How to DIY a Tote Bag to Carry Your Everyday Essentials

This extra large tote bag DIY is all you need to carry your essentials when traveling. It has a wrap around handle for extra strength and a zippered top for security.

You can use any firm cotton or canvas fabric and even beginners will learn how to make a tote bag from scratch with these straightforward instructions.

Tools and materials: 

• Cotton or canvas fabric
• 16 inch (40 cm) zipper
• Fabric marker
• Ruler
• Fabric clips
• Pins
• Scissors
• Iron
• Sewing machine

1. Make the handle

Cut a strip of fabric 120 inches (3.05 m) long by 6 inches (15 cm) wide.

With the right sides together, join the short ends.

Open the seam allowance and sew it down.

Fold the strip in half lengthways with the wrong side inside and finger press the fold.

Open the strip flat and fold both long edges to the crease.

Fold the strip in half again and clip the edges together.

Top stitch both the long edges all the way around.

2. Attach the handle

Cut the main fabric piece for your bag, 22 inches (56 cm) wide by 39 inches (99 cm) long.

Fold it in half widthways with the wrong side inside.

Mark the center point of the top edge.

Draw a line across the width of the fabric 3 inches (7.6 cm) from the top edge.

Measure 6 inches (15 cm) in from each side edge and mark their position on the top edge.

Draw vertical lines from the marks to the bottom fold of the fabric.

Repeat these marks on the other side of the back.

Fold the handle into four and put a pin at the center top and center bottom.

Place the bag on top of the handle, with one pin lined up above the center mark of the bag.

Make sure the handle is lying flat under the bag and not twisted.

Wrap the handle around the bag and adjust the position until the two pins are together.

Line the inner edge of the handle up against the vertical lines and pin in place just below the horizontal line.

Being careful to keep the handle flat against the bag, secure it in place in the same way on the other side of the bag.

Sew the handle to the bag at the four places where it crosses the horizontal lines and down both sides of each section to the lower fold.

3. Insert the zipper

Cut four pieces of fabric each 3 inches (7.6 cm) long by 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide.

With the right sides of the pieces facing each other, sandwich each end of the zipper tape between two strips of fabric.

Sew together across the outer short edges.

Fold the strips outwards and top stitch close to the seam.

With the right sides together, pin and sew the top edge of the zipper tape and extension pieces to one top edge of the bag.

Fold the tape upwards and top stitch along the top edge of the bag.

Fold the bag in half widthways with the right side inside and the handles tucked out of the way.

Attach the other edge of the tape to the inside top edge of the bag.

Turn the bag right side out and top stitch the seam you just sewed.

4. Join the side seams

With the bag still right side out, join the side seams taking a 1/4” (0.5 cm) seam allowance.

Turn the bag wrong side out and sew the sides again 1/2” (1 cm) from the seam, to make French seams.

5. Create the base

Draw a rectangle 3.5 inches (8.9 cm) wide by 3 inches (7.6 cm) high at the lower corners of the bag on both sides.

Draw in the diagonals from the corners of the bag.

Fold each corner into a point across the diagonal and sew along the line.

6. Finishing

Turn the bag right side out and close the zipper.

Pin a fold around the top edge of the bag, 2 inches (5 cm) from the zipper.

Top stitch around the edge and across the handles, close to the fold.