How to Sew a Fabric Basket Tote {free sewing pattern}
Use this easy step by step free tutorial to make a beautiful Basket Tote that makes a great purse too. It has two interior pockets, just right handles that aren’t super long like shoulder straps and lots of style! It has a bound top edge that matches the handles (if you want) and it is a nice roomy size. The center panel is quilted and there is piping that separates the middle from the sides. Don’t leave off the piping… It adds a professional touch and hides mistakes, I promise!
This blog post has been converted to an optional PDF that’s optimized for printing. Find it here. The blog post below is totally free to read, print, and sew! Just hit CTRL +P on your computer to print. The PDF download for $2 is totally optional.
I sewed this version using lovely Rifle Paper Co. canvas and Cotton + Steel quilting cottons). It has a magnetic snap closure
This lovely bag (in Tula Pink’s Slow & Steady plus other fabrics from my stash) has a zipper at the top, which is also a great way to close your bag.
Details: Finished dimensions: approximately 16” wide at the top and 11” tall (not including the handles).
Now I can’t wait to show you how to make your own. Let me point a few things out beforehand, though:
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This is a really long tutorial! Most bag patterns have a lot of steps, so no surprise there. I am going to link you to other blog posts for a couple details so this one won’t get too long (like how to sew the fabric handles and how to cut bias strips and binding).
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I used Soft & Stable to give this bag a beautiful and professional feel. Pellon’s Flex Foam Stabilizer is similar, and I’ve seen but not tried the one made by Bosal. I totally recommend using one of these stabilizers to get the same look, although you could use fusible fleece in a pinch.
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You have 2 closure options: magnetic snap or zipper. I think both options are great, although the snap is a little bit easier to install, of course. If you choose the zipper, you must use a #4.5 handbag or upholstery zipper with a wide (1.25”) zipper tape. You can get them in multiple colors here, or see the one I bought at Joanns below.
{Download the Basket Tote Pattern Templates}
Make sure to print at 100% scale. Match up the lines on the templates and tape the pieces of paper together without cutting off the margins.
Basket Tote free sewing pattern – detailed instructions
You will need:
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1/3 yard main exterior fabric
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1/3 yard coordinating exterior fabric
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1/2 yard fabric + 2 yards 3/16” cording to make piping (or 2 yards pre-made piping)
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1/2 yard fabric for the handles and binding
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1/2 yard main lining fabric
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1/3 yard coordinating lining fabric
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1 magnetic snap closure or handbag zipper 20” or longer
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1/2 to 1 yard flexible foam stabilizer or fusible fleece (1/2 yard if 60” wide, 1 yard if only 20” wide)
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fabric marking pen
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sewing pins and clips
You can use pre-made piping if you want, but I think it’s more fun to make my own using 3/16” cording and bias cut strips of fabric. Here is the cording and 1.25” wide zipper that I bought at Joanns so I could sew this project. I didn’t have any choice in zipper colors. I really need to stock up on #4.5 zippers so I have more color choices next time. 🙂
Cutting:
From the main exterior fabric, cut:
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1 on the fold from the Basket Tote Body pattern piece (as marked)
From the coordinating exterior fabric, cut:
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2 from the Basket Tote Side pattern piece
From the main lining fabric, cut:
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2 from the Basket Tote Body pattern piece (as marked)
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1 rectangle 9 1/2” x 13”
From the coordinating lining fabric, cut:
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2 from the Basket Tote Side pattern piece
Cut (and piece together, if necessary) the following strips on the bias (here’s a video how-to):
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1 strip 2” x 40” for binding the top of the bag
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4 strips 2” x 22” long for the handles
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2 strips 1 1/2” x 28” long for making the piping
Note: the handle strips do not need to be cut on the bias, but it’s easy to cut them at the same time that you cut the binding strips if you are using the same fabric. The binding and piping strips must be cut on the bias because of all the curves on this bag.
From the flexible foam stabilizer, cut:
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1 on the fold from the Basket Tote Body pattern piece (as marked)
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2 from the Basket Tote Side pattern piece
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2 strips 2” x 22” long for the handles
Preparation:
1. Make the handles. I used Sarah’s Perfect Fabric Purse Handles tutorial, but my own Japanese Style Fabric Bag Handles tutorial would work great too. Or you can use thrifted handles!
2. Pin and sew the exterior fabric pieces to the matching pieces of stabilizer. I like to baste them around all sides, about 1/8 – 1/4” from the edge.
3. After attaching the stabilizer, quilt the exterior body piece. I quilted by sewing straight lines (with my walking foot) about 1” apart on this tote. The lines were about 2” apart on the other tote. I love both looks.
