Cut out two pieces of the exterior fabric and two pieces of medium weight cut away stabilizer that measure 19" wide by 17" tall.

Spray one side of a piece of cutaway stabilizer with temporary adhesive. Smooth the stabilizer onto the wrong side of the front fabric piece.

A template (or printout) of a design is an excellent tool to help with placement. Print a template of the design using an embroidery software. If you do not have embroidery software, Wilcom TrueSizer is a free program to use.

With the aid of the template's alignment marks, mark all four vertical and horizontal axes.

Extend the axis lines using a ruler and air-erase pen to make it easier to hoop accurately. Then hoop the fabric and stabilizer together tightly, lining up the drawn axis lines with the marks on the hoop.

Load the embroidery file onto the machine and secure the hoop in place. Then move the needle directly over the marked center point on the fabric. Follow the color change sheet and embroider the design.

Once the embroidery has finished sewing, unhoop the design, but do not trim away the excess stabilizer. The stabilizer on the back of the fabric will be used to support the sides of the tote. Follow the manufacturer�s directions to remove the air-erase pen markings.

For the back piece, spray one side of the second piece of cutaway stabilizer with temporary spray adhesive. Smooth this onto the wrong side of the back fabric piece.

To make the contrasting top bands, cut out two pieces of contrasting fabric so that they measure 20.5" wide by 3" tall.

Fold one long edge over by a 1/2" with wrong sides together. Press the fold. This folded edge will be the bottom edge the band.

Repeat to press one long edge over by a 1/2" on the second top band. 

Next, take one top band piece and the front fabric piece. Match up and pin the unfolded top edge of the band to the top edge of the front fabric piece. Repeat to pin the second top band to the back piece. Make sure the wrong side of the band is against the right side of the fabric so that the sewn seam is hidden.

With a 1/2" seam allowance, sew along the top edge of the band and front piece. This edge will remain raw until the lining is added. 

Repeat to sew a 1/2" seam along the top edge of the band and the back piece.

Once this is done, topstitch along the bottom, folded edge of the front band with a 1/4" seam allowance.

Repeat the previous step for the back piece and topstitch a 1/4" seam across the bottom, folded edge of the back band.

Next, with right sides together, match up the front piece and the back piece. Make sure the top bands are matched up as well. Pin the pieces together along the bottom edge.

Sew across the pinned, bottom edge with a 1/2" seam allowance.

After the bottom is sewn, pin up both the left and right sides.

Sew along both pinned sides with a 1/2" seam allowance. Make sure to leave the top edge of the bag open and unsewn.

With a ruler, measure 2 1/2" up from the bottom seam (not the edge of the fabric). Draw a line here with an air-erase pen on the stabilizer side of the front piece. Make sure to draw all the way from the right side to the left.

Repeat to draw the same line on the stabilizer of the back piece as well. Again draw 2 1/2" up from the seam and not the edge of the fabric.

Now fold the bag so one of the side seams matches up with the bottom seam starting at the corner where they meet. Make sure the fabric is all flat. Use pins to hold the seams in place once they match up.

When the tote is folded like this, the two lines that were drawn earlier should match up and be 5" across.

Pin the corner securely along the drawn line.

Then sew directly on top of that marked line.

Repeat to fold the tote over and match the other side seam up with the bottom seam. Make sure the drawn lines match up again and sew across the marked lines.

Trim off both corners along the seams, leaving at least 1/4" of fabric.

Now it is time to make the lining. Cut two pieces out of the lining fabric that measure 19 inches wide by 17 inches tall. These pieces will not have any stabilizer backing them.

With the right sides together, pin the bottom edges of the liner.

Sew along the pinned bottom edge with a 1/2" seam allowance.

After the bottom is sewn, pin and sew the side seams with a 1/2" seam allowance. Once again, leave the top edge open and unsewn.

We will be making the corner seams just as we did earlier.

From the bottom seam (not the fabric edge), measure up 2 1/2" and draw a line on the wrong side of both the front and back pieces.

Repeat the same process as earlier to match up the side seams with the bottom seam and sew along the drawn line to create the corners. Then trim the corners back to the seam, leaving a 1/4" seam allowance.

Turn the outer piece right side out so the front of the design is visible.

Slide the outer piece into the lining so the top edges match up and the right sides are together. Then line up the side seams of the outer piece and lining. Pin the seams together, so they stay aligned.

Next, pin the outer piece to the lining around the top edge of the tote.

At the back side of the tote leave a 6" gap between pins. This is left open so the tote can be turned right side out after sewing.

Leaving the 6" gap open and unsewn, sew a 1/2" seam around the top edge of the tote.

Turn the tote right side out through the 6" opening. Push the lining inside the outer piece so that the lining fits perfectly inside the tote.

Along the 6" opening, fold the raw edges in by 1/2". Then pin them together.

Pin the lining to the outer piece all along the top edge, making sure the seam stays right on the top edge. Then topstitch a 1/4" seam around the top edge of the tote to sew the two layers together and close the opening.

To make the straps, cut two pieces of leather so that they measure 1 1/2" wide by 16" long. Round the ends if desired.

With a ruler, measure 3/4" in from either side. Mark two dots - one that is 1" up from the bottom edge, and the other 2" up from the bottom edge. This is where the holes for the rivets will go.

Using an awl or hole punch, make two holes where marked.

Repeat the previous step to measure, mark, and punch the holes on the opposite end of the same strap.

Repeat the previous step again to measure, mark, and punch the holes on both ends of the second strap.

Now it's time to mark where the holes will go on the tote.

Starting on the front, left side, measure in 6" from the seam. Make the first mark 1/2" up from the bottom edge of the top band. Make the second mark 1 1/2" up from the same bottom edge.

Repeat this process to mark the front, right side. Measure in 6" from the right-side seam, and mark 1/2" and 1 1/2" up from the bottom edge of the top band.

With the same measurements as the front, mark the placement for the four holes on the back side of the tote as well.

Use an awl to punch a hole through all four marks on the front of the tote.

Repeat to make the four holes on the back of the tote.

Line up the holes on one end of the first strap with the left holes on the front of the tote. Follow the manufacturer�s instructions to set the rivets through both the strap and the front, left side of the tote.

Bend the first strap over to line up the holes on the other end with the holes on the front, right side of the tote. Make sure the strap is not twisted. The right side of your leather strap should be facing out. Set the rivets through the strap and fabric.

Repeat this process to add the strap onto the back side of the tote. Make sure to match up the holes and ensure that sure the strap isn't twisted.