Cooler Grocery Tote Sewing Tutorial and NEW! Wildflower Boutique Bundle Boxes at ShopNZP.com

Cooler Grocery Tote Sewing Tutorial and NEW! Wildflower Boutique Bundle Boxes at ShopNZP.com

Sew a Cooler Grocery Tote! This stylish insulated shoulder tote features front pockets, self-fabric handles and works great for an afternoon picnic, or for picking up a few groceries. The sewing is streamlined with simple pattern shapes made from a rectangles and our easiest-ever Zipper Technique! Our Cooler Grocery Tote sewing tutorial features Insul-Fleece and Insul-Film on the inside! See how using the right sewing tools & supplies makes the sewing process enjoyable, even for beginners!

Watch Stitch it! Sisters Program 107: Cooler Grocery Tote

Watch Stitch it! Sisters Program 107: Cooler Grocery Tote with hosts Deanna Springer and Dana Casey. In this video, the Stitch it! Sisters share step-by-step fabric cutting directions and sewing techniques for making NZP’s Cooler Grocery Tote with our exclusive NZP’s Cooler Grocery Tote and Insulated Lunch Tote Pattern.

Then, head over to ShopNZP.com and purchase our exclusive NEW! Cooler Grocery Tote Bundle Box! The NEW! Cooler Grocery Tote Bundle Box! features Wildflower Boutique Fabrics by Riley Blake Designs, Pellon Sof-Shape, Insul-Fleece, Insul-Film, zipper, and our Exclusive Cooler Grocery Tote & Insulated Lunch Tote Pattern – with Classic Timesaving Tips by Nancy Zieman. The NEW! Cooler Grocery Tote Bundle Box include everything you’ll need to make one Cooler Grocery Tote—you’ll supply the thread.

Sew a Cooler Grocery Tote, or Insulated Lunch Tote, with Team NZP’s Cooler Grocery Tote Pattern. Pattern includes our easiest-ever zipper sewing techniques, and Classic Timesaving Tips by Nancy Zieman.

Cooler Grocery Tote Sewing Tutorial

Approximate finished size: 19″ W x 17″ L x 6″ D

Cooler Grocery Tote Tools & Supplies

• Exclusive NEW! Cooler Grocery Tote Bundle Box – Pattern included
• Quilter’s Starch Savvy
• Clover’s Rotary Cutter and Mat, & Ruler
• Pattern Making Paper
• 6-1/2″ x 6-1/2″ ruler
• Wonder Clips, Wrist Cushion for Wonder Clips
• Denim Needle, Size 90/14
• Seam Stick
• Erasable fabric marking pen or Chaco Liner
• Double Sided Basting Tape
• Clover’s Straight Tailor’s Awl
• 2″ Bias Tape Maker
• I Sew For Fun Heart Shaped Straight Pins
• Clover’s Pin ‘n Stow Magnetic Wrist Pin Cushion and/or I Sew For Fun Heart-Shaped Magnetic Covered Pin Caddy
• Easy-View Pressing Cloth
• Clover’s 7-3/4″ Bordeaux Ultimate Shears
• I Sew For Fun Sew Safe Presser Foot or 1/4″ Quilting Presser Foot
• 6-in-1 Stick ‘n Stitch Guide
• Retractable Tape Measure
• 5-in-1 Sliding Gauge
• Supersize 5-in-1 Sliding Gauge
• Roller presser foot or Teflon Presser Foot

Pre-shrink cotton fabrics fabrics by steaming and pressing, and steaming and pressing a second time, and then spray press and starch fabric with June Tailor’s Quilter’s Starch Savvy — press and starch, press and starch.

Cooler Grocery Tote Sewing Tutorial

Prepare Fabrics from the NEW! Cooler Grocery Tote Bundle Box

To make our New! Cooler Grocery Tote, start by making the cooler grocery tote pattern with our easy instructions – included with our NEW! Cooler Grocery Tote and Insulated Lunch Tote Pattern.

Make the outer tote pattern:

• Cut a 20″ x 43″ rectangle from Pattern Making Paper.

• Fold rectangle in half, meeting short edges.

• On the lower edge fold, using a 6-1/2″ x 6-1/2″ rotary cutting ruler, mark and cut out a rectangle measuring 3″ wide and 2-3/4″ tall.

