SAVE $5 when you purchase 2 or more patterns !!!

New Market Tote with Extra's!

by Lisa Roddy

A little break from quilting this week to finish a Market Tote, a housewarming present for a friend back in the U.S.

A market tote bag that is gray with red flowers sitting on a gray bench in front of a red-brick wall.

 

I have made this bag dozens of times over the past 10 years. It's a perfect gift—fast, easy, and a great size! It's based on the Market Tote tutorial by Holly over at Bijou Lovely.

 

When making this bag, I have typically used decorator weight fabric for the upper exterior fabric—it helps the bag hold its shape. You can find examples of previous versions I have made here and here.

 

For this bag, I have added a few things. An inside zipper pocket and an elastic key fob. I wonder why I didn't think of adding these earlier. 


Oversized tote bag in gray with red flowers

 

It's a market bag, right? Why not create a small pocket you can close with a zipper to hold your wallet, bus pass, Blistex, and mints? This pocket is 5.5" T x 8" wide, making it a perfect size to keep any small items you want while you're out.

Elastic key fob inside of a market tote bag

 

I also added a removable elastic key fob to the bag's interior. I have always appreciated the key fobs in my hiking backpacks and thought, why not add that extra security to a market bag. For this one, I used lobster-claw swivel clasps that detached at each end and added elastic, making it easy to use the keys without disconnecting them. Our car uses a keyless fob, so I never even have to remove the keys from the bag to start and drive the vehicle.

Since moving to the UK, I have learned about different vendors, fabric shops, meters vs. yards, and even what they call things here (batting vs. wadding). Through a little trial and error, I discovered that eBay is by far the most economical place to purchase the fusible interface for the bag. I use a lightweight interface with the lining fabric and a heavyweight with the other materials (the handles use a heavy-duty interface on one side of the strap and a lightweight one on the other).

Helpful tips for making this bag.

Resources:

  • Printed fabric MissPrint Dandelion Mobile Storm from TextileExpressFabrics.co.uk
  • Base fabric = Kona Charcoal
  • Lining fabric = Kona Pewter
  • Pocket fabric = Kona Red
  • Zipper = 8"
  • 1" (25mm) Lobster Claw swivel clasp (2)
  • 3/4" (20mm) D ring (1)

It's always been a fun bag to make and I really enjoyed adding a few new elements to this one.  I feel like I may be exploring bag making a little more in the near future. 

Market tote with red inside pocket an gray bag with red flowers

 

As always, let me know if you have any questions.

Best,

Lisa

Leave a comment

Name .
.
Message .
Back to News