Tote Making Tips—Baby Lock’s “Sewlebrity Love of Sewing Challenge”

Tote Making Tips—Baby Lock’s “Sewlebrity Love of Sewing Challenge”

It’s week one of Baby Lock’s Sewlebrity Love of Sewing Challenge and it’s time for the third segment of my hobo tote project. During this week, I’m posting videos and blog posts on my adventure of creating a hobo tote using my sewing machine of choice, Baby Lock’s Destiny II. Join The Journey, Create Your Destiny!

During the first segment, I introduced you to the Sewlebrity Love of Sewing Challenge and the project that I chose to create. In the second segment, I explained the amazing embroidery features and how I easily sized, chose custom thread colors, duplicated, and positioned the embroidery elements around the shape of my Hobo Tote.

On January 10th, learn tote-making finishing touches, and have the opportunity to download a free embroidery design. Go to babylock.com/loveofsewingchallenge to get all the details about the entire 12 week challenge.

Summary of Nancy Zieman’s week one of the Sewlebrity Love of Sewing Challenge

• January 2: Introduction to the Baby Lock Sewlebrity Love of Sewing Challenge
• January 4: Amazing details on how to size, duplicate, and position embroidery
• January 7: Tips on constructing the Hobo Tote Bag
• January 10th: Special memento feature, including a free downloadable embroidery

Tote Making Tips

The instructions included with the Trace ‘N Create Hobo Tote Template detail all the sewing steps. Listed below are a few of the highlights that would be applicable when making other totes, too.

• If you’ve been following along, you watched me size, custom color, position, and stitch the embroideries in my previous installment of the Love of Sewing Challenge. After completing the embroidery, now it’s time to gently remove the fabric from the stabilizer, tearing away the excess stabilizer.

• Get ready to assemble the upper and lower sections of the tote. I used a decorator weight fabric for the outer tote. If using a cotton weight, fuse interfacing to the wrong side of the pieces to give the fabric support.
• Stitch each lower half to the respective upper half of the tote front and back. Cut two pieces of craft interfacing such as Peltex the size of the front and back stitched tote units. Designer tip: My suede-type fabric was quite heavy. To avoid excess bulk, I trimmed away the adjoining inner seam allowances and aligned the pieces on the Peltex, eliminating the seam. Soon, these raw edges  will be covered with trim.
• Zigzag the tote unit cut edges to the Peltex craft interfacing. Baste around all of the outer edges.

• Create fabric trim. Fuse 5/8″ Create a Strap to the wrong side of a 1-1/4″ crosswise strip of fabric. Press along the perforated lines to create totally even fabric trim. Designer Tip: Later I’ll use the same product to make super-even, extra strong straps for the tote.

• Position fabric trim over the seam where the tote top meets the tote bottom. Stitch along both sides of the trim.
• Pin the lower edges of the tote sections. Use Wonder Clips for best results since the fabric layers are quite thick. Stitch.
• Press the seam open.
• Set machine for a wide zigzag stitch. Stitch over the seam to hold the seam allowances flat.

• Cut Shape ‘n Create, bag bottom plastic, the size listed in the Trace ‘n Create Hobo instructions.
• Stitch the bag bottom plastic to the tote, stitching along all edges. Designer Tip: Sewing through Shape ‘n Create is a dream, but it is tricky to pin. Hold the plastic in place with double-sided basting tape.

• Position the template back on the fabric, aligning the outer edges as shown. Mark the position for the bag feet through the opening in the template.
• Using an awl and a wooden block (under the fabric), cut openings for the bag feet posts.
• Insert and secure the bag feet as detailed in the instructions.
• Pin or clip the side seams, right sides together; stitch.
• Press the seam allowances open, pressing over a dowel. Designer Tip: The curve of the wooden dowel prevents the seam allowances from leaving an imprint on the right side of the fabric. Plus, the wooden surface absorbs the moisture of the iron, which creates a sharp press.

• Refold the lower bag area, aligning the side seam and the lower seam to create the gusset. Stitch.
• Turn right side out.

• Next, the lining! That will have to wait until the final installment of my Love of Sewing Challenge.

Summary of Nancy Zieman’s week one of the Sewlebrity Love of Sewing Challenge

• January 2: Introduction to the Baby Lock Sewlebrity Love of Sewing Challenge
• January 4: Amazing details on how to size, duplicate, and position embroidery
• January 7: Tips on constructing the Hobo Tote Bag
• January 10: Special memento feature, including a free downloadable embroidery

Follow The Baby Lock  Sewlebrities—12 weeks of the Sewlebrity Love of Sewing Challenge

To find out all the details go to the Sewlebrity Love of Sewing Challenge website over at BabyLock.com/LoveOfSewingChallenge. You’ll find the schedule of events, a listing of the techniques/projects you’ll learn along with a listing of all twelve sewing, quilting, and embroidery sewlebrities, including Pam Damour and her project up next!

Bye for now,

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