Create a cute tweed tote bag from a former skirt.

This bag is a gorgeous size. It has an internal slip pocket and is fastened with a magnetic snap. The front of the bag is decorated with a flower brooch, which you can leave as adornment on the bag or wear on your jacket:)

This bag is perfect for your wallet, mobile, hairbrush, notepad, tablet! Its amazing what a skirt and sheet can be transformed into.

To make you will need:

· Wool/tweed fabric (I used a former skirt)

· lining fabric (I used a former sheet)

· fusible fleece

· interfacing

· magnetic fastener

· glue gun for the flower

· brooch pin

If you are using a former pleated skirt start by unpicking the seams of the skirt and removing any pleats and the waist band. Wash the fabric at the highest temperature you can in your washing machine which will felt 100% wool fabric.

To make the bag:

Cut from the wool/tweed

· 12.5″ by 21″ main body of bag

· 2 times 12″ by 4″ handles

Cut from the lining fabric

· 12.5″ by 21″

· Slip pocket piece 6″ square

Fusible fleece  11.5″ by 20″

Interfacing       11.5″ by 20″

Main body of the bag

Iron on fusible fleece to tweed bag piece.

Fold bag piece in half, short side to short side. Stitch down the side of the bags to the folded bottom of the bag

 

Create bag base. Keeping the right sides together fold the side seam to the bottom of bag (where a seam would be if you had sewn it).  Pin into place, mark a seam 2″ either side of side seam (see image).

Stitch. Complete on second side of bag and trim seams. Turn the bag right side out.

Next create handles, fold into the middle press, then unfold and fold edges into middle.

 

Stitch. Place handles on top of the bag and stitch into place. Place 3″ in from each side seam.

 

Lining

Iron on interfacing to lining bag piece

Create slip pocket, hem one side. Fold over twice the three other sides and iron. Position on lining fabric 2.5″ down from the top of the lining fabric, centrally. Stitch into place.

Stitch side pieces together.

Insert magnetic snap, place 2.5″ down from the top edge, centrally.

Create bag base (as in previous steps)

Assemble the bag

Place the main bag inside the lining so that the right side of the lining is facing the right side of the bag.

Stitch round the top, ensuring you leave a 4″ opening. Turn the bag the right side out through the opening.

Pin the lining neatly in and then top stitch, this closes the open turning.

Create the flower brooch

Cut a piece of tweed 12″ by 2″

Fold in half, glue along the edge to hold in place

Snip into the fabric from the folded edge allowing approx 3/8 apart from each snip

Roll the fabric up tightly securing with glue gun glue as you go.

Cut a circle of fabric the size of your base. Hand stitch the brooch onto this. Using the glue gun attach brooch base.

That’s it – one gorgeous unique bag complete,

Vicky