How to Make a Tote Bag With Flat Bottom

Make a Tote Bag With Flat Bottom

Most people know how to make a basic tote bag – it’s one of the first sewing projects beginners learn. But what if you want to make a tote bag with a flat bottom? It’s not as difficult as you might think, and in this tutorial, I’ll show you how.

The Materials You’ll Need for This Project

  • 1/2 yard of fabric (quilting cotton works well)
  • Coordinating thread
  • Scissors
  • Pins
  • Ruler or measuring tape
  • Iron and ironing board
  • Sewing machine

Optional:

  • rotary cutter and cutting mat (make things go faster!)

Make the Pattern for the Bag’s Bottom

First, cut two rectangles out of your fabric. They should be 18″ wide by 14″ tall. Then, on one of the rectangles, draw a line down the center that is 7″ long. At the end of this line, draw a perpendicular line that is 2.5″ long. Repeat on the other rectangle.

Now you should have two pieces.

Cut along the lines you just drew, and then open up the fabric so that the cut lines become the sides of the rectangle. You should now have two pieces that look like this:

Now, take one of the pieces and fold it in half so that the long sides match up. Pin along the long side, and then sew with a 1/2″ seam allowance. Do the same with the other piece of fabric.

Now you should have two tube-like shapes. Cut one of these in half so that you have two pieces that are each 18″ wide by 7″ tall. These will be the side panels of your tote bag.

Assembling the Bottom of the Bag

Now it’s time to assemble the bottom of the bag. Take one of the 18″ x 7″ pieces and fold it in half so that the long sides match up. Pin along the long side, and then sew with a 1/2″ seam allowance. Do the same with the other piece of fabric.

Now you should have two tubes that are each 18″ wide by 3.5″ tall. These will be the side panels of your tote bag bottom.

Next, take one of the tubes and line it up with one of the rectangles you cut out earlier. The tube should be centred on the rectangle, with the raw edges of both pieces lining up. Pin in place, and then sew around the perimeter with a 1/2″ seam allowance, making sure to backstitch at the beginning and end.

Repeat with the other tube and rectangle.

Sewing the Bottom of the Bag

Now it’s time to sew the two pieces together. Line up the raw edges of the two pieces and pin them in place. Sew around the perimeter with a 1/2″ seam allowance, making sure to backstitch at the beginning and end.

Sewing the Sides of the Bag Together

Now it’s time to sew the two pieces together. Line up the raw edges of the two pieces and pin in place. Sew around the perimeter with a 1/2″ seam allowance, making sure to backstitch at the beginning and end.

Adding Handles to the Bag

The last step is to add handles to the bag. Cut two pieces of fabric that are 2″ wide by 22″ long. Fold each piece in half lengthwise and press.

Unfold the fabric and then fold each long side in to meet the center crease. Press again.

Fold the strip in half so that the raw edges are hidden and press once more. Edgestitch along both long sides. Repeat with the other strip of fabric.

Attach the handles to the bag by pinning them in place and then sewing around the perimeter with a 1/2″ seam allowance. Be sure to backstitch at the beginning and end.

Your tote bag is now complete!

The tutorial video below will help you to understand each of the steps in detail:

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