Valentine "Kiss" Tote Bag

This is the bag I told you about in my last post.  Here are the directions, just in time for Valentine's day.

Materials needed:  1 1/2 yards of main fabric ( you will quilt one yard of this)
                             1 yard of backing and one yard of batting for quilting
                              4 two-inch "D" rings
                              1/4 yard of lining for pockets and flap (I used tissue Lame because I wanted something that looked like Hersey Kiss wrapping, but use something that coordinates with your fabric)
                             a magnetic purse snap
                              1 yard of fabric for lining
                              9" zipper if you choose to add a zippered inside pocket
                               1/4 yard of fusible interfacing if you are using tissue lame (not necessary for normal cotton fabric.

First, quilt one yard of fabric.
From this fabric cut:   2 pieces 20" by 17"
                                2 9 1/2" squares for the outside pockets
                                2 pieces 2" by 21" for the handles
                                6" by 7" for flap
From the unquilted fabric cut 2 pieces 4" by 21" for handles and 8 3" by 4" pieces to hold the D rings to bag.
From the lining fabric cut 2 pieces 20" by 15" and pocket fabric*.

*I am not including the instructions for the inside pocket.  You may choose to add more than one, a zippered one, or none at all.

 First I made the pockets and the flap.  I used a fusible interfacing pressed to the lame.  As you can see, I cut it just inside the seam line to avoid extra bulk.  I rounded off the 6" side of the flap as shown.  Stitch the right sides together and leave an opening for turning.  On the pockets, I made the opening on one side and on the flap, I left the opening at the top.  Turn and press.


Make the handles.

Use a scant 1/2" seam allowance and sew the 2" quilted strips to the 4" unquilted strips.  When these are turned you get a nice edge as shown in the photo above.


Next stitch a pocket on each side of the main part of the bag.  Then sew on the flap in the center of the top of one side 4" below the top.

Now make the "loops" to hold the D rings on the bag.  Take two of the 3" by 4" pieces and sew them with right sides together, leaving one of the short edges open.  Make 4 of these.  Turn and press.  Use these to attach the D rings as shown below.

Then add the handles to the D rings as shown above.

Now you can sew the front and back of the bag together,leaving the top open.

Cut a 2" by 2" (not including seam allowance) out of the two bottom corners of the bag.

Match the seams as shown and stitch.  This will give you the box pleat for the base.

This is what the bag looks like at this point.  Add the magnetic snap to the flap and to the front of the bag using directions on the package.  You may choose to make a button hole and button. 

Now make the lining.

If you want to add pockets, add them to the lining before stitching the sides and bottom.

Sew the sides and bottom.  Leave a 6" opening on one side of the lining.  Cut the corners and stitch as in the photos above.

Now pin the lining to the top of the main part of the bag matching seams and with right sides together.  Be sure that the flap and handles are out of the way and stitch all the way around the top.

Pull the bag through the opening in the lining.

The bag now looks like this.

Stitch the opening in the lining closed by hand or machine.

Turn the top of the bag to the inside and press.  Now top stitch along this seam line.

To finish, I made a yo-yo to cover the snap on the flap.  You could use a button or beads to do this.

 I stuffed it with a little bit of fiberfil and then hand stitched it to the flap.

I hope that this pattern will inspire you to make your own tote!