Start the New Year in style with our Sew Organized Utility Totes featuring generous fabric shoulder straps! Choose from three roomy tote sizes to meet your carry-all needs. Use Sew Organized Utility Totes to store pillows, bedding, and quilts! Keep one in your car for shopping trips. Our Sew Organized Utility Tote is reusable and washable! Plus shop our Semi-Annual Clearance and Stock Up Sale at ShopNZP.com!
Watch Stitch it! Sisters Program 204, Sew Organized Utility Tote!
Watch Stitch it! Sisters Program 204, Sew Organized Utility Tote with hosts Deanna Springer and Dana Casey from Team NZP! In this video, the Stitch it! Sisters share how to make our Sew Organized Utility Tote.
In our Sewing Tutorial below, we’re sharing step-by-step how to make our Sew Organized Utility Tote made with simple fabric rectangles and flat construction sewing techniques. Sew Organized Utility Totes are fast and fun to sew – even for beginner sewers!
Purchase one of our Exclusive Sew Organized Utility Tote Bundle Boxes featuring coordinating Glohaven Peaches fabrics, by Lila Tueller for Riley Blake Designs, Shades Fabrics by Riley Blake Designs, and Team NZP’s Sew Organized Utility Tote Sewing Pattern with full-color step-by-step instructions and illustrations. Now available at ShopNZP.com!
Our Exclusive Sew Organized Utility Tote Bundle Boxes are available in three limited edition colors and include everything you’ll need to make one Sew Organized Utiltiy Tote.
Sew Organized Utility Tote Sewing Tutorial
by The Stitch it! Sisters
Sew Organized Utility Tote Supplies Listing
- Exclusive Sew Organized Utility Tote Bundle Box
- Pattern Making Paper
- Pencil
- Craft Scissors
- June Tailor’s Quilter’s Starch Savvy
- Fabric Shears
- Clover’s Wonder Clips
- Clover’s Heart-Shaped Pins
- Clover’s 2″ Bias Tape Maker
- Clover’s Hot Ruler
- Clover’s 6-in-1 Stick ‘n Stitch Guide
- Clover’s Roll ‘n Press
- Clover’s Chaco Liner
- Schmetz Universal Needle Size 80
- Coordinating Thread
- Iron
- Seam Stick or Sleeve Board
- Rotary cutter, 6″ x 24″ Rotary Cutting Ruler and mat
- 6-1/2″ x 6-1/2″ Square Rotary Cutting Ruler
- Optional: Tailor’s Clapper
- Optional: Clover’s Point 2 Point Turner
- Optional: Clover’s Double Sided Basting Tape
Prepare your fabrics! Pre-shrink fabrics by steaming and pressing. Then, stabilize fabrics for the sewing process by pressing and starching fabrics with June Tailor’s Starch Savvy.
Sew Organized Utility Tote Finished Measurements
X-Large Approx. Finished Size: 29″ W x 18″ H x 10″ D
Large Approx. Finished Size: 24″ W x 15″ H x 10″ D
Medium Approx. Finished Size: 19″ W x 13″ H x 10″ D
Note: Today we’re showing how to make our size X-Large Utility Tote!
Create Sew Organized Utility Tote Pattern
- Cut one rectangle from Pattern Making Paper.
- XL: 20″ wide x 25″ long
- L: 18″ wide x 22″ long
- M: 15″ wide x 20″ long
- Mark the fold line along the long right edge.
- At lower left corner, using a using a 6-1/2″ x 6-1/2″ ruler and pencil, mark a 5″ square for gusset.
- Using a craft scissors, cut out 5″ corner square.
Cut Fabrics
- Fold outer fabric wrong sides together – meeting selvedges.
- Place pattern on fabric and cut two outer tote shapes on the fold: One outer front and one outer back.
Save 5″ fabric squares for a future sewing project.
- Fold inner fabric wrong sides together – meeting selvedges.
- Place pattern on fabric and cut two inner tote shapes on the fold: One inner front and one inner back.
- Cut four crosswise fabric strips for handles.
- Using rotary cutter, ruler and mat, cut four 3-3/4″ crosswise fabric strips. Trim away selvedges at short ends.
Create Utility Tote Handles
- Place short ends of 3-3/4″ crosswise fabric strips, right sides together. Pin.
- Seam strips together to create one long fabric strip, for handles.
- Press seams flat, then press seams open.
- Trim fabric strip for desired Tote size:
XL 3-3/4″ x 160″
L 3-3/4″ x 150″
M 3-3/4″ x 140″
- Create Utility Tote Handles using a 2″ Bias Tape Maker, awl, and iron.
- Use awl to advance fabric through the bias tape maker.
- Press folded fabric strip, with iron, while pulling fabric through the bias tape maker.
- Fold pressed fabric strip wrong sides together, meeting long edges to form 1″ wide handle.
- Press using a tailors clapper, to set folds.
- Open folds and meet short ends right sides together. Pin.
- Stitch short ends to form a continuous loop handle.
- Re-fold long fabric strip edges. Press.
- Edgestitch along both long edges using Clover’s 6-in-1 Stick ‘n Stitch Guide.
- Fold handle in half and place Wonder Clips, or pins, at center markings. Set aside.
Create Utility Tote
- Using a Hot Ruler and iron, press under 1″ along top edges of outer tote front and outer tote back– pressing towards wrong side of fabric.
- Using a Hot Ruler and iron, press under 1″ along top edges of inner tote front and inner tote back – pressing towards wrong side of fabric.
- Place outer tote front and back, right sides together. Pin or Wonder Clip along lower seam.
- Stitch lower center seam.
- Press seam flat, then press open or to one side.
