A simple tote bag

This is a very simple way to make a tote bag of any size.










Very few tools are needed:

A craft knife or leather cutting scissors

A ruler and pegs / bulldog clips

4 pronged pricking iron

Polyboard or scrap leather pad

2 harness needles

Thread

If you don't want to sew the handle on then use easy rivets and a rivet setter.


I am using a piece of goat skin but you can use whatever finished leather you have available.

This is the basic pattern which you adjust according to the size of your leather.

Start by cutting your leather to a rectangle then fold it in half.

Decide what size you want the gusset to be and then cut out the two squares that are exactly half the size of your gusset.




Let me show you what I mean on the actual leather cutting a three inch square to give me a six inch gusset.


Turn your leather inside out. Mark the stitch line along the two long edges with a biro. I have made mine a quarter of an inch (5mm) from the edge.






Then mark a stitch line round the short edges that form the gusset.







I have used bulldog clips to hold it together while I use the pricking iron but you could use
clothes pegs.

Prick the long edges followed by the gusset edges.

Depending on how big your bag is you could end up with a very long length of thread as we need three times the length to be sewn. I suggest having no more than a yard or a meter and start stitching from the top so that any joins are hidden towards the bottom of the bag.

If you are using thin leather you could use a sewing machine.

Start stitching from the top. I suggest using a lock stitch to secure the top and side edges.

Hopefully this short video that I have uploaded to YouTube will make it clearer.  Click here for the video Lock stitch





When you reach the end of the long edge open up the gusset and clip or peg the two edges together. Then sew towards one corner.







Then sew from the centre to the other corner with a new piece of thread.

Finish each corner with a lockstitch.


Click here for a video sewing the gusset and lockstitch










Once you have sewn both long sides and the gussets turn your bag right side out.











The last stage is to decide what kind of strap or handles you want. I have kept it simple with two three quarter of an inch straps rivetted on. If it had been a bigger bag holding more weight I would suggest sewing them on.

A quick easy to make bag from any finished leathers that you might have available.



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