How to make your own “Break the Rules Tote”

You will need:

2 coordinating fabrics (I used black and silver vinyl) for the outside

2-3 coordinating fabrics for the lining

Your favourite stabiliser/interfacing

2x 7” zippers for the front zippered pockets

1x 7” zipper for the lining zippered pocket

2x ½” D-rings (you can use bigger ones if you preffer, just remember to adjust the d-ring tab pieces accordingly)

1x 3/8” magnetic snap

Plastic/cardstock to make the base insert piece (I used an old plastic folder)

2x swivel hook and 1 slider (both in the same width) to make the adjustable strap (not shown in this tutorial, but you have Emma’s wonderful tutorial for it)

Double sided tape

The pattern: Download it here if you didn’t already. Print and tape pattern pieces together. Cut the following pieces:

1x Top(pattern piece)

1x Middle(pattern piece)

1x Bottom and Back (pattern piece)

2x Front Zipper Pocket (pattern piece). CUT PIECES REVERSED.

1x Lining

1x Bag Base piece 13,5 x 31 cm (5 ¼”x 12 1/4”)

1x Base Insert (cut out of plastic/cardstock)10x27 cm (4”x10 ½”)

1x Lining Zipper Pocket 23x 30 cm (9”x12”)

4x Handles 2,5x56 cm (1”x22”)

2x D-ring tab 2,5x 6 cm (1”x2 ½”)

2x Top Facing 6,5x43 cm (2”x17”) Instructions: This is how your outside pieces should look once cut: Apply interfacing/stabiliser as usual.

1) Take your middle piece wrong side up and draw a marking ½” from the lowest edge. This will be the start/stop point when sewing this piece to the bottom and back piece.

2) Then place your middle piece on top of the bottom and back piece right sides together and align the bottom left edge. Try to make that the marking you made before is centred.

3) Sew only the left side with a ¼” seam allowance. Stop at the marking and secure your

seam. Clip the seam allowance trying to cut as close as you can to the stitches.

4) Do the same as before to the fabric lying underneath 5) Now align right edges and sew with a ¼” seam allowance. It’s going to be a bit bulky, specially near the marking area, so take your time and sew slowly ;) 6) You should have this now (see photo below). Try to iron it (at low temperature and using a pressing cloth if you are using vinyl) or

simply finger press. Topstitch.

7) Take your base piece and mark on its wrong side two lines ¾” away from its long edges. Apply double sided tape along the lines and fold the edges of the fabric to the wrong side to meet the lines.

8) Place the base piece with its right side up on the narrowest part of the middle-bottom and back piece (see photo)

9) Topstitch along both long edges using a 1/8” seam allowance.

10) Make sure your plastic/cardstock base insert piece fits inside the base. If not trim as necessary until it fits. Take out the plastic insert so it’s easier to sew the bag. We’ll insert it again later.

11) Take your left front zipper pocket piece. Apply an extra piece of interfacing (a strip of about 1 ½” wide) to its top edge. Take your zipper pocket paper piece and cut out the rectangle labelled as “do not cut yet” (following the dashed line). Use the paper piece to mark the rectangle on the back of the fabric piece.

12) Align the interfaced edge with the top left edge of the middle piece (that now is attached to bottom)

13) Sew along the lines of the rectangle you marked before. Cut the fabric inside the rectangle leaving a scant ¼” seam allowance and snip the corners as close as you can to the stitching. Be very careful you don’t cut the thread.

14) Turn the pocket piece to the back and press or finger press the edges of the rectangle.

15) Glue /tape Baste centred one of the zippers. Mine looks wonky because I upcycled it from an old handbag. Remember to place the zipper pull to the right so it’s in bag centre when it’s closed. Sew.

16) Fold upwards the pocket fabric so the lower edge meets the upper edge. Baste both edges together. Then, sew the sides of the pocket (be careful you don’t catch the outer fabric in your seams. Repeat steps 11 to 16 for the right front zipper pocket.

17) Repeat steps 1 to 6 to attach the top piece to the assembled middle-bottom and back piece.

18) Fold your outside piece right sides together. Sew both sides with a 3/8” seam allowance.

19) Now it’s time to insert the plastic/cardstock insert piece in your base “pocket”. And then sew together the bottom darts with a 3/8” seam allowance.

20) Take your D-ring tab pieces and mark a line in the centre. Turn the long edges to the back and align with the line. Glue/tape baste them in place. Sew the folded edges with a 1/8” seam allowance.

21) Thread the tab through the d-ring and fold it in half. Hold on top of your side seam with the raw edges peeking out of the fabric. Baste (As you can see in the photo I separated both ends of the tab because I like the look of it and in order to make it less bulky and easier to sew). Set aside for the moment.

22) Let’s move to the lining! I included a zippered pocket and a really cool slip pocket included in the Relaxed Tote pattern, but you can customize your lining as you desire. You could try this elasticised pocket tutorial or search pinterest. The slip pocket measurements included in the Relaxed Tote Pattern and all instructions work to perfection for this bag. The only change I made was the placement of the pocket. As you can see in the photo I placed the top of it to 3” from the top of the lining piece.

23) Sew the zippered pocket, you can follow this tutorial. I basically followed all steps described in the tutorial, but placed the pocket fabric as you can see in the photo below. Once sewn the zipper, fold the fabric and sew both sides, but leave the bottom open.

24) Fold your lining piece in half with right sides together and sew sides first with a slightly bigger than 3/8” seam allowance, and then sew the bottom darts.

25) Take your Top Facing pieces, place them right sides together and stitch the short edges together using a 3/8” seam allowance to form a loop.

26) With your lining right side out and your facing loop wrong side out, introduce the lining inside the loop so right sides are together. Match side seams of both pieces and align top edges. Sorry, I forgot to take a photo for this step. Sew the top edge with a 3/8” seam allowance. I included some piping in silver vinyl in this seam, so if you like the detail go ahead and do it too! 27) Install your magnetic snap. As you can see in the photo, my top facing is a bit

too narrow for a magnetic snap, this is because I intended to make a zippered top but changed my mind because zippers weren’t on Mystery Bag items list and magnetic snaps did. To improve the pattern I already changed the measurements provided for the top facing band and the lining pattern piece to accommodate better the snap.

28) Let’s make the handles! Take two handle pieces and glue them wrong sides together. Let dry. Repeat with the remaining pair. Once dry, sew both long edges using between 1/8” and 2/8” seam allowance. Now trim the edges to get a perfect finish. This technique provides you with an unfinished edge (you can see both layers of your vinyl, but it’s nice to make less bulky and less sturdy handles (I don’t like stiff handles). There’s a special paint to conceal the raw edges (which is what they use in store bought bags), but I’ve never used it before.

29) Baste your handles to 4 ½” from the side seam. Make sure they’re not twisted.

30) Introduce the outside bag right side out inside the lining wrong side out. Both right sides are together now. REMEMBER TO LEAVE THE ZIPPER IN YOUR ZIPPER POCKET COMPLETELY OPEN. Make sure the handles are tuck down between the two bags. Align both top edges and sew all way round with a 3/8” seam allowance.

31) Turn bag right side out through the hole in the zipper pocket. Then introduce the lining inside the outside bag. Try to iron the top of the bag (Remember, if using vinyl fabric use a low heat setting and a pressing cloth). Topstitch the top of the bag, stitch closed the bottom of the zipper pocket.

32) Now the only step left is making the adjustable strap, but I got too lazy and decided to use the strap of another bag. Of course, you can make your own, just follow this wonderful tutorial by Emma and you’re done!

I hope you like the bag and let me know if you make one. You can find me in instagram as @maria_filalagulla