Monday, January 23, 2012

Tutorial~ Kitchen Towel Bag



I picked up a kitchen towel at Target a while ago. I loved the look, but I also had the intention of making something out of it.

My youngest sister who lives in Japan graduated from high school last year and moved out of my parents’ house. Now she is working at a pretty big construction company in the area and working/studying construction management.

She is about a couple hours away from my parents, every now and then, my mom and my other sister will go check up on her to see if she is ok. Sounds like she is doing well and since she is only 10 min away from where she works, she will go back to her apartment for lunch to save money, and quickly clean her room, then she will do some preparation for dinner. According to my other sister, she will even buy meat in bulk and separate it into one person portion sizes and freeze them. Wow, I didn't know my baby sister is that resourceful at age 19, good for her!

I want to send her a small package soon. So, I decided to make a grocery bag out of the kitchen towel. This is a rather small grocery bag, but it's perfect for someone like her. You can keep a bag like this in the car for unexpected needs; it happens to me sometimes. :)

Here is what I did:

1. Cut the kitchen towel and lining.


From the kitchen towel: 2 - 13 1/2" X 13 3/4" (main part of the bag), 2 - 1 1/2" x 22"(handle).

From lining: 2 - 13 1/2" x 13 3/4" (main part of the bag), 2 - 1 1/2" x 22 (handle), 1 - 8" x 6 1/2" (pocket).
2. Lay the main fabric right sides together. Sew both the sides and the bottom. Pinch the bottom corners and sew to make a boxed bottom. Cut the excess, press seams with the iron.


3. Make a pocket for lining.

a. Sew the three sides of the pocket fabric with zigzag stitches (sides and bottom).


b. Fold bottom corners then fold sides and bottom by 1/4" seam. You will have miter corners.


c. Fold the top twice and sew with straight stitches.


4. Sew the pocket onto one of the lining fabric. I just drew a line randomly on the pocket and sewed to make two separate spaces.


5. Sew lining. Just repeat step 2.

6. Make handles. Combine one main fabric, one lining right sides together and sew. Turn the fabric inside out than press with the iron.


7. Put the main bag and lining together with right sides together. Make sure that both sides of the seams match up and pin them to secure. Before you will pin all around the top, slide in the handles then pin the whole top. Leaving a 4" opening, sew all around it.


8. Turn the bag inside out. Press the top with the iron. Top stitch closed.


Now it is ready to ship to my sister!


Perhaps, she can use both sides too...


I hope she will like it. :)

32 comments :

  1. I love it! I'm sure she will too. :)

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  2. what a great idea!! I have a lot of towels to use for this project :D
    Thank you for sharing!


    My blog about sewing,vintage and fashion:
    http://alicecloset-sewing.blogspot.com/

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  3. This is soooo nifty! Great job! You're such a good sewer! :)

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  4. She definitely will.
    I've passed it along to both daughters.
    hugs
    Gerry

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  5. I was at Target last night with my husband.. wish I had found one of these!!

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  6. So pretty! You have such good taste! Thanks for sharing!

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  7. That turned out really cute! Love it. And wow, at that age she sounds really responsible! I was barely doing that at 21. :)

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  8. Love this and a great tutorial. My friends and I give small gifts like dish towels, so this would be a wonderful idea.

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  9. Love this and a great tutorial. My friends and I give gifts like dish towels and this is a good idea. Thank you, Miss Tea Rose.

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  10. she'll LOVE it!!! How can she not? I do! :)

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  11. That is so cute! I must get to target - I love that towel!

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  12. I am sure your sister will love it! It is adorable!

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  13. I am sure that she will love it! Lovely bag! Great idea!

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  14. Such a great idea, thank you for sharing. Will definitely have to try!

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  15. Of course she'll love it! I know I would. Thank you for posting the tutorial - really well done.

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  16. lovely lovely....i have these same towels sitting in my drawing just waiting for the right project to come along & i think you've just provided it - thank you!

    www.northerncottage.net

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  17. I found your bag tutorial on Pinterest and wanted to tell you how much I like it. I bought three of these towels...one for a pillow and two just to have on hand. I'll definitely be making a bag with one of them. Thanks!!

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  18. That's a really cool bag! Thanks for sharing it with us :)

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  19. love it! I have some vintage feed sacks. I think I'll use those and make a few.

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  20. I love it! You have a very idealistic mind and very artistic.

    Christina @ Mens Boots

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  21. I am very sure she will like the bag.

    How cool to have a sister that thinks of her as you do.
    I sense the L O V E.

    I am new at your blog and enjoying it all the way.
    Thank you for being so giving and sharing all the talents and tutorials.

    Hugs!

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  22. I was just saying yesterday that I want to make myself a new grocery bag. What a great idea.

    I hope you are taking care of yourself!
    liZ

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  23. That's really cute!! I love the design on the towel - makes for such a cute tote!

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  24. I reblogged this:
    http://oneperfectday-accessories-and-bags.blogspot.com/2012/03/tearosehome-bag-tutorial.html
    Hope that's ok!

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  25. Hey what a brilliant post I have come across and believe me I have been searching out for this similar kind of post for past a week and hardly came across this. Thank you very much and will look for more postings from you. Best Heavy Bag Stands

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