Making the piping.
Attaching the piping.
Making and attaching piping at the same time.
4. Make and attach the piping to the side pieces: Wrap a 1 1/2” bias cut strip around the piping cord and baste close to the cord using your sewing machine’s zipper foot. Then attach a piece of piping around the sides and bottom of each side piece, sewing right on top of the previous basting (still using the zipper foot).
As you can see in the third picture above, you can make and attach the piping at the same time if you feel comfortable doing so.
As you attach the piping, you should be sewing about 3/8” from the edge. Make clips into the piping seam allowance to help it curve nicely around the corners.
Repeat to sew piping on the other curved side piece.
5. Trim the piping even with the top of the side pieces. Then use your fingers or some tweezers to pull some of the cording out and trim away 1/2”. Smooth the piping out again so that the end of the cording is about 1/2” lower than the top edge. Repeat this at both ends, and again on the other side piece. This will help you to have less bulk to sew over when attaching the binding in the very last step.
Assemble the tote exterior:
1. Fold the main body piece in half to find the center. Use the fabric marking pen to mark the center on both sides. This will be the bottom of the bag.
2. Fold the side pieces in half lengthwise and mark the center at the bottom of each.
3. Match the center of one side with the center of the tote body piece, right sides together. Starting at the bottom center marks, clip the bag side and body together. Cut small clips into the bag body piece to help it curve around the side piece.
I think clips are easier to use on the bag exterior – use lots!
4. Sew the body and side together with the side piece on top and sewing on the previous basting line that attached the piping to the side piece. Go slowly, easing the two pieces together.
Tip: Use your zipper foot again so you can sew close to the piping. After sewing these two together, if you can see the piping basting stitches from the right side, it’s okay to sew the seam again, trying to get even closer to the cording.
Repeat steps 3-4 again to attach the other side to the bag. Press the seams open as much as you can.
5. Pin a handle to one side of the bag with the ends of the handle about 3” below the top edge. I placed my handles about 3/4” inside the piping.
6. Sew the handle to the tote bag by topstitching around the bottom of the handle. Make sure that your stitching begins and ends at least 1” away from the top edge of the bag. This is so the handle will fold away from the top edge when you attach the binding.
Repeat to sew the other handle to the other side of the bag.
Assemble the lining:
1. Sew the lining pieces with a curved edge and the 9 1/2” x 13” rectangle together with the rectangle in the middle to make a long strip with curved ends. Use a 3/8” seam allowance. Press the seams open.
2. Fold the lining piece back (wrong sides together) along one of the seams – either one, it doesn’t matter which. Press and then topstitch 1/8” from the edge.
This will be the top edge of the pocket.
Make a pleat by placing the topstitched edge about 1” below the closest curved edge. Pin the sides.
Fold the piece in half to check if the pocket depth is correct.
3. Place the topstitched edge of the pocket about 1” below the curved edge that it is closest to. This makes a pleat that is about 6” deep. Pin the sides of the pleat.
The actual depth of the pocket may vary a little bit. Check to make sure it is correct by folding the piece in half with the curved edges together. Both sides should be the same size, with the remaining seam at the bottom.
4. Baste the sides of the pleat together about 1/4” from the edge.
5. Divide the big pleat into two pockets by folding it in half lengthwise and making a crease. Then stitch along the crease from the topstitched edge down to the bottom of the pleat (make sure to backstitch at the start and end).
6. Mark the bottom center of the lining side pieces. Pin and stitch the sides of the lining to the pocket piece the same way as the exterior, using a 3/8” seam allowance. The marking at the bottom center of the side should match the seam at the bottom of the pocket piece.
For this step, I like to use pins placed right along the seam line (not perpendicular to it). This helps to make it fit. Don’t forget to clip the straight edge of the pocket piece as you pin it around the corners.
Stop: If you are using a magnetic snap closure, attach the snap pieces to the lining now, centered on either side of the lining pocket panel, 1 1/4” below the top edge. See how I attach magnetic snap pieces (including how to use interfacing to make them sturdy) in this tutorial.
Finish sewing the Basket Tote:
1. Place the lining inside the exterior, wrong sides together. Match up the seams and pin around the top. Baste the lining to the exterior, sewing 1/4” from the top edge all the way around.
(If you are not using a zipper, skip to the binding in Step 8 below.)
2. Prepare the zipper:
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If your zipper is longer than 20”, cut the end off to make it exactly 20” long.
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Cut a scrap of fabric 2 1/2” x 3”. Press the long 3” edges to the center. Press the short ends under about 1/2”.
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Wrap this tab around the cut end of the zipper. Stitch in a square around the tab, 1/8” from the edge.
