Go Green Tote

Go green with a reusable grocery tote!  This sturdy bag features long straps for carrying all your market goodies, and is easy to wash, making it perfect to use time and time again.

Begin by preparing the fabric for the front and back panels of the bag.

Cut two pieces of the solid color canvas to 16 1/2" x 16 1/2".

Mark the center of the square.

A template is a printout of a design, and it's an excellent tool to plan where to stitch. Print a template of the design using embroidery software. 

If you do not have software, you can also cut out a piece of paper the size of your design to use as a way to place where you'd like your design to be.

Trim around the templates to make them more manageable.

Arrange them on the fabric until they are where you want to stitch them.

In this example, three designs will be used. The centers are lined up with the center of the fabric, and there is equal space between the designs.

Mark the center points of each design, as well as the vertical and horizontal axis lines.

Remove the templates and draw lines connecting the horizontal and vertical axis points. These lines will be used for hooping.

Hoop the fabric with a piece of cutaway stabilizer to embroider the first design.

When hooping, line up the marks on the fabric with the marks on the hoop.

Attach the hoop to the machine and load the design. 

Move the hoop so that the needle is right over the center point on the fabric. 

Embroider the design.

After embroidering, unhoop the fabric and trim the excess stabilizer away from the back.

Repeat to embroider designs for the front and back of the tote.

To prepare the inner lining of the front and back panels, cut two pieces of the solid color canvas to 16 1/2" x 16 1/2". 

Align each panel on top of the lining fabric with the wrong sides together and pin in place.

Sew a 1/4" seam around the entire outer edges of each panel.

To prepare the side panels (outer shells and inner linings), cut four 8 1/2" x 16 1/2" pieces from the print canvas. 

Align the pieces together with the wrong sides together (creating two panels) and pin in place. 

Sew a 1/4" seam around the entire outer edges of each panel.

Place the back panel right side down and align the long edges of the side panels with the side edges of the back panel.

Wrap bias tape around the sides.

Pin in place, then trim the tape to size.

Sew a seam along the inner edges of the bias tape.

Lay the back panel right side down again and fold the side panels in half lengthwise so that the inner lining faces up. 

Align the sides of the front panel with the long edges of the side panels with the front panel right side up. 

Wrap bias tape along the sides.

Pin in place, trim the tape, and sew a seam along the inner edges of the tape.

Lay the panels with a side facing right side up. 

Fold the tape on both edges in towards the side and pin in place. 

Do this on the top and bottom of each side.

Tack the tape in place by sewing a few stitches over the tape along the top and bottom edges of the panels.

To prepare the bottom of the tote, measure the inner bottom edges from seam to seam. 

In this example, the measurement is 15 1/4" x 8".

Cut one piece of the canvas to the dimensions you just measured. 

Also, add 1" to each of the dimensions and cut two pieces of the canvas to this size.

In this example, one piece is 15 1/4"  x 8" and two pieces are 16 1/4" x 9".

The two larger pieces will be sewn together to make the bottom flap, and the smaller piece will be the bottom.

Align the two larger pieces with the right sides together and pin in place. 

Sew a 1/4" seam around one long side and the short ends. Leave one long side open for turning.

Turn the fabric right side out and press the seams. Then, top stitch a 1/2" seam around the folded edges only.

Align the raw edge (no seam) long side of the flap with a long side of the bottom fabric.

Position the flap so that the sides extend over the edges of the bottom fabric piece about 1/4"

Pin in place and sew a 1/4" seam along the pinned edge only.

Lay the assembled tote portion with the back panel facing up. 

Align the sewn edge of the assembled bottom portion with the bottom edge of the back panel. Do this with the top side of the bottom portion aligned with inside edge of the bottom edge of the back panel (the flap should be facing inside the tote). 

Pin in place with the bottom portion flat against the inside of the back panel about 2" from the edge. Then, starting at one corner, wrap bias tape around the edge and pin in place. 

Sew a seam along the inner edge of the tape.  Do not cut the tape just yet.

Pin the flap flat up against the inside of the back panel to keep it out of the way.

Continue adding bias tape around the bottom of the bag by aligning the bottom piece with the bottom of the first side panel. 

Pin in place and wrap the bias tape around the edge. 

Sew the tape in place by sewing a seam along the inner edge.

Continue this process around the entire bottom edge of the tote. 

When you reach the point where you started, trim about one inch excess of the bias tape, fold the end under, and sew in place over the start of the tape.

Add bias tape around the top edge of the tote by wrapping it around the edge and sewing it in place just like you did with the bottom.

To create shoulder straps, cut two pieces of canvas to 2 1/2" x 44".

To create handles, cut two pieces of canvas to 2 1/2" x 20".

Fold the pieces together lengthwise with the wrong sides together. 

Press in place with an iron.

Wrap bias tape around the open long edges and pin in place.

Sew a seam along the inner edge of the tape.

On the inside of the tote, mark 2 1/2" down from the top edge and 3 1/2" in from the side seams.

Wrap the ends of the straps/ handles in about 1/2" and pin them in place aligning the folded end with the marks on the inside of the tote.

Sew a seam 1/8" seam around the sides of the strap/handle starting and stopping at the bottom edge of the bias tape at the top edge of the tote.

Add eyelets to the straps to strengthen their hold. 

On the outside of the tote, mark the center of the "box" created by the strap seams.

Use a craft knife and cutting pad to cut an "x" at the marks.

Add the eyelets to the holes using the eyelet tool and hammer.

Cut a piece of the foam board or cardboard to 14" x 7".

Lift the flap at the bottom of the tote and insert the board.  Lay the flap over the board.

To wash this reusable grocery tote, simply lift up the flap at the bottom and remove the board before sticking in the laundry.

A terrific way to tote your grocery goods in style!