DIY False Bottom for Any Tote Bag {easy tutorial}

Last week when I sewed up my Japanese Knock Off Tote Bag, I decided it really needed a false bottom.

A false bottom is that stiff thing you often find in duffel bags and purses that help them keep a nice shape at the bottom. 

And it’s really easy to sew a false bottom for a tote bag that you made yourself – or one that you bought at the store!

All you need is a little bit of fabric and some extra firm fusible interfacing (Peltex).

First measure the bottom of the bag that you want to sew it for. The bottom of this bag was 6” x 14”.

Cut two pieces of fusible Peltex the same dimensions as the bottom of your bag and lay them on a piece of fabric fusible side up (if they are double sided fusible, that’s fine too).

Trim the fabric, leaving 1 inch all the way around the pieces of Peltex.

Using a hot iron, press the edges of the fabric tightly around the Peltex and fuse.

Continue until all of the edges are fused. Don’t worry about the corners.

Fold the piece in half, placing the fusible sides of the Peltex pieces together. Press long and firmly until the pieces fuse together.

Topstitch around the piece about 1/8” from the edge to secure both sides together. Tuck the corner fabric pieces in as you go.

Slip it inside a tote bag and be happy – you can do anything!

Then come back on Wednesday when I post the Japanese Knock-Off Tote tutorial. 🙂

xoxo,