3. Flatten the bag and crease to find the center of each side.
4. Use the fabric marking pen to make a mark at the center of each side of the bag on the inside. On the left side (where the open end of the zipper will be sewn), you just need one mark.
On the right side of the bag (where the tab end of the zipper will be sewn) make two more marks, an inch away from the center mark on either side.
5. Open the zipper and clip or pin the wrong side of the zipper against the top inside edge of the bag. Place the top (open) end of the zipper against the single mark on the left side of the bag. Continue to clip or pin the zipper tape to the bag. At the right side, angle the tab end of the zipper down into the bag at the first mark that is 1” away from the center.
This is how the zipper tape should look from edge to edge.
6. Baste the zipper tape in place 1/4” from the edge. Switch to your zipper foot if it’s easier.
7. Pin or clip the other zipper tape to the opposite edge of the bag in the same way. Make sure the tab end is not twisted. The open ends should meet on the left side at the single mark. Baste it in place.
8. Fold the 2” x 40” bias strip in half lengthwise and press. Press the long edges almost to the center – about 1/8” away from it.
9. Pin or clip the right side of the bias strip against the top inside edge of the bag. Leave about 6” open with long ends of binding free at either end.
Stitch the binding to the bag with a 3/8” seam allowance. Use your zipper foot if there is a zipper. If you used a snap instead, you can use your regular sewing machine foot.
After sewing most of the binding on, pin or clip the free ends until they meet. Place a pin at the point where they should be sewn together.
Unclip the binding and seam the ends together where you marked them with a pin. (I didn’t take off my zipper foot, since I’d need it again in a minute.)
Trim away the extra binding, finger press the seam open, and then pin and sew it in place.
10. Wrap the binding around to the outside of the bag, folding the raw edge under. Pin or clip it in place about every 2” all the way around.
Tip: On the bag without a zipper, the sides of my lining wanted to creep up when I topstitched the binding. I suggest pinning the sides through all layers about 2” below the edge to prevent the lining from creeping up.
11. Topstitch the binding down close to the folded edge.
All done! I would love to see your bags so upload a picture into the next Show Off Saturday Picture Party!
Now that I have these two beautiful bags, it’s hard for me to decide which one to use! I’m so glad I have my Handy Purse Organizer (free pattern) to help me quickly move all my things back and forth.
Don’t forget to Pin this free sewing pattern for later… and follow my Sewing Purses and Totes Pinboard for lots more inspiration!
Happy Sewing,
Disclosure: some of my posts contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of those links I may receive a small commission, so thank you for supporting SewCanShe when you shop! All of the opinions are my own and I only suggest products that I actually use. 🙂
I already printed out your pattern and plan to make an easter basket with it, maybe with some applique on the center panel. I love the basket shape.
thank-you so much for this pattern and doing one with a zipper. I noticed no one thanked you for the zipper one. I was going to say “ Not every bag needs a zipper and soft/stable” but maybe no one will read it but you. Again thank-you for the free pattern. Happy Creating.
Thanks for sharing.
Wow!! Love this!!
Love Them! Pretty beyond words!thank you for sharing.
Thank you for the tutorial. Your instructions are very clear. I love this bag and I have started sewing one using Indonesian batik. Will share a picture later.
Just one question: Am I correct in assuming that the pattern includes a 1/2" seam allowance?
I’m busy on an embroidered panel for the center (it’s a kitten sleeping in a basket, super cute!), and I got started on hand piecing hexagons to make up the side panels. This is not going to be a quick project for me, but I should get it finished in time for Easter.
The seam allowances are 3/8”, unless otherwise noted. 🙂
I have downloaded the tutorial and would love to make at least one of these bags but while I have all the instructions to the bag I cannot find any of the pattern pieces. Is there a separate site to get the pattern pieces and if so could you send me a link. Thank you.
Please see the download link above, the pattern pieces are free in my Craftsy shop. 🙂
Thank You so much. Just what I needed. Hope I can make it??
Hi, I recently made a bag using your pattern tutorial….thanks for the free pattern, I love the bag and get lots of compliments on the style. You can see a picture on this blog post https://cjs-sewingroom.blogspot.com/2017/06/a-little-sewing.html
I am so in love with this pattern. I can’t wait to start one. Thank you for such a well written pattern and free download!
I’m having trouble making this bag. For the Basket Tote Body Piece pattern, it says to cut 1 on the fold as marked for exterior fabric. I did that. When I am joing the basket tote side pieces together to the one body piece pattern, it seems that there should be a second body piece pattern. Is there supposed to be 2 quilted body piece patterns?
