Create a stylish and practical tote with whimsical winter snowflake embroidery.

by Stacy SchlyerTotemerry tidings

MaterialSSupplies listed are enough to make one 3˝x14˝x18˝ tote.

+ ¾ yard of 54˝-wide home-décor weight fabric (main exterior)

+ ¼ yard of contrasting home-décor weight fabric (exterior)

+ ½ yard of cotton print fabric (lining)

+ 1½ yards of fusible woven interfacing

+ ¾ yard of fusible fleece

+ Heavyweight cut-away stabilizer

+ 20˝-long plastic zipper

+ Two 1½˝ D-rings

+ One pair of ready-made 16½˝ leather handles

+ Thread: 15-wt., all-purpose & embroidery

+ Water-soluble marker

+ Hand sewing needle

+ Rotary cutting system

+ 4½˝x8½˝ winter embroidery design (See “Design”)

cUt• Fromtheexteriorfabric,cut:five6½”x14½”rectanglesforfourexteriorpanelsandoneexteriorpocket;two3½”x14½”rectanglesforthesidepanels;one3½”x18½”rectangleforthebottompanel;two4½”x17”rectanglesforthezipperpanel;one6”x48”stripforthestrap;three3”x3½”rectanglesforonezippertabandtwoD-ringtabs.

• Fromthecontrastingexteriorfabric,cuttwo6½”x14½”rectanglesfortheexteriorpanels.

• Fromthelining,cut:two14½”x18½”rectanglesforthefrontandback;two3½”x14½”stripsforthesides;one3½”x18½”stripforthebottom;one12”x18”rectanglefortheinteriorpocket.

• Fromtheinterfacing,cut:six6½”x14½”rectanglesfortheexteriorpanels;two3½”x14½”stripsforthesides;one3½”x18½”stripforthebottom.

• Fromthefusiblefleece,cut:six6½”x14½”rectanglesfortheexteriorpanels;two3½”x14½”stripsforthesides;one3½”x18½”stripforthebot-tom;one9”x12”rectanglefortheinteriorpocket.

PrePare• Positiontheinterfacingfusiblesidewiththewrongsideofeachcorre-spondingexteriorpanel,sidepanelsandbottompanel;fuseaccordingtothemanufacturer’sinstructions.

• Positionthefusiblefleecepiecesovertheinterfacingoneachcorre-spondingexteriorpanel,sidepanelsandbottompanel;fuseaccordingtothemanufacturer’sinstructions.

• Positiontheinterior-pocketfusible

fleecerectangletohalfoftheinte-riorpocketwrongside;fuse.

eMbroider• Hooponecontrastingexteriorpanelrightsideupoverapieceofheavy-weightcut-awaystabilizer.

• Placethehoopontothemachine.Embroiderthedesign,centeringthedesignwithinthepanelandchang-ingthreadcolorsasdesired.

• Removethehoopfromthemachineandthefabricfromthehoop.Re-movethestabilizerfromthedesignwrongsidefollowingthemanufac-turer’sinstructions.

conStrUctUse ¼” seam allowances unless otherwise noted.

• Foldtheexteriorpocketrectangleinhalfwidthwisewithwrongsidestogether;press.Topstitch¾”fromthefoldededge.Positionthepocketovertheremainingcontrastingex-teriorpanel,aligningthelowerandsideedges;baste.Designateasthebackpanel.

• Withrightsidestogether,align

oneexterior-panellongedgewithoneback-panellongedge;stitch.Presstheseamallowancetowardtheexteriorpanel.Repeattostitchasecondexterior-panellongedgetotheoppositeback-panellongedge.Ifdesired,topstitch¹/₈”fromtheseamlinealongtheexteriorpan-els.Designateasthetoteback.

• Repeattostitchtheembroideredcontrastpaneltothetworemainingexteriorpanels.Designateasthetotefront.

• Positionthetotefrontonaflatworksurface.Positiononeleatherhandletabupperedge1”fromthetote-frontupperedgeandcenteredalongtheleftseamline(A).Threadahandsew-ingneedlewithadoublestrandof15-wt.thread.Handstitchtheleatherhandletabthroughthetabholesusingabackstitch.Tobackstitch,bringtheneedlethroughthesecondhole,inserttheneedlethroughthefirstholeandbringtheneedleupthroughthethirdhole.Continuestitchingtheentiretabperimeter.Repeattostitchtheoppositeleatherhandletabtothetotefrontattherightseamline.

