A tote for Tiny

I think my sewing is improving. Granted, I only know how to use one stitch setting on my sewing machine, but I’m getting super talented at sewing a straight line.

Last night, my instant-gratification-loving 4-year old asked me to make her a bag out of fabric and ribbon. I told her I could make a quick bag out of a pillowcase and ribbon, and she thought that was acceptable (phew!). I got to work and had one made for her within 1/2 hour. It wasn’t awesome, but it was quick. I told Tiny, my two-year old, that I would make her a bag later that night. I didn’t get a chance to sit back down at my sewing machine until after both girls went to bed, but that ended up being a good thing because I took that long, uninterrupted period of time and created a pretty cool little tote.

Check it out:

I didn’t take photos as I went along and I totally winged it as far as measurements, but I’ll tell you the basics of how I made this bag.

1) I laid the bottom half of a pillowcase (the open half had been used for Teeny’s quick pillowcase and ribbon bag) flat and cut about 1/4 of it off of the right side.

2) I turned the pillowcase inside out and sewed up the now-open right side.

3) I folded down the top opening of the bag about 1/2 inch all the way around and sewed it.

4) I pinned one end of a wide ribbon to the left side of one of the panels of the bag (still inside out) and then pinned the ribbon down on the right side at the point where I felt the ribbon strap was a desirable length. I sewed both ends of the ribbon to the bag.

5) I repeated step 4, but on the opposite side, and I made my ribbon strap the same length as the one on the other side.

6) I flipped the bag right-side out and ironed on a heart applique to the bottom right corner.

Voila!

Teeny was a bit envious of Tiny’s bag when she saw it this morning, so I quickly assured her that I had plans to revamp her bag tonight to be just as cute as Tiny’s. I have a tutu applique to put on Teeny’s bag. She also wants me to sew her name onto it, so I have to learn embroidery while I’m at work today.

This was a fun project to do on the fly and it was seriously cheap. I had all the materials on hand, but I remember the pillowcase cost less than $1 and the ribbon was from a bag of ribbon extras I got at Hobby Lobby for something like $1.99. The applique only cost $2 or $3 at Joann’s.

I’ll be back tomorrow with Teeny’s tote!

I just linked up to Made By You Monday, Tip Me Tuesday, DIY Under $5.

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