Paper Bag Tote Bag Instructions

Making your own hand bags, tote bags or mini purses is quick and easy the Paper Bag way!  All 
you need is sturdy fabric for the outside of your bag, lining fabric (make it bold and beautiful or 
funky and fun!) grosgrain ribbon, cording, web belting or other trim for the handles and decoration 
and embroidery designs of your choice.

You must first decide how big you wish your bag to be.  Cut 2 squares of bag fabric and lining 
fabric this size.  Remember that when you make the corners on the bag, it will reduce the finished 
size of the bag.  A good size for a tote bag is 18 square.  A good size for a handbag is 12 
square and a good size for a mini purse is 8 square.  Remember to pre-shrink your fabrics!

Using a removable fabric marker or tailors chalk, mark a line around the edges of the bag fabric 
2.5 in from the edges all around.  You will now have a square marked inside your bag fabric 
square. This is the area in which you can put your embroidery or applique designs.  Before 
completing the bag, embroider your designs on the bag fabric.  You can do both bag sides, or just 
one side.

When you are finished embroidering your bag, remove all the stabilizer possible and press.

If you decide that your bag needs to be sturdier cut 2 pieces of very firm cut-a-way stabilizer the 
same size as your bag fabric squares.  Spray one side of both pieces of this stabilizer with 
temporary spray adhesive and place on the wrong side of both your bag fabric squares.  Baste 
around the edges of these squares to hold the stabilizer and fabric together, using a  seam 
allowance.  

Cut your bag handles the length you wish.  You will need two handles.  Measure out an equal 
distance from the center of the bag fabric, toward the sides, for the handle placement.  For 
instance, on an 18 tote bag, you may wish to measure 3 from the center of the bag toward the 
right edge, and then 3 toward the left edge.  Mark these places on both bag sides.  Center your 
bag handles over these marks and pin the handles in place.  The raw edges of the handles 
should be flush with the raw edges of the bag fabric and the handles should loop down toward the 
bottom of the bag fabric.  Baste the handles in position.

Trim  off the top of both lining fabric squares.  Place the edges you have trimmed, right sides 
together, over the tops of the bag fabric squares, across the handles.  Using  seam allowance, 
stitch together.   Press the seam allowance toward the lining side and top stitch  from the bag 
fabric edge, stitching on the lining fabric.  Do this for both front and back bag sides and then 
press again.

Place your bag pieces, open flat with right sides together, matching the seams at the bag top 
edges.  You should have a large rectangle with the lining lying against the lining and the bag 
fabric lying against the bag fabric, right sides together.  Pin along the bottom and sides of both 
the lining and the bag fabric, leaving a space open in the bottom of the lining large enough to turn 
the bag.  Stitch the bag pieces together using  seam allowance.  

Clip all 4 corners across the points close to the stitching line. Lay the bag flat and press the 
seams open, first one side and then the other. 

Grasping a bottom corner of the bag fabric, flatten it so that the bottom seam lies along the side 
seam.  This makes a triangle at the corner of the bag. 

Measuring up from the point about 3 for an 18 tote bag, 2 for a 12 hand bag and 1.5 for an 8 
mini purse make a mark in the center of the seam.  Place the ruler across this mark and using a 
removable fabric marker or tailors chalk, draw a line across the corner on the mark.  Pin along 
this line and then stitch securely.  You should have a triangle flap on the corner of your bag.  
Repeat this for the other corners of the bag and lining.  

Altering the depth of the triangle flap gives you a deeper or shallower bag.

Trim the extra triangle flap off the bag lining.  Zigzag or serge the raw edges.

Fold the triangle flaps on the bag fabric bag up (toward the top of the bag) and hand stitch in 
place along the seam allowances.  This helps to make your bag corners sturdy.

Turn your bag right side out.  Stitch the lining opening closed either by hand or by machine.  
Because you have trimmed the lining, your bag fabric should extend slightly above the lining 
fabric.  Press the top of the bag and top stitch through all layers on the right side approximately 
 down from the top.  

Decorate the top of your bag with feathers, fur or other trim as desired.  Most trim can be hot 
glued in place.

If you wish, you can add pockets to your lining before you attach the lining to the bag.  You may 
also wish to make the bottom a little sturdier.  Simply cut a piece of plastic canvas or cardboard 
slightly smaller than the bottom of the bag, round the corners a tiny bit, and slip it between the 
lining and the bag fabric before closing the lining opening.  Hand stitch through all layers in all 
four corners to keep this canvas or cardboard piece in place.

Enjoy your bag!
