Michael Hargreaves
Why a Tote Bag Is the Perfect First Hand-Sewing Project
A tote bag is forgiving. It is made from straight lines, it does not need to fit anybody, and by the time you have finished one you will have practised every stitch you need for a dozen other projects. You do not need a machine, and you do not need to spend a fortune on kit. A quiet afternoon, a needle, and some reasonably sturdy cotton will get you there.
The aim here is not factory perfection. It is a bag you will actually use, with seams strong enough to carry a bag of potatoes or a stack of library books. Take your time, keep your stitches small and even, and press as you go. Pressing is the secret weapon of every tidy sewist.
What You Actually Need
Keep the list short. You can add fancy tools later once you know you enjoy it.
- Fabric: two rectangles of medium-weight cotton, each about 40cm x 44cm. Cotton canvas, calico, cotton drill, or a heavy furnishing offcut all work well. An old cotton duvet cover, doubled over, is a lovely thrifty option. Avoid anything stretchy.
- Needles: hand-sewing sharps in a size 7 to 9. A slightly thicker needle will cope with canvas without bending.
- Thread: cotton-wrapped polyester, often sold as "all-purpose". Choose a colour close to your fabric, or a contrast if you like visible stitching.
- Pins or sewing clips, a tape measure, tailor's chalk or a soft pencil, and sharp fabric scissors.
- An iron, plus a scrap of beeswax or a candle stub to run your thread over — it stops tangles and makes the thread glide.
A thimble is worth trying, too. Push it onto your middle finger and use it to drive the needle through thicker layers rather than your fingertip.
Three Stitches That Do All the Work
Learn these and you can sew almost anything by hand.
- Running stitch. The basic in-and-out. Aim for stitches about 3mm long with 3mm gaps. Load two or three stitches onto the needle before pulling through — it goes faster and keeps the line straighter.
- Backstitch. This is your seam stitch, and it is strong. Bring the needle up, take a small stitch backwards, then bring the needle up again a stitch length ahead of where you started. Each new stitch meets the end of the last, forming an unbroken line. Use this for the side seams and the handles.
- Overcasting (also called whip stitch). A simple diagonal wrap over a raw edge, worked from one side, to stop fabric fraying. It is not beautiful, but it is quick and it doubles the life of your seams.
Sewing the Bag Together
Start with the top edge of each panel, because it is far easier to hem a flat rectangle than a bag. Fold the top edge to the wrong side by 1.5cm and press. Fold it down again by 2.5cm and press once more, so the raw edge is tucked inside. Pin, then sew a line of running stitch close to the lower fold, and a second line a few millimetres above it if you want extra security.
Now place the two panels right sides together, matching the side and bottom edges. Pin generously. Tack along the seams first with long running stitches if you are nervous — tacking holds everything steady and pulls out easily afterwards. Then work a backstitch seam 1.5cm in from the raw edge, down one side, along the bottom, and up the other side. Finish each end with two or three tiny stitches on top of one another to lock it.
Trim the corners diagonally, close to the stitching but not through it, so they turn out sharply. Then overcast along both raw seam edges to stop them fraying in the wash.
Adding Handles That Will Hold
Cut two strips, each about 65cm x 9cm. Fold one in half lengthways with right sides together and backstitch a 1cm seam down the long open edge. Turn it right side out — a safety pin pinned to one end is the easiest way to push it through — then press it flat with the seam running along the middle of the underside.
Pin each handle end to the outside of the bag, roughly 8cm in from the side seam, with the raw ends turned under by 1cm. Sew each end on with a square and a diagonal cross through the middle. It looks smart and it spreads the strain across four lines of stitching. Repeat for the second handle on the other side, checking the handles are not twisted before you sew.
Finishing Touches and Ways to Personalise It
Give the whole bag a final press, paying attention to the seams, then turn it right side out and stand back. You have made a bag.
Once you are confident, there are plenty of small upgrades. Add a patch pocket to the inside using running stitch and a slip stitch to close the top edge. Try boxed corners — cut a 4cm square from each bottom corner before sewing, then stitch the cut edges together — for a bag with a flat base that stands up on the worktop. A strip of old denim, a piece of embroidered tablecloth, or a few running-stitch initials in contrasting thread will make it unmistakably yours.
Wash it cool and let it dry naturally. A hand-sewn tote improves with use, and the next one will take you half the time.
