Handmade Beach Bags and Cover-Ups

Get geared up for summer by making one of these beach bag and cover-up projects.

Turn a bathroom towel into an all-in-one beach mat and tote bag.

Cover up with a breezy wrap made from one of your favorite fabrics.

Boost the functionality of any tote by adding a grommet and a carabiner for keys.

With very little alteration, you can turn one of your beach towels into a tote.

Have you noticed how hard it is to find a great beach cover-up, one that's not fussy or frilly? We sure have. That's why we came up with our own. Breezy and a tad bohemian, it's as easy to make from two cotton scarves as it is to throw on before you head to the beach.

Summer means lots of water, lots of swimming -- and a backpack for carrying things like towels and sunscreen to the beach or pool. Your child could use her school backpack, but why not make a fresh, pretty one -- you can even coordinate it with her bathing suit. Ours is washable and lined with water-resistant nylon, and it takes only an hour to complete.

A day at the beach needn't end with a bag full of sand; make a mesh bag to tote your beach supplies -- the sand will fall through before you reach the car or your home.

Nothing feels better than terry cloth after a swim, and a towel poncho is everything that a towel is not: It will not require one hand to hold it when its wearer is eating ice cream, and it will not unceremoniously unwrap.

Turn your towel into a sarong with Velcro closures. Wrap a towel around your waist. Pin one side of Velcro inside towel flap; position corresponding strip on towel's facing side on the diagonal. Stitch Velcro in place.

Make this tote to carry towels, sunscreen, and other beach or pool essentials. Use fabric leftover from the Souvenir Sling Chair project, and the bag will coordinate neatly with your waterside seating.

With ribbon, Velcro, and a few basic supplies, you can transform an ordinary towel into a stylish beach accessory.