How to Make a Stylish Gusseted Tote Bag – An Easy Sewing Project for Beginners

In this article, we’ll show you how to make a stylish gusseted tote bag, step by step! ♪
We made ours using the ever-popular William Morris Strawberry Thief jacquard fabric.
It may look difficult, but it’s actually quite easy, making it a great project for sewing beginners!
We also have other sewing patterns available, so be sure to check those out, too.
At the end of this page, you’ll find the products we used, along with some handy tools that are nice to have!

Estimated time: 2 hours

1.Materials

Outer fabric: 40 × 45 cm (We used William Morris jacquard fabric, AS33023-21.)
Lining fabric: 36 × 45 cm (We used shantung moiré fabric.)
Handles: 1pair, approx. 48 cm long (We used faux leather handles, MAW52.)

Cut an 8 × 8 cm square from both bottom corners of the outer fabric and lining fabric to create the gussets.

2.Fold the Top Edge of the Outer Fabric

Fold the top edge of the outer fabric over by 1 cm (seam allowance), then fold it over another 3 cm. Press with an iron to set the folds.
Please refer to [Diagram A] below.
Adjust the iron temperature to suit the fabric, and use a pressing cloth if needed.

3.Sew the Bag Body

Place the outer fabric pieces with right sides together and sew both side seams and the bottom gusset.
Repeat the same steps with the lining fabric.

4.Assemble the Bag Body (Part 2)

Turn the outer bag right side out, then place the lining inside the outer bag. [Photo 1]
Tuck the top edge of the lining under the folded edge of the outer bag you made in Step 2. [Photo 2]
Use clips to hold the layers in place and keep them from shifting. ♪

5.Sew the Top Edge of the Bag

Sew the folded top edge of the outer bag and the lining together, as shown in [Photo 3].

6.Attach the Handles

Carefully position the handles and sew them securely in place.
This time, we used a sewing machine! The faux leather handles were fairly thick, but our home sewing machine sewed through them with ease!

*The handles already have stitching holes, so you can also sew them on by hand.

Since we’re sewing faux leather, we used a Teflon presser foot and a longer stitch length.
*Be careful when sewing the handles. If the stitches are too close together, the faux leather may tear along the stitching line.

Finished!

驚くほど簡単！～初心者でもできる基本バッグの作り方～

Products Used

Handy Items to Have

About Us
Nippon Chuko Ltd. (日本紐釦貿易株式会社）
We are a trading company specializing in handicraft supplies and apparel materials, founded in Osaka in 1917.
We offer a carefully selected range of products to customers around the world, both in our store and through our online shop.

Official Websites & Social Media
Company Website: https://www.nippon-chuko.co.jp/global-nippon-chuko/
Chuko Online (Online Shop): https://www.nippon-chuko.co.jp/shop
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nipponchuko