• Repeat on both lower corners. The cutouts will later form gussets at tote bottom.

• Open pattern flat and cut away 2″ across one short edge—this will be the tote front. Mark “Front” on paper pattern at upper center front.

Cut Fabrics

• Cut fabric, interfacing, and batting:

• Cut one 20″ x 41″ rectangle from outer tote fabric.

• Using a Rotary Cutter, Ruler, and Mat, cut three 3-3/4″ crosswise fabric strips from outer tote fabric for straps.

• Cut one 18″ x 20″ rectangle from contrasting pocket fabric.

• Cut one 20″ x 41″ rectangle and one 18″ x 20″ rectangle from Pellon Sof-Shape Interfacing.

• Cut one 20″ x 41″ rectangle from Pellon Insul-Fleece Batting.

• Cut one 20″ x 41″ rectangle from Pellon Silver Lining Insul-Film.

• Cut one 6″ x 13″ rectangle from Pellon Decovil One-Sided Fusible Stabilizer.

Assemble Cooler Grocery Tote

• Following manufacturer’s instructions, press 20″ x 41″ interfacing rectangle and 18″ x 20″ interfacing rectangle to back of 20″ x 41″ outer tote fabric rectangle and 18″ x 20″ contrasting pocket fabric rectangle.

• Using paper pattern, cut one each from: outer tote fabric, Pellon Sof-Shape Interfacing, Pellon Insul-Fleece Batting, and Pellon Silver Lining Insul-Film.

• Layer outer tote fabric, right side up, onto Pellon Insul-Fleece Batting, and set other layer to the side. Use Wonder Clips t0 clip layers together around all outside edges.

• At the sewing machine insert a Schmetz Size 90 Denim Needle, and attach a roller presser foot or Teflon presser foot. Baste around all outer tote edges with a scant 1/4″ seam allowance. Set aside.

A scant 1/4″ seam is slightly smaller than a 1/4″ seam. Use scant 1/4″ seams for basting the layers together. When the Cooler Grocery Tote is later seamed together, use actual 1/4″ seams—and basting stitches will be hidden within seam allowances.

• Fold pocket, meeting 20″ long edges, right sides together. Pin or Wonder Clip.

• Stitch, joining 20″ long edges and leaving short ends open.

• Press seam open on a Seam Stick, because of its smaller radius, using a Seam Stick avoids seam imprints when pressing seams open or to one side.

• Turn pocket right side out. Parallel to tote top, place and align pocket on tote front, with folded edge of pocket 5″ down from top edge. Pin or Wonder Clip.

• Stitch pocket to tote at sides, and across lower pocket edge using a 2.5mm stitch length.

• Using a 6″ x 24″ rotary cutting ruler, and Chaco Liner, mark vertical center of the tote.

• Mark handle placement lines 3″ on each side of marked center.

• Position Double-Sided Basting Tape, 1/8″ inside marked lines, at 6″ below back tote top – to pocket top edge.

• Finger press Double-Sided Basting Tape in place. Set aside.

Create 1″ Straps

• Pin short ends of the three 3-3/4″ crosswise fabric strips, right sides together.

• Stitch short ends of the three 3-3/4″ crosswise fabric strips, right sides together.

• Press seams open.

Use a 2″ Bias Tape Maker, Straight Tailor’s Awl, and iron to create tote straps.

• Insert seamed fabric strip into the 2″ Bias Tape Maker using Straight Tailor’s Awl to advance strip.

• Press the folded fabric strip as you pull the bias tape maker.

Pin fabric strip end to ironing board to secure fabric.

• Using a Rotary Cutter, Ruler, and Mat, trim strap to approximately 120″.

• Seam short ends to form a continuous loop.

• Press seam open. Repress folded edges.

• Fold strap, wrong sides together (underside of stitching), meeting long edges to form 1″ continuous loop strap. Press.

• Edgestitch along both long strap edges.

• Fold strap in half and place pins at half markings.

• Remove paper backing from Double-Sided Basting Tape.

• Align pins on strap – to tote bottom center and finger-press straps in place on Double-Sided Basting Tape.

Place pins on straps — at 6″ down from top edge of tote back, and at top pocket edge — as a reminder not to stitch past this point!

