Tote Tuesday Part 3: Finale!

hello hello. I just realized that this tutorial series stretched out into alike 4 posts total!  I am astonished that I stretched it out that long and I promise that I will NEVER stretch a single project out into more than 2 posts EVER AGAIN.  I realize that I would probably not have enough attention span or dedication to come back and see what to do next so I wont ask you all to either from now on.
Now to the finishing the tote...hope some are still with me :)

MATERIALS:

• the assembled tote body (outside)
• the lining you've worked on so far
• fabric for handles
• if you are copying the handles I did you will need 2 contrasting fabrics)

STEP 1:
Sew lining sides and form bottom

• Fold lining right sides together.

• Sew together each side.
• Pinch the bottom corners and sew across like you did when assembling the tote body here.

STEP 2:

Tote Tuesday Part 2: Zippered Pocket

I include 2 different types of pockets in the totes I make.  I like to include a zippered pocket for all those things I don't want to fall out, but I also include a basic open pocket for the things I want to be able to grab quickly: a chapstick, pencil, etc.

SUPPLIES:

• Tote lining
• Fabric for pocket: less than a fat quarter

STEP 1: 

Cut Fabric

• 1-28"x18"piece of fabric you are using for lining
• note that the piece of fabric for the lining is the same dimensions as the fabric cut for the tote body, therefore if you are making a tote of different dimensions you just have to make sure the lining and tote body are the same size

• 1-10"x18" piece of fabric for basic pocket
• again, if you would like a larger, smaller, skinnier, fatter pocket you can adjust accordingly by determining how wide you would like the pocket (plus 2 inches for seam allowance and zipper placement), and how tall you would like the pocket (when figuring the height, multiply it by 2, because you will be folding the pocket over, and then add 1 inch for a seam allowance

• 1-8" zipper

STEP 2:
Mark zipper placement.

• Fold fabric for pocket right-sides together, hamburger bun style.
• About an inch under the top fold of the pocket is where the zipper will be placed, draw a rectangle about 7 1/2" long by 3/8" wide. As shown in pictures.

STEP 3:

Tote Tuesday Part 2: Lining

There are a few different techniques involved and I want to include many pictures with each one, in an effort to streamline things I'm going to split the lining up into a few different posts so I can include lots of pictures and still keep the posts to a manageable length.  All of the tutorials that make up the lining will be released within hours of each other (you wont have to wait a whole week for the next part :)

Below are links to the posts that make up the whole of the lining:

Basic pocket
Zippered pocket
Assembling lining

Tote Tuesday Part 1: Outside Body

Here it is: Part 1 of the Tote Tuesday Tutorial series!
This tutorial is how to make the basic body of the tote.  Measurements I list here can be modified if you would like a tote that is wider or deeper.

Materials:

• 1/2 yard of fabric you would like to use for outside                                                                         (heavier weight fabric will make a sturdier bag but will be more difficult to sew through, if you use regular weight cotton fabric, like I did here see note under interfacing)
• 1/2 yard of interfacing                                                                                                                       (if you use a regular cotton weight fabric for outside consider using a heavier interfacing than if you are using decorator weight fabric)
• 12"x18" piece of accent fabric along tote bottom                                                                                  (here I use a piece of faux-leather, you could also use canvas, denim, etc. the thicker/heavier the fabric the more rigid the bottom shape of the bag will be)

25 Follower GIVEAWAY

Thanks for stopping by Sew Gloried!  I hope that you have enjoyed your look-see so far and have decided to follow the page because if you have...you are one step closer to winning the 25 Follower Giveaway!

I am super excited about this new blogging endeavor of mine and hope you are too, so it is in this spirit I am hosting a giveaway to be launched once the blog has reached 25 followers.  Once we reach 25 followers I'll make a special GIVEAWAY IS OPEN post that will be open for comments for 1 week.  During that time followers who comment on that post will be good for one entry in the giveaway.  If you head on over to  Sew Gloried on Facebook and "like" the page over there, mention that you've "liked" Sew Gloried on Facebook in ANOTHER comment and you'll be qualified for another entry in the giveaway!

To re-cap:

• "follow" the Sew Gloried blog =1 entry
• "like" the Sew Gloried on Facebook page =1 entry
• "follow" Sew Gloried on Twitter = 1 entry
• "follow" Sew Gloried on Pinterest = 1 entry
• post one comment for each entry saying that you're a "follower" and/or "liker" of Sew Gloried on the GIVEAWAY IS OPEN post and you'll be entered for either 1 or 2 entries! 

THE PRIZE

Now for the most important part right? 

I do not have the giveaway prize made yet but I am thinking that the tote I will be making for the up-coming Tote Tuesday Tutorials sequence will serve as the prize...unless of course we reach 25 followers before the series is done...then I'll quick whip up another tote of my appreciation for you :)

PRIZE UPDATE:
 The Tote Tuesday Tutorials have been finished however I've decided that the winner will have the option of choosing the tote made from the series, you can view here or a purse/cross body bag made from this pattern:

because I just made a purse for myself out of this pattern and I am oh so totally in love with how it turned out I want someone else to share in the joy!

Tote Tuesday

It's actually been a few weeks since I made this tote but I've been putting off posting it because I wanted to release a basic tote tutorial first and then release this one when I continue the series to show how you can customize the concept.  I am planning on next Tote Tuesday's project being the first post of the Basic Tote Tutorial Series so you can consider this one a preview!

Make sure to add the blog to your follow list so that the series will show up on your dashboard reading list!

The basic tote tutorial will consist of a series of techniques that you can mix and match.

Techniques presented in the series will include: