A couple of weeks ago– has it really been that long already?!  I was hanging out at the beach.  And do you know what I could have used?

You guessed it– a Beach tote bag.  Well, something anyways that wouldn’t get all filled up with sand, could handle a little sprinkling of water, and was light and easy to carry.

Not having one around I decided to whip one up for the next time I am heading to water {coming soon!! weeee}  The style of this beach tote bag pattern is over the shoulder with screen fabric on both sides of the bag in the middle.  The bottom of the bag is where I used my UFO Quilt block.  {fabric is designed by Carol for Andover}

My mom was using the fabric to make a super large hole in the barn quilt block and at some point it got out of control and was all rippely.  Bad news.  She of course handed it down to me to do something with- So, I used it for the bottom of the tote or beach bag pattern.  I used every bit of the monster block- for the bottom, the hem at the top and the shoulder straps. I love it when it works out like that!

If you don’t have a large block like that to cut up, you can piece one to the sizes mentioned in the materials list.

Let’s get started shall we?!

Materials needed for the Beach Tote Bag:

2– 14″ X 26″ — one for the outside and one for the lining for the bottom

2– 14″ X 26″ — screening material

2– 2″ X 26″ — for the hem at top of bag

2– 5″ X  26″ — shoulder straps

2– 26″ ric rac strips

Beach Tote Bag  Pattern~

1)  Place the screen material in between the outside and lining fabric.  Pin and sew

2)  Fold the fabrics back so the wrong sides are facing each other and carefully iron.  Because the screen material might melt, I would stay away from it.

3)  Repeat with other side.  This is a bit tricky as the previous screen will be sandwiched inside.  You will be sewing a tube.

4)  Turn right sides out and this is what you will have:

5)  Sew a seam 1/4″  from screen- pulling on the screen and the bottom of the bag away from each other. This will keep the fabric from folding up on itself.

{sorry about that pic- my dried out wrinkly hands apparently got the focus, not the needle area! }

5)  Hem the top edges of the tote bag– I sewed the ric rac to the right sides of the fabric and then turned it under and ironed

6)  Repeat for other side or fold under 1/4″ and iron or zig zag stitch the edge.  This side will be on the inside so it doesn’t have to be sooo fancy if you don’t want it to be.

7)  Fold in half and iron- the crease at the top edge will help when you sew it to the screen material

8)  Sandwich the screen edge in between the top hem- pin in place, set aside until handles are sewn

9)  Sew the handles- Fold in half the strips the long way and sew on 2 sides.  Turn right sides out and iron.  Sew 1/4″ from the edge on each side

10)  Pin the handles on the inside of the tote bag, tucked under the hem.  I pinned them 6″ from the outside edge

11)  Sew along the bottom edge of the hem on the right side so you can watch the outside {you want this seam to be the best}

12)  Fold handles up and stitch to secure

 13)  Fold the bag in half -right sides facing and sew both sides.  You might want to zig zag stitch along the fabric raw edge to control the ravel

14)  Box pleat the bottom of the bag – 3 ways to box your corners tutorials

15)  Turn right sides out and stuff it full of Beach accessories!  And, let me tell you- it will hold it!

We have a monster sized beach town in there and it looks like there could be room for 3 more!

There isn’t any support in the bottom, which is why it looks a little saggy…but really it’s for hauling around monster sized towels that are soaking with water.

If you are concerned about that, you could add some support in between the outside and lining of the bottom.

Where are you going to take your Tote Bag?

Have more quilt blocks you need to you?!  Check out this series:

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