A while ago, I found a never-been-used touristy tea towel, a linen one printed with brightly coloured Australian wildflowers, in amongst other op-shop treasures. I bought it for a couple of dollars and tucked it away, sure that the bold, distinctive flowers could be made into a pretty feature on something new.
A tote bag made from a touristy tea towel.
That something new turned out to be a tote bag. Following along with this YouTube tutorial, I folded, cut and re-purposed this tea towel into a pretty tote bag in about an hour. A simple and inexpensive project which will now be a Christmas gift for my Mum. (She doesn't read my blog so my secret is safe with all of you!)
Each step is easy to follow and there's no difficult sewing involved. The most important thing is to begin with a large tea towel made from a fabric that will have some strength when you pack it up in its new life as a bag. The linen of my tea towel was closely woven so it has sewn up into a sturdy bag.
Begin with a tea towel.
(A large, linen tea towel is ideal.)
Handles cut from the tea towel.
(No waste of fabric at all!)
Hems at the top of the bag
& handles attached!
French seams for neatness & strength.
One important thing to realise, when choosing a tea towel from which to make this tote bag, is that the image on the back of your bag may be upside down if it is a directional print. I decided this didn't really matter with these flowers, they are just as pretty upside down!
The back of the tote bag.
The front of the tote bag.
I think totes like these are a lovely way to make something useful from a tea towel that may otherwise languish in a kitchen drawer or op-shop basket. I can imagine my Mum, her wildflower tote swung over her arm, on her way to borrow a book or two from her little local library in town. I may have to forgive her for thinking I have a thing for touristy tea towels though. I made her this touristy tea towel cushion cover for her birthday!
Meg
Brilliant make, and such an easy design.
ReplyDeleteIt was so easy to sew up, Marlene. I am going to make a few more as gifts for my son's teachers. They are an inexpensive and quick project and quite pretty if you can find lovely linen teatowels. Meg:)
DeleteSo beautiful, and such a thoughtful gift! Years ago, I made something similar for my young cousins (they're younger than my son, who is 16). At the time, our dollar stores sold lovely cotton dishtowels, so I picked out pretty ones, folded them in half, sewed up the sides, then knitted handles for the bags and placed a few books inside. They seemed to appreciate them. I think I also gave one to my mother, now that I think about it! :) Your towel is definitely prettier than what I used, though. :) Beautiful work!
ReplyDeletePutting books inside the totes is a great idea, Stephanie. I think I will do that when I send this up to my Mum too. MegXx
DeleteThanks for the tutorial Meg, I need to rummage through my tea towel drawer and see If I have some pretty enough to make a tote with.
ReplyDeleteI hope you find a tea towel that you can make into a bag, Jan. It's such an easy project! Meg:)
DeleteIt's beautiful Meg. I'm sure your mom will love it.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nil. Yes, I think my Mum will like it as she loves our native wildflowers. Meg:)
DeleteI have done that before too - the fabric on linen tea towels is so lovely to work with.
ReplyDeleteYes, the linen sews up so well, nice and strong for a bag like this. Meg:)
DeleteThis is lovely AND usable, as is the cushion cover made previously! I received two linen dish towels with an all-over butterfly print. I've always preferred terry cloth over linen, so they only got used a few times and still look unfaded (after 40 years!) I would love them as cushion covers! Now if I can think where they might be... ;)
ReplyDeleteOh, a butterfly print would look lovely on a tea towel cushion cover, Kath. I have a pair of curtains I found at an op-shop, covered with similar flowers to those on this bag, to make into cushion covers soon. Meg:)
DeleteMy mum has the exact same tea towel although hers in very faded with quite a few holes in it now from years of use. I had never though of using a tea towel as a bag before but I think it's a wonderful idea. Thanks for the tutorial. I should be finished the teachers shopping tote bags today so I'd better stop getting sidetracked online and get cracking before I have to pick kids up. xx Susan
ReplyDeleteIt's so easy to get sidetracked, isn't it! There's so many great ideas for projects out there. Meg:)
DeleteA very prety bag Meg. I have one my daughter made from a tea towel and it's one of my favourite totes.....it's wider than tall, so is good for carrying a sewing or knitting project. Your mum will love it, and I like your idea of popping some books in.
ReplyDeleteI hope this will be one of my Mum's favourite bags too, Nanette. She bought me my sewing machine for my 18th birthday and it's only now, in my ... ahem...forties, that I am really making use of it. She's alwasy enthusiastic about my learning to sew so I think she'll like this project for her. MegXx
DeleteThis is such an effective use of a lovely tea towel! Thanks for the inspiration
ReplyDeleteI often come across linen tea towels in op-shops and this project can turn them into something so useful and reusable. Meg:)
DeleteThat's beautiful, Meg. You are so talented. I bet your mom will love it.
ReplyDeleteYou are very kind, Stephenie. I think my Mum will love it too. MegXx
DeleteThat's a great way to use up tea towels that get brought back from holidays. I have a few that I never used.... what a great way to stash bust my cupboards
ReplyDeleteHappy stash busting, Cherie! I want to make three more of these for teacher gifts in the coming weeks so I will be keeping an eye out for tea towels when I go to the op-shop today. Meg:)
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