Quilt Block Tote

Categories: Gifts, Quilts, Bags and Totes

Turn a quilt block into a functional and beautiful tote with just a little extra fabric and Fairfield’s Smooth Fusible Fleece.

What you need to make this project

Materials
Smooth Fusible Fleece
1 yard of two coordinating fabrics
Quilt Block
Supplies
rotary cutter and ruler
sewing machine
needle and thread
Bodkin

Quick Shop

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Smooth Fusible Fleece Interfacing 44.5″ Wide X 6 Yard Roll

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Quantity

Price: $49.99

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Start by cutting your fabric and Smooth Fusible Fleece for the tote.

Cut from outer fabric:
2 pieces: 2.5″ x 12.5″
2 pieces: 2.5″ x 16.5″
1 piece: 16.5″ x 16.5″
2 pieces: 4″ x 32″

From inner fabric:
2 pieces: 16.5″ x 16.5″

From fusible fleece:
2 pieces 16.5″ x 16.5″
2 pieces 3.5″ x 32″

supplies for quilt block tote

Fuse the fusible fleece onto the back of each lining piece. Set aside.

press fabric to fleece

Fuse the strips onto the straps, leaving 1/4″ seam allowance on either side. Set aside.

press fusible fleece to handle

Stitch the two 12.5″ pieces to either side of the block.

add borders to quilt block

Press.

press borders

Stitch the 16.5″ strips to the remaining sides. Press.

attach top and bottom borders

Place the 16.5″ outer square on top of the framed quilt block, right sides together.

stitch front and back

Stitch on three sides. Now we’re going to box the corners.

Open up, exposing one of the bottom corners. Finger-press flat. Using a ruler, mark in 1.5.”

mark corners

Pin the seam to secure.

pin corner

Stitch on the line, cut off corner leaving a 1/4″ seam allowance.

trim corners

Repeat these steps with the lining (place right sides together, stitch 3 sides, box corners).

repeat with lining

Make the straps. Fold in half, stitch down the length with a 1/4″ seam allowance.

stitch handles

Use a bodkin or safety pin to turn the strap right side out.

turning handles

Insert the bodkin into the strap, secure to the edge with the seam allowance, and tighten bodkin by moving the ring to the top.

secure bodkin

Guide the bodkin through, turning the strap right side out.

turn handles

Press the strap flat, with the seam down the middle of the back.

press handles

Top stitch on either side 1/4″ from each edge.

topstitch edges

Mark the lining, 5″ from each side.

mark for handles

Pin the straps in place, the inside edge on the mark made in the last step, with the seam towards the lining fabric.

pin handles on

The straps should hang inside the bag, tucked out of the way.

handles inside

Turn the outside piece right-side-out, and put inside the lining piece. Pin all the way around the top of the bag.

pin inside

Stitch all the way around the top of the bag.

stitch around top

Make a 6″ hole in the seam on the bottom of the lining, and turn right side out through the hole. You could have left a hole when stitching the lining, but by doing it after, the marks left by the seam give you a guide to use when hand-stitching the seam closed.

turn right side out

Press the top edge, and top stitch 1/8″ away from the edge to create a finished look, and secure the top edge of the tote.

topstitch along edge

Hand-stitch the hole in the bottom closed using a ladder stitch to make the stitching nearly invisible.

hand stitch opening closed

Your quilt block tote is complete.

finished quilt block bag