Creating a Tote Bag

[Sheilajeanne]

After a long hiatus, I recently began to play worship music for our church once again. I found this really cool pattern that I'd love to put on a tote bag for carrying my music binder and the folders with the lyrics in them.

The binder is big, rather heavy, and has pointy edges on it. I plan to make the front and back of the tote out of the same piece of leather, then hold it together with gussets. I'm just wondering what the best way is to make sure the gussets are strong. Is it better to stitch them on the inside or outside?

I have also thought of adding a flap at the bottom which extends out sideways on each side of the main part of the bag. I will bring this up and sew it over the lower part of the gusset to reinforce the bottom seam, so there's no outer seam at the bottom of the bag. 

What think you? 

Here's a (very rough) sketch:

 

[Mablung]

Plain gussets stitched either seam in or out seem pretty strong alike. I’ve made them both ways, although my inclination is to say the seam in is stronger. But that adds a couple complications to construction, although none that are insuperable. (I made a tote bag for my mom that is 5/6 oz S.B. Foote boot leather that I turned out; that thing is bombproof.)

[bland]

You could also not use gussets.  Keep the little tabs you have sew up the sides either so you can turn it.  You could also do a lap seam or just stitch them together flat.  Then bring the tab up and sew it in on the inside or outside.  So many possibilities.  Here is one I did.  It is pretty narrow only about 2" wide but it holds computers or a 2 inch binder.  

 

[toxo]

If only to carry papers, why sides at all? I  would consider a narrow base, maybe 1 inch? You know how much it needs to carry. Then 3 or 4 horizontal straps, ranging from maybe 3 inches at the bottom to maybe 8 inches at the top,  you'll have to work out the lengths. Each strap sewn on one side and snaps on the other. Now you have something that can open like a briefcase to extract something quickly or undo the snaps to open completely. More versatile and less weight.

[Sheilajeanne]

Toxo, this is going to hold a 2 inch binder, a number of Duo-tang folders with the worship song lyrics, my Bible, the book we're studying and maybe my tablet computer or cell phone. The tote Bland shows above is very much like what I'm planning to build, except there will be some carving on the outside.  Since I will also be carrying my guitar case, purse and music stand, I want straps that are long enough to go over my shoulder. So, briefcase-style is not what I'm looking for. 

Edited March 7 by Sheilajeanne

[kgg]

On 3/5/2024 at 11:40 PM, Sheilajeanne said:

I'm just wondering what the best way is to make sure the gussets are strong. Is it better to stitch them on the inside or outside?

I would suggest something along the lines of this basic sketch and get as fancy as you like. The bag is two main pieces and two handles. The gusset piece is sewn across the front/back piece. Just a thought.

kgg

 

[Sheilajeanne]

Yup, that would certainly make it bombproof, kgg!  But I'd thought of making the flaps that attach to the gussets decorative by having the gussets a darker color - probably chocolate brown with the rest of the bag being a much lighter brown. 

Kgg, what app do you have for making such good sketches??   As you can see, Yours Truly is back in the dark ages when it comes to that! Okay, I was in a hurry, and couldn't even be bothered to use a ruler - just freehanded the whole thing...    I probably could have done it using Paint, but it would have taken MUCH longer!

[Northmount]

2 hours ago, Sheilajeanne said:

gussets a darker color

If you use just the 2 main pieces as kgg illustrates (don't cut the gusset piece into 2, keep it one continuous piece), the gussets can easily be a different colour.  And you would have a very solid bottom for your bag.

You could make the gussets wider at the top so you can open your bag further.  It you place the stitches on the outside of the bag, stitch the bottom of the gussets to the sides while laid out flat.  Then the vertical sides.  Especially if you use a sewing machine.

 

 

[kgg]

4 hours ago, Sheilajeanne said:

Kgg, what app do you have for making such good sketches?? 

I used Fusion 360 which is a CAD program for this sketch. I had that program opened away as I was refining a clicker press design. I then used Windows Snipping Tool and save the Snipping Tool file as a jpg. I'm also old school and do all my designs by pencil / pen and paper first then I move unto the computer. I bet most of the younger generation go right to the computer first.

kgg

Edited March 7 by kgg

[Sheilajeanne]

Kgg, since I changed computers, I'm having a problem with the snipping tool. It insists on saving any pictures I snip as a png file instead of a .jpg. My old version of Snip n'Sketch always saved them as jpgs. I haven't figured a way around this yet, and it's a real PITA! How old is your snipping tool? Do you have that problem too?

