Tutorial: Boy's Summer Tote Bag

Boy's Tote Bag

TUTORIAL

Do you always find yourself sewing for your little girl? I would say do you always find yourself sewing for yourself, but I haven't found many people who sew exclusively for themselves. If you do, send me your blog. I need some inspiration in that category of my life!

Well my little boy, John Patrick, is 3 and is starting to notice that I'm making things for his younger sister, Catherine. A little mom guilt set in and I started brainstorming. I thought of making things like: an appliqued shirt, pair of shorts, a cape...but the only thing I really got excited about was a bag.

(I also made him a pirate eye patch...tutorial coming next week for all those who love Captain Hook and Jake and the Neverland Pirates.)

We've been going to the library each week and he likes carrying his books by himself, so I thought this would be useful. And of course when you come across a boy fabric that isn't babyish and suddenly have an idea for it, you have to get to work sewing!

 1. Cut two pieces of fabric, each 18in x 18in. Cut two pieces of fabric, each 2 in x 18in for your straps.

 2. Hem the top of each of your tote bag pieces. I folded it up an inch, then another inch. Pin.

 3. Sew along the hem on both large fabric pieces.

 4. Lay your large fabric pieces right sides together, with the hem you just created along the top. This will now be your top hem. Pin on all 3 sides of your tote bag (the left side, bottom and right side). Leave the top hemmed part open. You will not sew this part.

 5. Sew along all 3 pinned sides. Remove the pins as you sew. (Or pins fly and needles break. Ouch!)

 6. Let's create some corners. If your bag doesn't have corners it's not a big deal, but it will just look like a pillowcase and won't have any shape to it. It will still hold things though and it is the faster way. So if you want to skip down to making the straps feel free to do it!
If you want corners continue here: Keeping your tote bag inside out create a triangle at the bottom sewn edge (make the side seams of the tote bag meet). The side seam will cut this "triangle" in half. See above.

 7. Pin this triangular shape.

 8. Draw a line 3 inches below the tip of the triangle. See above.

 9. Sew along this drawn line. Repeat for the other bottom/tote bag side. Make a triangular shape, pin and draw your line. Sew along this drawn line.

 10. Turn your bag inside out. See how it has some shape! It will give your bag some depth and will lay flatter when it is full.

 11. Lay each strap piece right side up.

 12. Fold each strap piece in half. Iron and pin. Now you will have the same length strap, but narrower. Sew as close to you can along this pinned edge.

 13. Attach a safety pin to one outer edge. Insert the safety pin into your fabric, slide it through and use your hands to turn it inside out.

 14. Keep pulling.

 15. Press with an iron.

 16. Pin on your 2 straps. Sew them on. Trim your threads.

 17. You did it! A tote bag for your little boy (but of course it can be for a girl, too, just change the fabric!)

Surprise your boy with a tote bag after his nap!

One smiling boy will make one happy mama!

Tutorial - Beach Hat ( And It's Reversible)

*Learn the SECRETS of a Fashion Designer! Click here!

 

Reversible Sun Hat Tutorial

 Catherine LOVED wearing her hat!

John Patrick was all smiles in his new hat!! Want to make one?

You can make 2 hats (because it's reversible) in less than an hour! The first hat for my little girl took me 45 minutes. The second one for my little boy took 30 minutes. Not bad for a reversible hat the kids can wear all summer long!

I based this tutorial on the tutorial below, but I had to figure out how to make it fit each child. The tutorial I created will give you the exact size so you don't have to guess!

 http://feelincrafty.wordpress.com/2011/06/07/a-summer-bucket-hat-and-tutorial/

Let' s get started!

1. Measure your child's head. My kids have heads on the larger side. Does that mean mine is large too? I've never checked!

2. Lay out your measuring tape on paper and draw a circle that is the same size. It doesn't have to be perfect.

3. Cut this out.

4. Tape two pieces of paper together (or newspaper, freezer paper, printer paper). Fold the circle you just made in half. Lay the circle on top of the paper with the center folded line along the top border of your paper. See picture...it helps.

5. Trace the bottom of your circle.

6. Time to make the hat brim. Measure out 4 and a 1/2 inches along the semicircle. Keep making marks 4 1/2 inches away from the semicircle until you've gone all the way around.

7. Connect all your dots.

8. Label it and cut it out.

9. Tiime to make the sides of the hat. This helps it "stand" on your head. My little boy's head was about 22 inches around. I took half of that (11) and added 1 and came up with 12 inches. Tape two pieces of paper together again and draw a line that length. I drew it 12 inches long.

10. Subtract 1 from the line you just drew. Mine is 12-1 = 11 inches. I wanted my top line to be 11 inches long and I wanted it to be above the bottom line 4 and a 1/2 inches. This is how tall you want your hat to stand. You may want it smaller if your child is younger. Draw your top line. Connect it to your bottom line.
Label and cut out.

11. Your pattern is ready! (see above)

12. Use two fabrics and cut out all the pieces you need.

13. Take your side pieces and lay them right sides together to their matching fabric. (I did pink on pink and flowers to the flower fabric.) Pin the short ends. We will sew them to make a tube.

14. Sew the ends and iron open the seams.

15. Take your hat tops (the circles) and pin them on to these sides you just created. Pin right sides together.

16. Sew around the pinned edges and turn right sides out.

17. Take your hat brims and pin them right sides together to the hat sides and top that you just made.

18. Sew around the pinned edges. See, they're HATS! Now let's make them reversible.

19. Lay one hat right side up. Lay the other right side down on top. Pin all around the outer border but leave 4 inches unpinned. This is where you will turn it inside out. SEW around the pinned edges. Leave the 4 inch opening unsewn.

20. Turn your hat inside out through the opening. Iron well. Iron the open edge closed carefully and pin.

21. Sew one more time all the way around the edge (using a 1/8 inch seam allowance) to close the hole and topstitch the hat to make it look more professional.

22. Scream YAY!!! When you see that you did it! And...flip it inside out and be AMAZED! 2 hats in 1!

 Catherine LOVED wearing her hat!

John Patrick hasn't taken his off! He even wanted to sleep with it the other night. Do you have a boy that is addicted to hats? Pirate hats, Robinhood hats, Cowboy hats and now his Summer beach hat!

Next time I would have used a navy or red on the other side of the plaid, but I didn't have any when I wanted to make it.

Now go outside and play in the sun!!

SPECIAL SALE: 2 Seamingly Smitten patterns for $10 - Johnny in a Dress Giveaway and Coupon!

Do you know who is having a giveaway today?

(Oh and a special coupon code for 2 patterns for $10!)

 Natalie, over at Johnny in a Dress is! She is probably one of the funniest, most sincere bloggers I know. She has pattern tested a few of my patterns and always comes up with something completely unexpected, colorful and head-turning!  So go check it out and enter to win a FREE Seamingly Smitten pattern!  CLICK HERE - Johnny in a Dress SNEAK PEEK: Reversible Sunhat TUTORIAL coming tomorrow!