Welcome to my first tutorial: how to make a fold-a-way bag. It's extremely simple to make a tote bag so I've put a little spin on it. So follow my tutorial to make your own bag, whatever shape and size it is.

I tend to make the little pouch straight after cutting out the pieces of my bag so that I'm doing all of the cutting at the same time, but you could wait till you’ve finished constructing the rest of the bag. There isn't a great deal of different between the outcomes of each method.

And just in case you were curious about the measurements of the pattern of my bag, I thought I would include them:

• body of the bag is 31cm by 39cm

• straps are 4cm by 75cm each

1. Lay out the body of your bag or if you've finished sewing the rest of the bag, turn the bag inside out so that the wrong side of the fabric is facing out and tuck the handles inside.

2. Now you need to fold up your bag, to determine the size of your pouch. I hold mine into eighths.

So fold in half lengthwise, and then once lengthwise once more. I then do the same thing width-wise. My folded up bag now measures approximately 10cm by 8cm.

3. Time to make the pattern for the pouch. The basic shape of the pouch is the same width but 2.5 times the length of your folded up bag. I like to increase the pattern by a few centimetres just to make it easier to fold up the bag, for example by 1cm all the way around and between each panel. Then just add seam allowance as necessary, but bear in mind that a small seam allowance will reduce bulk so either have a seam allowance of 0.5cm or 1.5cm and trim it down. The pattern for the pouch to my bag now measures 12cm by 31.5cm.

4. After having cut this out of fabric, hem the shorter edges of your pouch however you like. I normally use a overlocker-type stitch.

5. Now fold the fabric for your pouch according to your pattern but with the wrong side of the fabric facing outwards and the flap of the pouch on the inside. Sew down the side seams with the seam allowance that you planned for earlier. Then trim this down if need be.

6. Continue to construct the rest of the bag, if you have not already done so.

7. Turn your bag inside out and fold your bag in half and half again width-wise. Mark these folds along the bottom hem. I use pins or tailors chalk depending on what is within reach. Place the pouch with the opening facing towards the top of the bag, in between two of the pins in the middle. My pouch just overlaps the straight stitch I made when sewing up the bottom seam by 0.5cm. I then sewed the pouch in between the two pins marking the width in quarters, following the straight stitch made from sewing the bottom seam. I don’t sew all the way across the pouch because this means the bag folds a little bit more neatly into the pouch.






8. Now I shall show you how to fold up your bag. Turn your bag inside out with the handles tucked in.

9. Lay the bag down with the pouch facing the surface. Now bring the pouch out from underneath the bag.


10. Then begin to fold the bag inwards on both sides. Next, fold the bag in half lengthwise, an once again. Do the same width-wise. Your bag should now be the same shape it was when you were making the pattern for the pouch.








11. Now turn your pouch inside out whilst enveloping your folded up bag. Now bring the flap up and over, so you can't see your bag and the flap is on the other side of the pouch. And that is that.

If you have any suggestions of how to improve this tutorial because I most likely left something out or was rubbish at explaining something, please feel free to comment. I'll be posting fully pictures of the bag later on in the week so check back in a few days.

What is this? The third tote bag I've shared with the internet? This one I actually made tonight to give to a friend. Just to cheer her up.

I used a pink floral cotton with a contrasting cream cotton for the applique. I used a  small zig-zag stitch to attach the applique to the body of the bag which I've only done once before and I recommend ironing interfacing or using a spray adhesive because mine puckered and doesn't look very neat close up. I hope she likes it although I think she prefers blue or green colours...

The bag actually folds up in a nice little pouch. I think this would make a nice first tutorial. I might just have to make another tote bag to do so. Is a tutorial a good idea? I'd quite like to start a few tutorials since I follow many DIY blogs and who doesn't love a good how-to?

I love how ridiculously easy tote bags are to make. The first bag was made for this past summer holiday. I thought it would actually survive in my suitcase and I wouldn't mind if it got wrinkled up. I used calico for the body of the bag and then left over floral fabric for the accents. I finished it off with a little bow in a similar colour. This bag is actually reversible. I made the lining in such a way that I can completely turn the bag inside out if I want to for a different bag altogether. I've not actually used it this way but it didn't involve a great deal of work so I'm not bothered, I'm now using it as my knitting bag and it holds my current knitting projects and all my little bits and bobs like my cable needle or crochet hook is kept in the front pocket.

The second tote bag was one of the first things I ever made when I was first got into sewing. I saw a similar style bag in a local boutique-type shop and thought it was way over-priced so I actually made it myself. The fabrics were found in the attic so I've not idea where my Mum bought them from. I made the bag so it would purposely fray and I think that adds a little to it's character. It probably won't survive as long as my other tote bag but it works well for now. I used to use it as my music bag when I was learning to play the flute. Now it just holds all my ribbon, zips and boning,

This is a gift to my sister for her 16th. I didn't actually buy anything new for this project so saved some money there and I've actually been reducing my fabric stash. It needs some serious sorting out before it takes over my room. Both pillows are about 30" square. I used a plaid shirt to cover the first pillow and then stripey jeans and a white denim skirt for the other. I actually made the cushion inner myself. I used polyfiller stuffing for one of them, and scraps of fabric for the other one. The scrap fabric pillow is considerably heavier but I think it will be just as comfy because I personally can't stand pillows if they're too soft. I thought it was also a good way to use up the little scrap of fabric that won't get used up for anything else. I might be making myself some of these in the future if my sister approves of them.

This mitten (singular) was made to match the olive green scarf I posted last week. The pattern was sent to me by my Grandma and I ended up using the pattern for the mittens that the woman in the middle is wearing, except I excluded the cabling because I have only just got the hang of that. I used the same wool again - olive green 100% acrylic yarn from the charity shop I work at. It's one of their new good products, not a donation so I don't need to be too concerned about running out of wool mid-project.

This is the bib necklace that I posted sneak peak photographs of last week. I recycled my old school skirt into the main body of the necklace, the beads were bought from a market, the ribbon was just lying around my house and the gold fastenings were bought in a bead shop in Birmingham. I wish I'd placed the beads a little higher up on the fabric or just sewed closer to the beads since there is such a big gap. The ribbon is also falling out of the ribbon crimps so I need to find a way to make that more secure...