Hi everyone!

Happy Tuesday! We hope everyone is having a wonderful day. It’s Day TWO of our Spring 2014 Collections Launch. Have you seen the collections we’ve launched so far? Be sure to check out Star Wars III, Ultimate Spider-Man II, and Girl Power II. Lots more prettiness to come! :)

We have our How To’s Day for you!! Today’s tutorial is on a really adorable, fun kid’s tote – Our Tot’s Triangle Tote!! We remember being little girls always wanting to be just like our mommies; wearing her heels, putting on her makeup, dowsing ourselves in too much perfume, and of course, strutting around with her clothes and handbags. Now our kids don’t have to go through mommy’s things (although, they probably still will!) because we can make them their very own tote – kid-sized and friendly, but just as chic!   Our younger selves would feel so pretty and grown-up with our very own bag to match our mum’s, putting all the important things inside – like chapstick, animal crackers, and crayons – of course! ;)

We can even imagine little girls and boys going to the playground with our kid tote – the perfect companion for carrying all their park essentials (bubble, sand toys, and band-aids!). They can keep all of their newfound treasures inside too. And there’s even an interior pocket to keep all their special things safe! :)

We used Our Playground by Vita Mechachonis collection for this tutorial; a happy and playful collection inspired by another thing we miss most about our childhoods – going to the park to play with friends, swinging to our heart’s content, and hanging on the monkey bars. So many wonderful memories that make Playground especially nostalgic.

Ready to make your very own tote? Click HERE to see the full tutorial!

Tot’s Triangle Tote Tutorial

Supplies

The following cuts of Playground quilting cotton (44” wide) from Camelot Fabrics:
– 2/3 yard of Fabric A: 1140603 #3
– 1/4 yard of Fabric B: 1140606 #2
– 1/4 yard of Fabric C: 1140604 #3
– 1/2 yard of Fabric D (lining): 1140602 #2 – 2/3 yard of Fabric E: 1140605 #3
– 1/2 yard of quilt batting (58” wide) from Camelot Fabrics- printer & tape
– Basic sewing supplies: sewing machine, iron & pressing surface, scissors & fabric shears, measuring tape & straight edge, fabric marker, straight pins, and needle & coordinating thread

Notes
– A 1/4” seam allowance is included in the templates. Unless otherwise indicated, please sew all seams with a 1/4” allowance.
– Unless otherwise noted, sew all seams with the fabrics’ Right Sides together.
– Please wash, dry & iron your cotton before beginning, but do not iron batting.
– Arrows indicate the direction of the fabric’s grain, running from top to bottom.

Cutting

Print the Triangle Tote template at 100% size and tape the pages together, matching up the grey squares. Cut out the template pieces.

Refer to the Cutting Diagrams below to cut the following pieces.

Fabric A: (4) Large Triangles & (2) Small Triangles

Fabric B: (6) small triangles

Fabric C: (2) Tops

Fabric D (Lining): (2) Lining Body pieces & (2) Pockets

Fabric E: (2) Handles (not included in the templates & cutting diagrams): 4” wide x 20” tall

Batting: (2) Full Sides

Handles

1. Fold each Handle piece in half and sew the two long edges together as shown. Press the seam open.

2. Baste one short end closed and push the Handle Right Side out with a large knitting needle. Remove your basting stitches.

Making The Shell

1. Sew a small Fabric B triangles to each small Fabric A triangle as shown. Press the seams open.

2. Sew a small Fabric B triangle to each of the remaining sides of the (2) small Fabric A triangles as shown. Press your seams open as you go.

3. Sew your (4) large Fabric A triangles to the left- and right-hand sides of the units you just made, and press the seams open. This completes the Side-Bottom of the tote’s Shell.

4. Baste each Handle’s raw ends to the top edge of a Shell Side unit, with the Handles’ seams facing away from the Shell. Be careful not to twist the Handles.

5. Sew the bottom edge of a Fabric C Top piece to the top edge of each Shell Side. Press the seam open; press the Handle ends toward the Shell Side.

6. Pin a Batting Side to the Wrong Side of each Shell Side unit. Begin at the center of the Sides and progress outward toward the edges. Quilt the Shell Sides as desired, and edge-stitch the Top to the Batting, but don’t quilt the Top just yet.

Here’s how we quilted our Tote:We quilted 1/4” from either side of each join-seam and around the outer edge of the Tote.

Next, we quilted paralled lines of stitches across the large Fabric A trianges, spaced 1” apart.

Finally, we quilted lines paralled to the Tote’s bottom & sides, 1” from each edge.

7. Tuck the handles against the center of the Shell sides and pin in place, to keep them out of the way of your seams. Sew the Shell units together around their sides & bottom, but leave the top open.

8. Finger-press the bottom corners of your Shell as shown, taking care to line up the side seams. Draw a line across each corner where it’s 5” wide and box the corners by sewing along these lines, backstitching at both ends of each seam. Trim your corners 1/2” away from these seams and clip the fabric away at the seams’ ends.

Making The Lining

1. Fold & press the following pieces in half as shown:

(1) Lining Side

(1) Lining Top

(2) Pockets

Unfold these pieces.

2. Sew the Pocket pieces to the Top & Side pieces as shown, lining up the creases. Press the seams toward the Pockets.

3. Sew the Top & Pocket unit to the Side & Pocket unit with a 1/2” seam as shown. Press the Top/Side seam toward the Side piece.

4. Sew the second Top to the second Side with a 1/2” seam as shown. Press the seam toward the Side piece.

5. Sew the Lining units together around their side & bottom edges with a 1/2” seam allowance, but leave the top open. Clip the corners & press the seams open.

6. Press & box the corners of the Lining as you did with the Shell.

7. Turn the Lining Right Side out.

Assembly

1. With the Handles still pinned down, fit the Lining into the Shell, Right Sides together. Sew the two layers together around the top edges with a 1/2” seam, making sure that the side seams are lined up. Leave 4” gap at one side.

2. Turn the Tote Right Side out through the gap in the top seam. Whipstitch the gap closed.

3. Quilt the top of the tote as desired; we sewed lines paralled to the top edge, spaced about 1” apart.

We hope you have enjoyed this week’s How To’s Day! If you decide to make any of our free projects or use our fabric for a project, please share! We LOVE seeing all of your finished projects – they make our day! You can send all pictures to info@camelotfabrics.com – Look out for another Spring 2014 collection coming today; Have a great one!

Happy Sewing!