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Make a Big Tote Bag

24 May 2009 4,479 views 5 Comments

by heather

This adorable large tote is made of Orla Kiely dish towels from Target (will run you more than a dollar, but oh so fashionable!). The tutorial was created by Film in the Fridge. I know I've featured several dishtowel bags here before, but this one is a little more finished--it's lined, has inside pockets and a solid bottom, and uses four dish towels. Different, right? [click here for full tutorial]

The tutorial looks good for beginner-plus seamsters. Of course, you can use dollar store dish towels at $1 each (I'm basing the cost estimate on that). I would also substitute a plastic insert in the purse bottom (Ashley uses cardboard) because I have toddlers and everything has to be highly washable! I'm not exactly sure what would work best... a piece of plastic cut out of a busted plastic storage container? Maybe you have some good ideas for this!

Project Materials:

Four dish towels, $1 each
Cardboard or plastic base insert, on hand or $1
Sewing stuff (thread, sewing machine), on hand

Total cost: $4 and up

5 Comments »

laura said:

Try a flexible plastic cutting boards. I’ve seen them at the dollar store.

# 24 May 2009 at 1:27 pm

Jennifer said:

You could get a piece of “plastic canvas” from the craft store–I think it’s something like a dollar per piece. It would cut easily to size.

# 24 May 2009 at 3:56 pm

Jen said:

You can also get thin acrylic sheets at Home Depot back near the window glass. It can be cut with a utility knife.

# 24 May 2009 at 6:38 pm

Jo Anne said:

I used a placemat from Target for a small purse

http://craftingforcheapskates.blogspot.com/search/label/purse

# 25 May 2009 at 7:38 am

JuxtaPoser said:

I use the plastic souvenir placemats from my dollar store for stiffeners, because I find they’re not that great as placemats- really, do I *want* to eat off the Statue of Liberty’s face? I have also used flexible laminated study guides called BarCharts for this. There was a recall some months back of one title with a typo, so I took them home and put them in the stash.

# 25 May 2009 at 8:24 am