocket aside. Now, it is time to sew the outer pocket:
To do this, lay out the fabric pieces for the exterior so that the side edges are 5 cm longer than the top and bottom edges.
Place both pieces together, right sides facing (i.e., with the "pretty" sides of the fabric touching), and pin them along the sides. At the bottom, use a ruler to measure out 5 x 5 cm squares at both corners, then cut them away. This will form the base.
On the short side of the bag (the top edge), the fabric is folded over by 3 cm and pressed.
Then fold over another 3 cm and press. For this, I use the Modii edge shaper, which I’ve already introduced here. Now, unfold the edges you just pressed.
Decide now how you would like to finish the seam allowances on the inside. If you intend to finish the seam allowances using an overlocker (as shown in my instructions) or, alternatively, a zigzag stitch, place the fabrics together with their right sides facing.
If you prefer the seam allowances to be concealed—for instance, by using a French seam—sew the fabrics together with their wrong sides facing.
If you are following my method of finishing the seams with an overlocker or a zigzag stitch, proceed as follows:
Pin the sides and the bottom in place, leaving only the corners open (the section between the seam ripper marks—i.e., the corner itself—is not sewn).
Stitch the sides and bottom together, then finish the edges using an overlock machine or a zigzag stitch.
Now, press the seams and seam allowances from both the inside and the outside. Press the side panels in the same direction, and the base in the opposite direction.
Next, shape the corners into an "O" and join them together in the center.
Since the seam allowances have been pressed in opposite directions, the seams now lock into place when you push them toward each other at the center.
Secure the seam allowance on both sides with a pin and close with a seam.
Turn it over briefly to check. If the seam looks right from the outside, finish the edges on the inside. Repeat the process for the second corner. Press the corners flat.
If, like me, you use an overlocker for finishing seams, it is important to secure the seam ends on both sides.
The bag is now closed along the sides and at the bottom. The edge that was previously pressed should now almost fold over twice all the way around on its own.
We only did this beforehand because it is much easier to neatly press two short, straight sections than it is to press a continuous loop. Give it another press all the way around using steam.
Fold the pocket piece in half and mark the center point on both sides using a pin.
Proceed in the same way with the pouch, and use a pin to secure it—not at the as-yet-unfinished top edge, but at the edge of the pocket.
Now, slide the 4 cm extension underneath the pocket flap. Ensure that the center mark on the pocket aligns perfectly with the center of the inner pocket. Secure it in place at the top using pins—or, as shown here, Clover clips.
The straps are now pinned in place—positioned 9 cm from their inner edges—on the left and right sides of the inner pocket, with the ends of the straps tucked underneath the fold. The side of each strap featuring the center seam should be facing downward.
Additionally, secure the straps with a pin about 6 cm below the edge. Otherwise, they could easily shift out of place while sewing.
Now, use the outer marking on the sewing machine (I am pointing to the marked line with a seam ripper) as a guide; alternatively, you can apply a piece of clearly visible adhesive tape about 2.5 cm away from the needle to serve as a guide line, then sew all the way around once more. As you do this, keep the top edge of the pocket aligned with this line.
Next, the straps are further secured using a "house of Santa Claus" (a square with an 'X' inside) pattern. This ensures the bag can withstand the transport of heavy items. The best approach is to draw the "X" shape and then stitch over it.
To fold up the bag, place the straps inside and turn the pouch outward, with the open side facing up.
Now fold the side panels inwards,
Fold up from the bottom 4 times
and place it into the inside pocket along with the 5th envelope.
Now bring the cord forward and mark the spot where the button is to be attached.
Keep the cord pulled slightly taut; otherwise, it will end up too loose. Sew the button on by hand. If possible, stitch only through the top layer of the pocket fabric so that the button remains invisible from the inside of the pocket.
And there you have it—your handbag-sized shopping bag!
Enjoy making your own!
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