How to Make a Quilted Tote Bag With Precut 2½” Strips

Many of us quilters are well familiar with the joys of sweet bundles of precut fabric collections. But if you’re like me, sometimes when we collect them, they turn into dust-collectors, souvenirs, bric-a-brac, knickknacks, et cetera, anything but being used. This post is here to help you (and me!) put at least one of those pretty precut 2½” strip rolls to use. Let’s have a little fun and learn how to make a quilted tote bag — it’s always a good time to try something new!

Start with a beautiful bundle of precut 2½” strips, and then choose from one of two methods to prepare them for an intriguing weaving technique. Carol made two stylish totes; our pattern walks you through the pink version. But I bet you can’t make just one: you’ll want one for you, one for each of your quilting friends, one for…you get the idea!

The complete pattern, Woven Beach Bag, designed by Carol McLeod of Aunties Two is featured in the May/June 2023 issue of Love of Quilting. You can also purchase the Woven Beach Bag digital pattern as an instant download here.

Let’s Learn How to Make a Quilted Tote Bag Together

First, I’m going to demo how to prepare your precut strips with interfacing using Method B as outlined in the pattern. Next, I’ll show you how to set them up to be woven together to create the fabric to make your totes.

This technique is so much easier done than explained with words, which is why I wanted to show you! Here’s my pretty precut Jelly Roll of Sister Bay from Moda Fabrics that’s been decorating my sewing room for a while.

I was very brave and removed the ribbon (can you relate?!) and sorted a few strips into lights and darks. This is going to be just like making a test quilt block—only in this case, I’m making a test weave!

Step-by-Step Directions

1

After pressing ¼” on one long edge, place the interfacing on the upper half of the precut strip as shown. (There is a little wiggle room with the interfacing because it is only ¾”-wide.) Then turn under ¼” on the other long edge, and fold the strip up to bring the first folded edge close to the second folded edge; press.

2

The folded strip measures 1” wide.

3

Stitch the long folded edges together. Turn the strip and edge-stitch the opposite long edge, too.

4

Be sure to press your strips well, as they may be a little curly from the sewing. I butted my strips next to each other as I pressed to keep them all on the straight and narrow!

5

Place a dark strip vertically along the sewing line at the machine. Place a light strip horizontally on top of the start of the dark strip, and sew them together. Do not cut the thread. With the needle in the down position, add the next light strip, horizontally butting the previous light strip, but this time under the dark strip. Continue in this manner, alternating each light strip over and under the dark strip.

6

When you have added the last light horizontal strip, keep the needle down, and pivot your work 90-degrees counterclockwise.

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7

After the pivot, stitch down the short edge of the light strip. Do not cut the thread.

8

With the needle down, add the next dark strip on top of the light strip, butted with the previous dark strip, and sew it to the light strip. Do not cut the thread. Continue as before, alternating each dark strip over and under the light strip.

9

When you’ve finished adding all the dark strips, remove your work from the machine. Trim the initial dark strip even as shown.

10

Now for the fun part! As shown below, move the leftmost dark strips out of the way so that you can begin weaving with the rightmost strip.

11

Weave the dark strip under and over the light strips. Butt both the horizontal and vertical strips firmly, and pin in place at the top.

12

Continue in the same manner with next dark strip… Until all your strips are woven!

13

To complete your woven fabric, edge stitch around the pinned strips, and trim remaining strip tails even. Follow the instructions in the pattern to complete your Woven Beach Bag tote. To finish my woven test piece, I think I’ll add binding and call it a mug rug!

This project is fun, practical, and oh-sew cute! And now that you know how to make a quilted tote bag, your fabric stash should never go to waste. So go dig up those pretty precut 2½” strip rolls and start weaving this stylish bag. With a little creativity and effort, you can transform a collection of fabric into a practical and fashionable accessory that you’ll want to use every day!

Woven Beach Bag can be found in the Love of Quilting May/June 2023 issue.

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