Hello!! It’s me Melissa Mortenson of the Polka Dot Chair back again with another simple sewing project for you! I always LOVE all of the Halloween fabrics that you see in stores every year and I tend to buy more than my fair share.
I’ve got quite a collection of Halloween fabric now! As much as I love to collect Halloween fabric, I also love to sew with it. I realized that I’ve never sewn a Trick or Treat bag for my kids and decided it was time to change that. I also decided that if I was going to make a trick or treat tote bag, that I’d make it nice enough to last for a few years and big enough to tote LOTS of candy!!
This tote bag has a canvas bottom to make it nice and sturdy and a leather handle to dress it up a bit! Yep, a leather handle. Trust me it’s not complicated to add the touch of leather, Let me tell you a secret — it’s actually a leather belt blank that you can get at many craft stores for a about $5!
Here’s what you’ll need to make the bag:
2 pieces of fabric cut to 12″ tall x 17″ wide for the tote front and back
2 pieces of fabric cut to 16″ tall x 17 wide for the tote lining
2 pieces of canvas 17″ wide by 5″ tall
Heavyweight sew in interfacing (I used Thermoweb Sew In Non Woven, Firm)
Lightweight Fusible Interfacing
Leather Belt Blank
Heavy Duty Hole Punch
Grommets for Leather
2 purse rings
2″ wide ribbon
Fray Check
All seam allowances are 1/2″ unless otherwise stated
Begin by cutting a 3″x3″ square from the bottom two corners of the 17″ side of the 17″ x 5″ canvas pieces and the 16″ x 17″ lining pieces.
Next sew the 12″ x 17″ tote bag front piece to one of the 5″ x 17″ canvas piece. Press the seam open. Repeat for the tote bag back piece.
Cut a piece of heavyweight interfacing the same size as the tote bag front and back pieces.
Pin the interfacing to the wrong side of the tote bag front and back pieces. Top stitch along both sides of the seam between the tote bag fabric and the canvas. Do this for the front and the back pieces. This will help to keep the interfacing in place as you sew and give you a nice finished look.
Sew the tote bag front and back pieces together along the bottom seam. (Just the straight seam, don’t sew in the spot that you cut the 3″ square from) Press seam open.
Sew the two sides seams of the tote. Press seams open.
Pinch the bottom corners of the tote so that the raw edges of the portion of the bag with the 3″ square cut out meet.
Stitch with a 1/4″ seam allowance, making sure to backstitch.
Turn right side out.
Cut two pieces of lightweight interfacing the same size as the two lining pieces. Fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of the lining pieces.
Sew the lining pieces together the same way that you sewed the tote bag outside pieces together.
Cut a piece of ribbon to 3″. Feed the ring through and pin to the tote bag outside piece on top of the side seam. Repeat for other side. Use a bit of fray check on the ends of the ribbon to keep the ribbon from fraying and tearing out of the seam.
Slip the tote bag outside into the tote bag lining. RIGHT sides facing. Pin.
Sew around the entire perimeter of the tote bag, leaving a 5″ opening on one side to turn the bag right side out. Turn bag right side out. Press. Top stitch catching the opening in the tote bag as you go.
Cut your leather belt blank to the length you like, mine was 28″ long. Using a heavy duty hole punch, punch two holes in the ends of the leather (hint, to cut the leather use a rotary cutter).
Feed through the O ring and attach with a leather grommet. If you’d like more information about using leather handles on sewn bags, you can visit this tutorial on my blog.
That’s it!! I hope that your little trick or treater enjoys their bag!!
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Thanks Melissa! How fun are those bags? I love the fabric she used, and such a great project you can use over and over again! Melissa has such awesome ideas on her blog. Here are a few of her projects I think you’ll love:
Melissa wrote an awesome book full of DIY sewing projects for teens: Project Teen-Handmade Gifts Your Teen Will Love. Hop over to her blog and check it out!
I love these fun DIY Halloween Party Paper Crowns she made too. How cute would those be for a Halloween party?
And since fall is almost here, it’s hard to resist pulling out the scarves. This Patchwork Scarf Tutorial she has on her blog will help you make your own!! Isn’t it so fun??
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GAH!! I’m in LOVE with this blog!! There’s a reason why Melissa is my Blog Crush – everything she does is AWESOME!! Great job, girl!! XO
I love this, I think I actually drooled when I really looked at the fabric! So cute!
Super Cute bag! Love the fabric. Pinned!
Love it Melissa! Great job as always, and I adore the fabric choices. 🙂
Cute bag. Thank you for sharing the tutorial.
OOooh- looks like I need to go shopping for some Halloween fabric!