Shoulder Strap Bag and Tote Bag with Celtic Quilt Blocks

For this handbag and totebag project, we used the designs from the Celtic Quilt Block Set. We thought that the results were very good-looking.

The finished size of the shoulder bag is 11" x 11". The finished size of the tote bag is about 5" wide x 15" high x 19" long. We used a total of 1 1/2 yards of soft artificial leather for both the bags. For the shoulder strap bag you will also need 1/2 yard of fabric for the lining, four 5/32" grommets, two 3/4" dees and two 5/8" dees for the shoulder strap and two magnetic closures (optional).
For the tote bag, besides the artificial leather, you will need 1 yard of Pellon Peltex 70 and fabric for lining, bag handles and a magnetic closure (optional).

Shoulder Strap Bag

Step One: Out of outer fabric cut a rectangle 23" x 35". You can cut a rectangle 1"- 2" larger and make it 23" x 35" after embroidering.
With a removable chalk pencil draw lines through the center of the fabric both lengthwise and breadthwise. Your working piece will be divided into four equal sections.
Draw a line 7 1/2" from the upper edge (this will be the upper border of the embroidery) and another line 1 1/2" from the middle line (this will be the lower border of the embroidery).
Choose the designs you want to embroider and make their printouts. With the help of the printouts, mark the position of the embroidery between the upper and lower borders that you just drew and close to the vertical central line.

Step Two: Stabilize the fabric with an iron-on stabilizer. Iron the piece from the back (the side where the stabilizer) in order not to damage the fabric.
Embroider the designs. Remove the excess stabilizer.
Check that your wotking piece is 23" x 35" and all angles are 90 degrees.

Step Three: Fold the working piece in half lengthwise, right side inwards. Straight stitch to close the seam with 1/2" seam allowance. Open the seam allowance and top-stitch 1/4" from the seam. You'll get a large sleeve or tube. Do not turn the working piece right side out yet.

Step Four: Out of fabric for lining, cut a square measuring 23 1/2" x 23 1/2". Fold it in half and straight stitch the seam with 1/2" seam allowance. Press the seam open. You'll get a large sleeve or tube. Turn it right side out.

Step Five: Take both sleeves. Insert the lining sleeve into the outer fabric sleeve. Align the raw edges on one side and match up the seams. Stitch together with 1/2" seam allowance. Turn the leather sleeve right side out. The result will be a new long sleeve made out of the leather sleeve and the fabric sleeve. See the diagram below.

Step Six: Flat the sleeve with the embroidery facing up and centered.
Tuck the lining into the leather sleeve. Tuck in the top end of the sleeve, leaving a 1 1/2" margin over the embroidery. Secure the layers with pins and turn the whole thing inside out. You should get a sleeve about 22" long and 11" wide (this doesn't have to be exact).

Slip-stitch together the open edges of the lining and the outer fabric. Do not remove the pins yet. Turn the working piece right side out.

Step Seven: Top-stitch the edges 1/4" from the edge.
Flatten the working piece with the embroidery facing up. With a ruler, check that the embroidery is centered. Fold in half breadthwise. You will get two pockets. Unfold the outer side of the first pocket and the outer side of the second pocket. Pin together the inner sides of each pocket, then topstitch them together.

Step Eight: Insert four grommets into the upper outer corners of both pockets of the purse. Insert dees into the eyelets.

Step Nine: Out of the outer fabric cut a strip measuring about 40"- 42" long and twice as wide as the dee you used. Our dees are 3/4" wide, so we cut a strip 1 1/2" wide. Fold each long side of the strip so they meet in the middle. Top-stitch to get a belt.
Insert the ends of the belt into the dees. Adjust to the length you need and attach the ends to the belt.

The shoulder strap bag is ready. It has two roomy inside pockets for whatever you want to carry. You can also slide items through the center of the bag, as you can see below:

The Tote Bag

The tote bag is made in the same way as the Tote Bag with Bird Quilt Blocks. Follow all the steps described in that tutorial, using Celtic Quilt Blocks instead of the birds.
We embroidered the two sides of the tote bag differently but in a matching style.

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