• Repeattostitchtheremainingleatherhandletothetoteback.

• Withrightsidestogether,stitchonesidepaneltothebottompanelalongtheshortedge.Repeattostitchtheremainingsidepaneltotheoppositebottom-panelshortedge.Designateasthegusset.

• Positionthetote-frontsideandloweredgeandgussetlongedgewithrightsidestogether,aligningthegussetseamlineswiththetotefrontcorners;pin.Beginstitchingatthetoteupperedgeandendingatthefirstcorner.Withtheneedleinthedownposition,liftthepresserfootandpivotthetote.Continuestitchingthetote-frontloweredge,stoppingtopivotattheremainingcorner,andendingattheoppositetote-frontupperedge(B).

• Repeattostitchtheremaininggus-setlongedgetothetoteback.

• FoldoneD-ringtabinhalflength-wisewithrightsidestogether;stitchthelongedge.Turnthetabrightsideout;press.Topstitcheachtablongedge.RepeattostitchtheremainingD-ringtab.

• ThreadthetabthroughoneD-ringandfoldinhalfwidthwise,aligningtheshortends;pin.Centerthetabalongtheonegussetside,aligningthetabrawedgeswiththegussetupperedge;baste.RepeattobastetheremainingD-ringtabtotheoppositegussetside.

• Foldonezipper-tabshortedge¼”towardthewrongside;press.Foldthezippertabinhalflengthwisewithrightsidestogether;stitchthelongedgeandrawshortedge.Turnthetabrightsideout;press.

• Foldthezippertabinhalfwidthwise;press,andthenopenthezippertab.Centerthezipperloweredgealongthezipper-tabfoldline.Foldthetabinhalfalongthefoldline,sandwichingthezipperwithinthe

A

B

tab;topstitchthetabperimeter.

• Foldbothzipper-panelshortedges½”towardthewrongside;press.Foldthepanelinhalflengthwisewithwrongsidestogether;press,andthenopenthepanel.Aligneachlongedgewiththefoldline;press.Foldthezipperpanelinhalflengthwisealongthefoldline.

• Foldthezipper-tapeupperedgesevenwiththezipperpull;pin.Alignthezipperupperedgewithonezipper-panelshortedgeandsand-wichtheleftzippertapebetweenthezipper-panelopenlongedges,makingsurethepanelis¹/₈”fromthezipperteeth;pin.Edgestitchthesidesandlongopenedge(C). Repeattostitchtheremainingzip-perpaneltotherightzippertape.

• Foldtheliningpocketinhalfwidth-wisewithrightsidestogether;press.Stitchtheperimeter,leavinga3½”-longcenteredopeningforturning.Turnthepocketrightsideout;press.Topstitch¾”fromthefoldededge.

• Centerthefoldedpocketedge4”fromtheback-liningpanelupperedge;stitchthelowerandsideedges.

• Centertheleftzipperpanelrightsideupalongtheback-liningrightside1¼”fromtheupperedge.Topstitchtheupperzipperpaneledge(D). Repeattostitchtheoppositezipperpaneltothefrontlining.

• Stitchtheliningsideandbottompanelsaccordingtothepreviousexteriorin-structions.Stitchthelininggussettothefrontandbackliningaccordingtothepreviousexteriorinstructions.

• Insertthetoteintothelining,align-ingthefrontandbackpanels,seamsandrawupperedges;pin.Stitchtheupperedge,makingsurenotto

catchthehandleswithinthestitch-ingandleavinga6”-longopeningforturning.Turnthetoterightsideoutthroughtheopening;press.Topstitchthetoteupperedge.

• Foldthestrapinhalflengthwisewithwrongsidestogether;press.Openthestrapandfoldeachlongrawedgetowardthecenterfoldlinewithwrongsidestogether;press.Topstitcheachstraplongedge.

• InsertonestrapshortendthroughoneD-ring.Foldthestrapshortend½”towardthewrongside;press.Posi-tionthefoldedshortend1”abovetheD-ring;stitch.Stitchagain¼”fromthefirststitchingline(E).

• Adjustthestraptothedesiredlength.RepeattostitchtheoppositestrapshortendtotheremainingD-ring.

DESIGNWinterwoman:EmbroideryLibrary,ArtNouveauSpiritsoftheSeason,Winter;emblibrary.com.

SOURCESEmmalinecarries1½”D-rings:emmalinebags.com.

Tracy1984carriesready-madeleatherhandles:tracy1984.etsy.com.

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