Shortcut Quilted Tote Bag FREE sewing tutorial
This is the Shortcut Quilted Tote that you can make in one afternoon! And as a great bonus, the tutorial is free. This large, sturdy and padded quilted bag is a quick sew that gives a great result.
The designer, The Inspired Wren, has introduced lots of shortcuts to the Shortcut Quilted Tote tutorial to speed up the sewing process. These shortcuts also add structure and style, and will help to impress anyone who asks, “where’d you get that bag?”
The first two shortcuts in this project take place at the fabric store. First, this seemingly lined tote is created with Double-Faced Quilt Fabric. It’ll look like you’ve taken the time to choose two coordinating fabrics and to quilt them together yourself – no one needs to know you found the fabric that way.
The second shortcut is for you to sew a nicer handle, which will help elevates the final tote; it looks less “sewing class project” and more “boutique find.” You should take the time to find a good trim for the handle. The designer in her example used a one and a half-inch wide Yarn Belting Trim. Browse the trim aisle for any braid or webbing that feels good in your hand and that coordinates with your fabric’s color-way and pattern. Don’t forget to check out the leather, too.
The final shortcuts are found in the construction of the tote. The tote is sewn from just ONE cut of fabric and sewn to look like you’ve pieced together eight panels. The top fold and corner top-stitching details are not just visually interesting, they are shortcuts that also add boxy structure to the bag without the addition of interfacing or boning.
So if you are ready to sew a Shortcut Quilted Tote Bag for yourself, then you have two choices. You can use the designer’s FREE pictorial, a simple follow along with pictures. Or if you prefer full written directions, then you can download the designer’s four-page detailed tutorial for $1.99.
The designer has made it that quick and simple that it can be completed in one afternoon. As the designer says you can “Sew this expensive-looking tote in the time it would take you to find one in a boutique”.
If you would like to follow along with the tutorial and sew yourself a nice quilted bag, you can click on the purple button below.
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