This soft felt bag is simple enough to make in multiples for shopping trips and stylish enough to use as a tote.
Felt Tote How-To
1. Print the full-size template. Cut out template, and trace onto heavyweight felt (we used 2-millimeter-thick material from filzfelt.com; 1/2 yard of fabric is enough for 1 bag) with a fabric pen, and cut out; repeat to make a second cutout. Stack pieces.
2. Using a sewing machine, stitch around the sides and bottom of bag, leaving 1/4-inch seam allowance. Then stitch top of each handle.
Felt at $85.00 a yard just make this project 'project non grata' for the average homemaker; for $85 I would invest in a real purse or apply it toward a designer bag. This bag would be wonderful made/designed from INEXPENSIVE upholstery remnants or even off the bolt. Another design idea would be to design this tote pattern from medium weight fabric making it reversible. If one plans to use this for carrying food or lunches, FABRIC SHOULD BE WASHABLE TO PREVENT E-COLI & OTHER BACTERIA INFECTION
I would love to make this of denim, but can't open the template.
How do you make the flat bottom??
I've made several shopping totes from various materials and they are much more functional when the straps are on the front and back, not on the sides. They also roll up and/or fold more neatly this way.
I wonder how olcloth would work for this project; of course it would have to be the heavy weight kind. Love the pattern.
the project calls for an industrial felt which will not sway or swag, therefore the price. it will wear well with use, no problems. you make the bag out of a cheaper element & it will show it.
What a bunch of hateful, rude people.
use your own brain....make it out of something else
First of all, in response to Erah, it's WarehouseFabrics.com, not WearhouseFabrics.com. Once I was able to find the correct website I searched for felt and the response was "no matches for your search." So don't waste your time going there.
Couldn"t get template to print correctly.
Yikes. For $75, that's one high-end grocery tote.
That is just crazy for felt prices..go to JoAnns , their felt is 3.99 yd and up. I would never pay that much per yard.. fashion fabrics kind of tacky..go to wearhouse fabrics.com
Go to www.fashionfabricsclub.com. They have felt for $6.95 per yard.
i went to the above mentioned website. they say $19-75 yard, but when you scroll through colors, all available are $75 yard and the fine print reads 5 yard minimum.
hmmm. somethings is awry with this vendor plug. very disappointing.
Try cutting out the edges with pinking shears for cute exposed seam allowances.
The yardage is off. I purchased 1/2 yard and is only enought for 1/2 of the tote! Perhaps the width of the material should also be included. Very dissappointing as I was so excited, went to the store specifically for the felt, printed off the pattern to the correct scale and not a go! Check things out!!
Why not to add a couple of layers of the cheap felt, or even three.....?
Why not to add a couple of layers of the cheap felt, or even three.....?
Why couldn't you use a woven fabric (like a mediun weight canvas) and bind the raw edges with bias tape? Or use a serger. That way they can be machine washable too! My grocery totes get dirty and I like to throw them in the washer. I like the pattern. I'm gonna make a few!
Why couldn't you use a woven fabric (like a mediun weight canvas) and bind the raw edges with bias tape? Or use a serger. That way they can be machine washable too! My grocery totes get dirty and I like to throw them in the washer. I like the pattern. I'm gonna make a few!
Great idea Monkeymama! Think I'll try it, thanks for the idea.
I don't think felt is at all practical for a tote bag, assuming you'll actually be toting something. I'm going to make it in heavyweight denim. You could also cut it double and use a fun contracting fabric as lining.
I do think the quality of the felt matters. I made the bag with the felt suggested and it doesn't stretch at all.
How about using a wool sweater that you felt? You can buy them at thrift stores pretty inexpensively and then just a few washings and voila. I'm going to try it.
The felt I bought for this project at Joanns Fabric DID stretch. Martha recommends the felt from Filzfelt in 2 mm (originally I thought she recommended 3 mm). The 2 mm is about $75 a yard... pretty expensive to make a couple grocery bags!
I have some wool felt that seems to not be stretchy. You could line it with duct tape to stop the stretch.. (Same as they do with totes made out of tank tops.)
I can't get the template to open. I've upgraded my Adobe reader and still nothing! Can you see if it's on your end ??
thanks,
debi
doesn't felt stretch? wouldn't be too useful of a tote in that case. just a thought.