I'm desperate enough that I'm thinking of trying to transfer my old Snip n'Sketch program from my old computer!

I may have downloaded Fusion 360 at one time, but never got around to figuring out how to use it. It looked kind of intimidating...

Edited March 7 by Sheilajeanne

[Northmount]

54 minutes ago, Sheilajeanne said:

It insists on saving any pictures I snip as a png file instead of a .jpg.

I assume you are pasting to Paint or other graphics program.

When you save the file in Windows 10, you can pick what format to save it in by clicking on the drop down box for the file type.

[kgg]

3 hours ago, Sheilajeanne said:

I'm having a problem with the snipping tool.

I am using Windows 10 and just upgraded my motherboard / memory / hard drives about a month ago. To add to @Northmount in the Snipping Tool you can choose the file format when you select "Save As" under the "Save as type".

3 hours ago, Sheilajeanne said:

It looked kind of intimidating..

It can take awhile to get use too it does have it's quirks just like all CAD programs. If you decide to give it a try in the future start by following along with a few youtube video's. As a side note the default file format that Fusion 360 uses is a .f3d as a default and I don't know of another program that uses this so save your work as a .step format.

kgg

[Frodo]

Yo really do not need a computer or cad drawings 

how tall?

wide?

thickness?

It is just math,  even though we have differences  You are intelligent enough to lay a sheet of paper on the table and draw a pattern using a ruler and square 

If you want different color gussets than the body   I have a way you can do it using the 1 piece method

 

 

 

[Sheilajeanne]

Last night, I got as far as tracing the design I want on the side of the tote.

I also have the tote bag in the picture, which I made previously from a Tandy kit. It's not a small bag - it's 13" tall. I popped all the stuff I'm planning to carry into it, and the binder actually sticks up above the top of the bag!   I'm very glad I tested out this tote bag, because it gives me a better idea of what dimensions I'm going to need for the new one, and it's going to have to be bigger than I thought!

I'm now wondering if I have a big enough piece of leather to make it the way I planned. I also looked at all the pieces of leather I have in my storage cupboard, and decided that buying a new piece of leather just for this project ain't an option...  I really need to buckle down and do some of the projects I've been putting off for far too long!

Stay tuned...

 

 

Edited March 14 by Sheilajeanne

[Sheilajeanne]

Are gussets usually made from a slightly thinner leather than the rest of the bag, so they will flex more easily?

[Mablung]

28 minutes ago, Sheilajeanne said:

Are gussets usually made from a slightly thinner leather than the rest of the bag, so they will flex more easily?

Do you want it to flex more easily, so that the sides will collapse a bit if the bag is not full? If so, you can accomplish that with either thinner leather or another leather with a softer temper.

The answer probably depends most on what you want the bag to do. If you want it to collapse, then a thinner/softer/thinner-and-softer leather is the right choice. 

[Sheilajeanne]

Okay, good info, thanks!  Yes, I do want the sides to collapse a bit. I will have a piece of leather at the top that folds over between the handles, and hooks to a latch to keep the bag closed. And I am also going to make the gussets slightly wider at the top than the bottom, so they will need to flex in when the bag isn't full.

[Mablung]

11 hours ago, Sheilajeanne said:

Okay, good info, thanks!  Yes, I do want the sides to collapse a bit. I will have a piece of leather at the top that folds over between the handles, and hooks to a latch to keep the bag closed. And I am also going to make the gussets slightly wider at the top than the bottom, so they will need to flex in when the bag isn't full.

What are you using for the front and back? Separate pieces with a bottom gusset, or one piece with only side gussets?

[Sheilajeanne]

Mablung, planning to use a single piece with side gussets only.

[Mablung]

That’ll be good and strong, then. 
 

You know, as I look back, I see you’ve already described a good bit of this. Apologies. Looks like you have your plan down, other than deciding what to use for the gussets.