1 Hour Christmas Tote

See Diagrams for Fabric requirements
Sewing Machine
Christmas bell or embellishments

This Christmas sewing project shows you how to sew a Christmas Shopping tote. Perfect for those Christmas shopping sprees or for a festive gift idea.

Using your diagrams below cut out your pieces. The panel pattern below should be printed to fit an A4 sized paper to create this 16x12" Christmas tote.

I used different Christmas prints, but you could alternate with plain fabrics.

Allow 1/4 " on all pieces for seams.

Stitch the two ends of the band together to form a circle, (set to one side).

With the wrong side facing Stitch your straps length wise, then turn them right side out press with seam on the back.( set to one side

The main bag piece-

Stitch all the 8 panels together then stitch the first and last panel together to form a circle.the wide end is the top. Lay the piece as flat as possible, decide which will be the front and back, and round off the bottom. Next sew the bottom closed.

You have two pieces of lining , if you wish to put an inside pocket in your lining, this should be done now.cut a piece 6" x 6" sew a hem at one end, then pin into place folding the edge under as you go, now stitch on to your lining. Now stitch both pieces together remember the pocket will be facing inwards.

Run a gather stitch around the top of your lining piece and draw up until it fits around the band, pin into place with the band seam at the back and sew with right side facing inwards.

Now do the same to the out side section of your bag , and fit it to the opposite end of the band right side facing inwards, again with the band seam at the back.

Now carefully pull the outside of your bag through the opening in the bottom of the lining, you should now have the right -side of all your pieces facing you stitch up the opening of your lining. Now push the lining inside the main bag, your band should sit nicely folded in half, press the band at this stage ready for your straps.

Stitch the straps on the outside around 3" in at both sides, fold the raw ends under then sew in place, one strap is on one side, the other is on the other side.

Just to add a little jingle I sewed in two bells on a piece of ribbon into the band seam.

Have finished , you can snip a couple of stitches on the band, tuck the ribbon under and sew closed.

That's it done .

By Shellie Wilson. Shellie is the chief creative editor for Craftbits.