Can you help me figure this out?
Is the back of the tote plain fabric?
Robyn English
Hi Robyn,
If you cut the Bag Body on the fold, it should be approximately 29” long x 9” wide – plenty to wrap from the front of the bag to the back. Does this help?
I just realized the mistake I made. It was in cutting out the fabric from the pattern – sorry for the confusion – matter now rectified.
Awesome!
Hi! I never did get around to making this for the spring but have been busy this past week working on it. I have now come to the lining and am running into trouble. The directions read to sew the lining body pieces to the 9 1/2" x 13" pieces together. My body pieces only measure 7". I cut the pattern pieces out from your pattern and I don’tunderstand what is going wrong.
Please help me
Adorei esta Bolsa, obrigada.
Loved this! I made it into a diaper bag for my last baby. I wanted something fancy but practical! My daughter loved it so much I made her a mini one to match!
Nagyon jo, ügyes ,érthető szabásminta.a táskámmal meg vagyok elégedve, igaz lehetett volna picit nagyobb….
Thank you for this cute pattern. I have made the outside bag but find it is only about 12" wide at the top. I reprinted the pattern pieces to be sure I had done it correctly but the second version is exactly the same as the one I used to make the purse. I don’t see a box on the pattern piece pages to verify the accuracy of my printer and I didn’t see an actual measurement of the pattern pieces in the directions. Help! Could you please tell me how wide the center piece and the side pieces are supposed to be? I definitely want to make this one again. Thank you! Kris Curtis
Hi Kris,
I’m not sure what happened. After sewing the parts together, the bag exterior should be larger than that. Please make sure you are printing at 100%. Sometimes printing from an iPad or phone causes a problem. Printing from a computer would solve that.
Good luck!
Love this! I am going to make it to replace a 12 year old "stuffed puppy" carrier my daughter uses to haul toys or art supplies or whatever…all the time. Hers has drop down handles with a plastic straw inside. They drop because there’s a hinge–a metal square–at the bottom. Are there small changes to assure the handles are strong, and possibly drop down? I noticed there are thick plastic straws in the handles (they are falling apart).
This bag would work nicely for that. The handles already drop down, so I don’t think any extra hardware would be needed.
This is a very cute pattern although if I wasn’t an experienced bag maker I would have pulled my hair out. The handles were difficult and difficult to attach, especially as described in the directions above. Would have been much better to attach the handles to the center piece before sewing the sides on to allow for more room. Also this so cute on the outside, but difficult to modify for more pockets or ways to avoid the big empty space inside. I’ll make it again because it’s cute!
This is my 4th bag I’ve made and I am so excited because it looks so great so far! It has been a challenge for a beginner (I’ve done a LOT of seam ripping), but I’m looking forward to the finished product. I do have a question about sewing the handles on. I’ve tried 3 times, and each time the seam is very crooked and my machine struggles with making that perfect curve around the thick fabric. Any tips on getting better at this other than just getting thread that blends in better? I’ve tried with both the regular foot and a zipper foot.
Yay! So happy you love the pattern.
As for help with the handles. Have you tried hand-basting them in place before you start? Then they won’t move while you sew them. You might also try a walking foot on your sewing machine.
xoxo
You should Clearly Note: Print Pattern in Landscape Mode, Otherwise the pattern Will be Incorrect in Size.
Wow no wonder my 9 1/2 × 13 rectangle lining piece wasn’t fitting. Dang I’ve already finished the rest of the bag!!
I love this bag and was all prepared to make it and realized that because the body piece is cut on the fold that on one side of my bag, the pattern on the body piece will be upside down.
Hi Patricia,
That’s not a problem. Simply cut two pieces, adding 1/2” along the straight edge that would be the fold. You can use a ruler or eyeball it. Then place the pieces RST and sew them together along the straight edge with a 1/2” seam allowance. Press the seam open and you are good to go!
Hi Vicki, You do not need to pay for a Bluprint subscription to access the free PDF patterns. Just click ‘add to cart’ and then check out – no payment required! xoxo
I just finished the basket tote and love it. Is there a smaller version? It would be awesome. Thanks for the pattern.
Hello,
Would you please put up a new link to download the template? The one you have posted, go to just words..
Thanks for your patience – I have had a TON of links to fix since Craftsy/Bluprint closed. This one works now! 🙂
Thank you so much! Yes, it’s a shame about Craftsy/Bluprint, after all these years.
Just finished my second basket tote. Great pattern and I’m obsessed with these bags!!
Thank you very much! You have done a lot of work! I liked your bag, I’ll try to sew myself a similar one!
LOVE your patterns. Thank u so so much.