Upcycled Tote Bag Tutorial

So you know all those canvas tote bags you have hanging out in the back of your closet? The ones you can’t bare to get rid of because they’re sturdy but you never use because they’re oh so boring. What if I showed you how to upcycle them into pretty tote bags you’ll want to carry everywhere?

You’ll need:

• canvas tote bag
• fabric & coordinating thread
• sewing machine & basic supplies

Begin by measuring the space on the bag you’re trying to cover up. The design on mine is about 9″ wide and 8 1/2″ tall. To figure out how much fabric you’ll need to cover the space you’ll do some simple math…

width + 1″ = fabric width

(height x 2) + 1″ = fabric height

This means I cut a piece of fabric that is 10″ wide and 18″ tall for my bag. Once you have the fabric cut, fold it so the right sides are facing each other. Sew the three open sides together with a 1/4″ seam allowance. You’ll want to leave a few inches unsewn on the top so you can turn it right side out.

Use the opening to pull the fabric right side out. Iron it until it is nice and flat with the corners looking good. Top stitch along the side where the opening is. One line should do it, but I added a few extras for a decorative touch.

Pin the fabric to the front of your canvas bag.

Sew the bottom and two sides to the canvas bag, but leave the top edge open.

Sneaky right? Plus you get a pocket out of it!

I used my Silhouette CAMEO and a little silver and mint heat transfer material to add the bon voyage phrase and anchor to it.

This tote bag is looking so much better. It’s amazing what a few extra minutes and some scrap fabric will do to a bag!