Simple Essentials Travel Tote is sew easy to make for gifting

Yesterday I shared the mini stockings for the holiday countdown, but there are other items that can be made ahead of time for at least a couple of people on your list.

Everyone needs a travel tote! This tote is not only easy to make, it can be personalized with a monogram and can tote any range of items from arts and craft/sewing supplies to make up brushes, small toys and toiletries. It’s very versatile for all ages. It has 4 simply constructed pockets and for this reason, it’s called the Simple Essentials Travel Tote. Featured in this project are HeatnBond Feather Lite Iron-On Adhesive, Northcott Black and White With a Dash of Color, 2 Closed End Zippers, UNIQUE Wash Out Blue Marker and Fairfield 80/20 Batting.

Simple Essentials Travel Tote

This is a unique gift and an original pattern, follow along and make this tote for all ages on your Christmas list.

materials

fabricNorthcott Black and White With a Dash of Colour

• ½ yd of main fabric cut one 13½″ x 21½″ (outside of tote), cut one 11½″ x 13½″ for outside of one zippered pouch, cut two 5″ x 14″ – handles, cut one 3″ x 12” for center inside band
• ½ yd of inside fabric cut one 13½″ x 21½″ (inside of tote), cut one 11½″ x 13½″ for outside of second zippered pouch
• ½ yd of lining fabric for zippered pockets, cut two 13½″ x 11½″ (lining for zippered pockets)
• ½ yd of trim fabric – (optional) cut four ¾″ x 11” accent strips on zippered pouches, cut two 2½″ x width of fabric for binding, cut one 10″ x 14”, small inside divided pocket and cut one 10″ x 16” large inside pocket, cut one 4″ x 4” for monogram
• batting, Fairfield 80/20 cut one 13½″ x 21½″ outside of tote, cut one 1½″ x 11” for center band, cut two 12½″ x 2½″ for handles

• 12mm UNIQUE bias tape maker
• small amount of Heatnbond Feather Lite Iron-On Adhesive for trim and monogram
• 2 – 30cm/12”  General Purpose Closed End Zippers
• 2 pieces of lightweight fusible interfacing cut 13½″ x 11½″
• snap or 1” piece of Velcro for closure
• Heirloom Wash Out Blue Marker
• thread to match all your fabric, white, black and royal blue used in this project
• zipper foot, walking foot

sewing instructions

Note: This seems like a lot of steps, but it’s really very easy and once you have made one, I’m sure you will want to make more.

• Quilt the tote outside together by layering the main fabric (black print) right side up on top of the batting and then the inside fabric (dot print) facing towards the outside of the sandwich, quilt as desired using a walking or free motion foot, square this piece to 12½″ x 20½″.

• Bind the outside of tote piece just completed as you would a quilt with a 2½″ x width of fabric trim pieces (blue as shown). Set aside.
• Prepare handles by pressing each short end of handles to the wrong side under ¼″.
• Press in ½″ along the length in the center, press both raw edges of long sides towards the center wrong sides together and insert the batting, press fabric in half along the length again, pin to hold batting and fabric and top stitch  2 handles.
• Set aside, refer to photos.

• Prepare the center band by pressing under ¼″ at the short ends as you did the handles.
• Press in the center along the length and press raw edges towards the center crease wrong sides together.
• Insert the batting, zigzag where the raw edges meet in the center through all layers of fabric and batting.
• Top stitch as shown in the photo. Set aside.

• Prepare zippered pouches by fusing lightweight fusible interfacing to the wrong side of the outside of pouch fabrics (x2).

• Make your accent strips (x4) with the trim fabric and the UNIQUE bias tape maker (follow instructions on package) and top stitch these accent strips 2” down from the top of the fabric on both ends. See photos below.

• Lay lining fabric wrong side against interfacing and match all sides of outside pouch fabric, baste stitch the short end together at one end ⅛″ down from the top for both pouches.

• Install zipper on the outside top of the pouch as shown in photo with a zipper foot, right side of zipper against right side of fabric, do this for both pouches.

• Iron fabric away from zippers and top stitch. See photo below.

• Open zippers, fold pouches in half right side of fabric together and place other right side end of fabric against the other right side of zipper and sew zipper (make sure sides match). See photos below.

• Sew side seams and cut away excess zipper, zigzag the seams.

• Make the monogram from a hand drawn letter or lettering you find from another source, add  Heatnbond Feather Lite Iron-on Adhesive (follow excellent package directions) to the wrong side and fuse it to the center front of your bag.

• Prepare 2 trim fabric pockets but folding them in half length wise right sides together, leaving a 2” gap.
• Sew around the sides and bottom with a ¼″ seam allowance, turn to right side, sew gap closed and press.

• Sew the largest of the 2 trim pockets to the inside of the monogrammed side of bag with folded side facing towards the top of the bag.
• Topstitch 3 sides leaving the folded side open.

• Sew the smallest trim pocket to the opposite side and mark at 2” intervals to divide, top stitch these lines to make dividers for small objects. See photo.

• Sew handles to both sides of tote by finding the center top of tote on the inside and spacing each handle 2” from center and top stitch.

• To add the zippered pouches, lay your center band in the center of your tote on the inside (mark with a marker first), sew a line down the center to secure this.
• Tuck the bottom end of the zippered pouches just under the center band on each side in about ½″ and top stitch the band through all layers, center band, pouches and outside of quilted tote to secure.

• Add a snap or Velcro closure at the top center of bag and admire your efforts!

Share your comments and completed Simple Essentials Travel Tote below. I’d love to see your tote!

Join me tomorrow when I show you how to construct a cover for a very popular appliance in your kitchen or for the bakers on your Christmas list.