One Summer morning, an idea popped into my head, so I decided to get the Sewing Machine out and give it a try.

After sharing on social media, I received messages from a few people asking if I could provide instructions on how to make them. I was happy to oblige, however I do feel it’s necessary to highlight here that I am not a professional seamstress, so my instructions might be a bit rough around the edges.

With that in mind, here are my (rough around the edges) instructions on How to make the Ribbon Tote Bag.

If you would like to view a PDF copy of these instructions, then scroll down and click the Download Button.

How to make a Ribbon Tote Bag

The Ribbon Tote Bag is a simple, but versatile project, which allows you to make your bag any size, shape, colour or pattern, you desire.

I have made this design, using both 25mm and 40mm Herringbone Tape, and while I loved them both, the 40mm version was much easier to make!

You will need

Bertie’s Bows Cotton Herringbone Tape Webbing
Gutermann Sew All Thread
A Sewing Machine
(probably tea and biscuits too) – optional

The Pattern

Details on the Colour Patterns shown

Once you have your finished panel, it’s time to sew it together to make it look like a bag.

Fold your panel, so the correct side (which will become the outside of the bag), is face to face. Align the tops, which will become the bag opening. Pin along this edge to hold in place.

Now you want to mark out where you are going to sew.

Hints and Tips

Don’t sew the top strip of ribbon, when sewing your side seams.
Instead, fold these pieces back over on themselves, and run a straight stitch along the edge to form a rim at the opening of the bag.

Once this has been done, complete the side seam stitch.

You can fold the top piece over, after sewing the sides, but I found it easier to fold the top over first.

Next, we’re going to create a simple gusset effect.

With the bag still inside-out, flatten the base section, and align with the side pieces. Sew a straight stitch across this edge. This will close off the bottom of the bag.

No bag is complete, without some handles (or straps)

To achieve suitable strength/rigidity, I sewed two pieces of Herringbone Tape together, to create the bag handles/straps.
I wanted to have fun with the design, so I chose contrasting colours on each bag.

First you will need to determine the required length.
For my first attempt, I simple cut each piece of Herringbone Tape to 1 metre (100cm) long, and cut it down later.

Sew a simple straight stitch along the edge of the Herringbone Tape, ensuring that the pieces are aligned.

Pin the straps to the bag, on one side, leaving the other end free. This will allow you to get the perfect length.

Tip

When testing out the length of the handle/strap, try holding it to your side. Adjust the length so the bag doesn’t drag on the floor when you’re walking. Don’t forget to make sure there is enough room to slip it on your shoulder, for when your hands are full!

Trim any excess thread strands, including any frayed edges on the end of the Herringbone Tape. The internal seams can be covered using a Bound Seam, with a matching piece of Herringbone Tape.

Open or Closed?

Typically tote bags have an open top, but you could add a zip to close it off, if preferred.

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Thank you for reading our Blog! We hope you enjoy making your own Ribbon Tote Bag. We’d love to see your makes, so feel free to share with us on Facebook/Instagram

@minionsofcraft

We have included brief summary of these instructions below. Simply click on the image to zoom in, or download a PDF copy.
If you have any questions, check out our Q&A Section below, or send us a message.

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SHOP THE RANGE

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Prices correct at time of writing.
Please check website for current price and availability.

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1. For the Rainbow Tote Bag and the Pink Tote Bag, I used a simple Plain Seam Stitch, working as close to the edge of the Herringbone Tape as possible.
   For the Mini Tote Bags, I opted to butt the Herringbone Tape together, and join with a wide zigzag stitch. This helped to achieve a flatter join, which felt preferable on the smaller bag. ↩︎

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Q & A Section

How much Herringbone Tape will I need to buy?

That depends on what size Tape you use, and what size bag you make. But let’s break it down, based on the examples shown.

Rainbow Tote Bag
25mm Herringbone Tape
1 metre of each colour
25 colours used
(plus handles)
29 metres total

Pink Tote Bag
40mm Herringbone Tape
5 metres of Mid Pink (08)
6 metres of Pale Pink (07)
6.5 metres of Dark Pink (09)
17.5 metres total

How long does it take to make the bag?

The Rainbow Tote bag took me most of the day to finish.
This was mainly because I was experimenting with different ideas, and learning as I went along. I was also stopping frequently to take photos and videos of each stage.

The Mini Tote Bag took me about an hour, from start to finish.

What skill level is this suitable for?

I am intermediate, hobbyist sewer, and I managed to teach our 8 year old son to make his own version. It’s not a complicated pattern, so would suit a beginner. The trickiest part is sewing the ribbon pieces together straight! (Make sure you have a stitch ripper to hand).

How do I scale the design?

The Bag Width, Bag Height and Bag Depth, can be any size.

Width x Height = Front Section of Bag
Width x Depth = Base of Bag
Side Sections = Half of the Bag Depth x Bag Height

Length of Ribbon pieces = Width + Side Section + Side Section + a bit extra

Length of Ribbon panel = (Height x 2) + Depth + a bit extra

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