•  Stitch strap to tote along previously stitched lines, pivoting at pocket top and 6″ below upper back tote (where you placed the pins as a reminder).

• Place and center 6″ x 13″ Pellon Decovil One-Sided Fusible Stabilizer rectangle to wrong side of tote bottom. Using an EZ View Press Cloth, press and fuse 6″ x 13″ Pellon Decovil One-Sided Fusible Stabilizer rectangle into place following manufacturer’s instructions.

• Carefully layer Pellon Silver Lining Insul-Film to back of tote layers. Use Wonder Clips t0 clip layers together around all outside edges.

Be sure to NOT catch tote handles within the basting stitches, Deanna suggests folding the handles to the center of the tote when attaching the Pellon Silver Lining Insul-Film to the back of the tote layers!

• Baste stitch around all outside edges using a scant 1/4″ seam.

The secret to the Easiest-ever Zipper Technique is to start with a zipper length longer than needed! The longer zipper length provides “handles” to hold while stitching. Plus, the zipper is stitched to the tote using flat construction methods.

• Start with a 22″ or longer handbag, tote, or jacket zipper.

• On wrong side of zipper, mark a 20″ section in center of zipper.

• With right sides together, place zipper tape edge to top tote front. Clip with Wonder Clips.

• Straight-stitch zipper in place, using a zipper foot.

• With right sides together, place remaining zipper tape to top tote back. Clip with Wonder Clips. Stitch.

• With right sides together, meet tote sides, aligning bottom edges. Note: In the pattern making step, above, 2″ was trimmed away from the tote front, now zipper will naturally fall into position on the upper tote front.

Open zipper before stitching side seams!

• Stitch side seams, using caution when stitching over zipper teeth.

• Bar tack zipper ends, 1/4″ inside tote edges.

A bar tack is a wide zigzag stitch, with little or no stitch length. Set sewing machine for a wide zigzag stitch, set length at zero (or the minimum number) and zigzag over zipper teeth, joining the two zipper tapes into one closed-end zipper.

• Trim away excess zipper tape with a craft scissors.

• Meet lower tote gusset seams. Stitch.

• Repeat for opposite gusset seam.

• Turn Cooler Grocery Tote right side out, and enjoy!

NEW! Exclusive Cooler Grocery Tote Bundle Box available at ShopNZP.com! The NEW! Cooler Grocery Tote Bundle Box features Wildflower Boutique Fabrics by Riley Blake Designs, Pellon Sof-Shape, Insul-Fleece, Insul-Film, zipper, and our Exclusive Cooler Grocery Tote & Insulated Lunch Tote Pattern – with Classic Timesaving Tips by Nancy Zieman. The NEW! Cooler Grocery Tote Bundle Box include everything you’ll need to make one Cooler Grocery Tote—you’ll supply the thread.

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Thank you, Sharen D. for sending your She’s Our Star Quilt photo for The 2021 NZP Viewer’s Showcase! Sharen just finished her quilt top following Team NZP’s FREE! 2018 She’s Our Star Block of the Month Series! Great Job! Email your project photos today to [email protected]!

Shop NEW! Exclusive Bundle Boxes at ShopNZP.com

For a chance to be the random winner of a 20 pack of I Sew For Fun Heart-Shaped from Clover, please leave a comment below sharing how you’d use your NEW! Cooler Grocery Tote!

Clover will give away one 20 pack of I Sew For Fun Heart-Shaped Pins to one US resident in the 48 contiguous states. Winner must reply within 30 days to the official giveaway announcement email message sent from Nancy Zieman Productions.

The randomly selected winner of Stitch it! Sisters 5″ Fabric Short Stack with S!S button & sticker,from the February 6 and 9 Blog Posts, NEW! Stitch it! Sisters Sew Organized Utility Totes Program 204 and NEW! Stitch it! Sisters Sew Organized Utility Tote Sewing Tutorial, is Phyllis Morris.

Her comment is: It’s the perfect Xtra Large tote for a day at the pool because it will hold all the towels and sun block or a picnic in the park with a large towel tablecloth, paper plates, utensils, tupperware containers and sliced bread.

Happy Sewing!

Team Nancy Zieman

Nancy Zieman Productions. LLC.

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