Tutorial: Sew an easy beginner tote bag, plus a snap-on bag organizer

Melissa from Melly Sews and Blank Slate Patterns shares a simple tote bag tutorial. It’s a good beginning sewing project because it’s all straight seams, and you end up with something you can use and feel proud of. She also includes a video tutorial for those who learn best by watching something done. If you like the sewing machine image she used for the big pocket on the front, she’s got that as a free download. And at Flamingo Toes, she’s got a companion tutorial that shows how to make a snap-on organizer pocket for your tote. It’s a tall pocket that snaps around the handle of your tote so you can keep a pair of sunglasses or keys or other small but important items, always at the ready.

Click the links below for her tutorials:

Sew a Tote Bag – Easy Beginner Sewing Project (at Melly Sews)

DIY Snap-On Bag Organizer (at Flamingo Toes)

[photo from Melly Sews]

Looking for more DIY sewing patterns to make your own bags, totes and clutches? Check these Sewing patterns out on Etsy.

Looking to chat about sewing? Check out our sewing group on Facebook with over 80K members.

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I’m always tempted by the pretty velvets at the fabric store. So much texture! And the way the fibers catch the light! But sewing on velvet is trickier than you’d think. That nap that lends beautiful texture also likes to slip and crawl. That nap can also spell disaster if you cut a piece the wrong direction. That isn’t to say you shouldn’t use buy that velvet and sew it into something gorgeous, you just need to go into your velvet sewing project prepared. And Melissa at Melly Sews has a post that takes you step by step through sewing on velvet.

Velvet is such a luscious fabric, especially for winter sewing projects. Of course there are velvet Christmas sewing projects – stockings, tree skirts, santa hats – but velvet is beautiful for all winter. Think of all the gorgeous velvet dresses, evening bags, hair accessories, even pillows and other home décor that you see all winter long.

Melly Sews’ post gives you the tips and tricks you need to know in order for your velvet sewing project to end up a success. There are types of projects better suited for velvets, and kinds of projects to avoid. She describes the different types of velvet available. And she also tells the best way to lay out and cut your pattern pieces from velvet fabric. Her tutorial also covers marking, pressing, and of course sewing that beautiful fabric. There’s also a video included in case that’s your preferred method for learning.

Head over to Melly Sews to learn how to sew on velvet fabric.

And if you want to learn more about that lovely blue velvet dress shown, she has a post that tells more about it including 2 ways to style it depending on if you want to be more dressy or more casual.

[photo credit: Melly Sews]

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