- Repeat steps, stitching inner tote lower seam.
- Press seam flat, then press open or to one side.
Press seams flat, then open. If using a serger overlock machine, press seams flat, then press to one side. Use a Tailor’s Clapper to flatten seams.
Attach Handles to Outer Utility Tote
- Find vertical center of Utility Tote by folding tote and meeting short edges.
- Press a temporary center crease along fold line, using Clover’s Roll ’n Press.
- Open tote and place right side up.
- Using a 6″ x 24″ ruler, erasable fabric marking pen, or Chaco Liner, mark vertical lines 3″ along each side of center creased line.
- Align handle to placement lines, matching handle half- markings to center bottom seam of outer tote.
- Pin handle to outer tote.
Lay handle flat, with no twists, prior to pinning. Top edges of tote will remain pressed under.
Optional: Instead of using straight pins, try using Clover’s Double Sided Basting Tape to tape-baste handle to outer tote!
- Stitch handle to outer tote – stitching along previously stitched lines. At tote top edges, stop stitching with needle down and pivot around corners.
Finish Sew Organized Utility Tote
- Place outer tote right sides together, aligning side seams.
- Pin or Wonder Clip. Stitch.
- Press seams flat, then press seams open or to one side – pressing over a Sleeve Board or Seam Stick.
Before stitching, unfold 1″ pressed top tote edges. After stitching and pressing side seams, refold 1″ top edge to tote wrong side. Press.
- Repeat steps and stitch inner tote side seams.
- Meet one outer tote gusset seam, right sides together, stacking side seam over lower center seam. Pin.
- Stitch gusset seam.
- Repeat steps and stitch opposite gusset seam.
- Meet one inner tote gusset seam, right sides together, stacking side seam over lower center seam. Pin.
- Stitch gusset seam.
- Repeat steps and stitch opposite gusset seam.
- Turn outer tote right side out, using optional Point 2 Point Turner to turn lower corners.
- Insert inner tote into outer tote wrong sides together, aligning side seams.
- Wonder Clip or Pin inner tote to outer tote, along tote top edge. Note: Handles will remain outside tote.
- Edgestitch along top edge – stitching outer tote to inner tote and stitching over handles.
Add a second row of stitching 3/4″ inside edgestitching.
Our Sew Organized Utility Tote featuring generous fabric shoulder straps! Choose from three roomy tote sizes to meet your carry-all needs. Use Sew Organized Utility Totes to store pillows, bedding, and quilts! Keep one in your car for shopping in style with this reusable, and washable, Sew Organized Utility Tote! Folds for easy storage.
- Make one or more of our Sew Organized Utility Totes featuring generous fabric shoulder straps! Choose from three roomy tote sizes – to meet your carry-all needs! Use Sew Organized Utility Totes to store pillows, bedding, and quilts! Keep one in your car for shopping in style with this reusable, and washable, Sew Organized Utility Tote!
- Sew a Sew Organized Utility Tote to coordinate with your quilt!
- Sew Organized Utility Tote folds for easy storage!
Watch Stitch it! Sisters Program 204, Sew Organized Utility Totes with Deanna Springer and Dana Casey!
Related Blog Posts by Team NZP
Sew Organized Fabric Bins are fast and fun to make! Make one or more of our Sew Organized Fabric Bins – to coordinate with your sewing space, or any room in your home! 10″ x 10″ x 10″ Fabric Bins fit standard cube organizers, or set on a shelf!
Sew a Fun Fabric Caddy in four hours – and tidy your sewing space — or use in any room of your home. The sewing is easy with just a few fabric rectangles and squares. Plus, pattern includes instructions for our Fabric Bin made from four 10″ fabric squares! In a couple evenings of sewing, you’ll have a unique fabric caddy & fabric bin set – that also make great gifts!
Make a Big-Bigger Laundry Bag that expands to handle laundry and/or storage needs. It’s a bag or tote that has both function and style! Reverse the Big-Bigger Laundry Bag for a whole new look. The sewing is streamlined with a few rectangles of sturdy canvas fabric and cotton quilting fabric. Our sewing tutorial includes adding secondary handles – that lend versatility to the Big-Bigger Laundry Bag!
Sew Organized Utility Tote Supplies Listing
- Exclusive Sew Organized Utility Tote Bundle Box
- Pattern Making Paper
- Pencil
- Craft Scissors
- June Tailor’s Quilter’s Starch Savvy
- Fabric Shears
- Clover’s Wonder Clips
- Clover’s Heart-Shaped Pins
- Clover’s 2″ Bias Tape Maker
- Clover’s Hot Ruler
- Clover’s 6-in-1 Stick ‘n Stitch Guide
- Clover’s Roll ‘n Press
- Clover’s Chaco Liner
- Schmetz Universal Needle Size 80
- Coordinating Thread
- Iron
- Seam Stick or Sleeve Board
- Rotary cutter, 6″ x 24″ Rotary Cutting Ruler and mat
- 6-1/2″ x 6-1/2″ Square Rotary Cutting Ruler
- Optional: Tailor’s Clapper
- Optional: Clover’s Point 2 Point Turner
- Optional: Clover’s Double Sided Basting Tape
Visit the Nancy Zieman Sewing Studio at 120 Front Street in Beaver Dam, WI 53916
920-356-9546 phone
info@ziemanproductions.com
NancyZiemanSewingStudio.com
Store Hours • Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. • Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
PARKING AVAILABLE BEHIND STORE
Join us for Pam Mahshie’s Serger Techinques Workshop, this Friday or Saturday–January 13 or 14, at The Nancy Zieman Sewing Studio in Beaver Dam WI. Seating is Limited. Learn more and Register Today at ShopNZP.com
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