Make Your Own Monogrammed Tote

 

It's college acceptance season and as I patiently wait for our friends' kids to announce where they will be attending, I'm scouring the various online fabric stores (moment of silence for Joann) for the right colors of canvas so I can make them each a tote.  

I made these adorable monogrammed tote bags for my nieces for Christmas using my Picnic Tote Sewing Pattern.  My sister reports that the kids LOVE them and I've seen them in action when they come to visit and have their own toys and snacks packed in their bag. 

For these bags I used the mini size dimensions and ended up modifying the pattern a little bit so that the bag will stand up on it's own.  I've updated the pattern instructions to show how to do that, but here's a sneak peek.

For main body of the bag, I used #12 Natural Cotton Duck Fabric from Online Fabric Store.  Since this is a really sturdy canvas, you'll want to use a heavy duty needle.  I used a Universal Needle size 90/14, but a 100/16 or a jeans needle would probably work better.

The main difference in the pattern is that you'll cut the natural canvas to be the full size of the bag front and back and then sew the contrasting band on top rather than sewing them together.

You have to do a little bit of planning in terms of the strap placement and sewing order, but I have added all those instructions to the pattern.  The space between the straps is just about 5 inches, so when you do your letter cut out, you want to be mindful of that.  I sized my letters to about 3.5 inches across.

For the "M" and "P" bags for my nieces, I used Canva as there are a lot more font options than Google Docs.  The only down side is that you can't add a ruler in inches in the free version so you have to do a little trial and error to get the sizing right.  I used size 322 Cabria in case that helps get you started.

There are a lot of different ways you can add the letter but my preferred method is to use Pellon Wonder Under.  It's a wonderful product that basically turns your fabric into an iron-on patch.  

I cut a square of fabric just slightly bigger then the letter, iron the wonder under onto the wrong side, trace and cut my letter with the paper backing still attached, remove the paper and iron the letter into place.  You have to be aware of whether your letter will be backwards or not so you'll want to pay attention to that when you're tracing.  Then I use a narrow zig-zag stitch all the way around.  My machine has speed control which I turn down a little bit as it helps me go more slowly and carefully.

One added advantage to sewing the bag as one solid piece of canvas is that there are fewer seams to finish on the inside.  I serge my seams but you could also encase then in bias tape or even make a simple lining.  There are so many great possibilities for this pattern.

This bag has been my go-to for packing snacks for road trips, the kids track and cross-country meets, book club, you name it!  A college themed bag would make a great gift or even Easter basket. So versatile!!

So what are you waiting for?  Go grab your pattern and get sewing!