Round Top Tote with corded handles

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If you need a roomy tote bag to carry all your belongings, this round tote bag pattern makes a super cute, bright bag, perfect for the summer season!

Round Tote Bag Pattern

The round tote bag pattern is finally here and I can tell you, this adorable canvas bag pattern will become your go-to bag, comes summer time (but works just as great in any season, if done in season appropriate colors)! This tote bag pattern makes a great, super roomy canvas tote bag, perfect for carrying all your important stuff but it could also be an awesome beach tote or a wonderful gift idea (think Mother’s day!).

I know the world might not need another tote bag pattern but this round tote bag comes with a twist: a cool, rounded top! And not to mention this is a super sturdy bag! This round tote bag pattern is made with canvas for both the exterior and interior. And I also used very stiff interfacing which you can order here if you like to make a similar bag. It does make sewing and turning the bag right side out a little difficult so I wouldn’t recommend this type of interfacing to beginners.

More bags you will love:

• One handle canvas tote bag
• Quilted handbag sewing pattern
• Reversible grocery bag from vinyl
• Color block tote bag with wide handles
• Beach bag from towel
• Drawstring makeup bag pattern

While this round tote bag pattern may look like a simple tote, the fabric choice, the rounded shape at the top and the stiff interfacing will make this bag truly stand out! And have I mentioned its got corded handles? You can find the corded handles tutorial here. If you are not very familiar with sewing with canvas you’ll find these canvas tips very handy.

This round tote bag pattern is not a beginners project but I wouldn’t call it intermediate either, it’s somewhere in between these, so a little experience in sewing bags, using interfacing, a zipper foot and heavy duty fabric are a plus.

Something I’ve learned while making this canvas tote bag pattern, that you should keep in mind if you plan to make one too: if you’re using the same interfacing as I did which is super stiff, it’s best to fuse it up to the seam allowance so when you sew the bag pieces together, your needle will only have to go through the fabric, not the interfacing, making your project much easier.

Features of the rounded top bag:

• Unusual rounded top design
• Corded handles in same fabric to match the bag
• Super stiff interfacing
• Easy boxing method
• Roomy inside (with enough space for several internal pocket options)
• Roomy enough to carry a tablet or even a small laptop but smart enough to use as a purse!
• Bright colors (mustard and nautical stripes)

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The pattern is available to purchase here!

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Canvas Tote Bag Pattern

Materials:

• Mustard Canvas 2 x 20″ by 20″ = 50 cm by 50 cm for outer and lining panels
• Striped Canvas 2 x 20″ by 20″= 50 cm by 50 cm for outer and lining panels
• 2 Strips of mustard canvas fabric 26″ by 5″ = 67 cm x 13 cm for handles
• Interfacing 2 x 20″ by 20″ = 50 cm x 50 cm (this and this are good options but for a super stiff, sturdy bag use this)
• Bag Pattern available to purchase here
• Scissors
• Sewing machine (I used this one)
• Zipper foot for when making the handles (tutorial here)
• Jeans/Canvas needle of 100/16 or 110/18 (recommended)
• Heavy duty thread in color of choice
• Fabric marker
• Cording for handles
• Pins or clips
• Iron
• Tips for sewing with canvas found here.

Directions:

Cut the fabrics

• Wash, dry and iron your fabric.
• Print your pattern pieces from here.
• Assemble the pattern for the top piece and the bottom piece.
• Place both top and bottom pattern pieces on the striped fabric and cut around the patterns. Do the same for the mustard fabric.

Prepare fabric pieces

• Then mix and match. Match the bottom pieces of the mustard to the top pieces of the striped fabric and the bottom pieces of the striped fabric to the top pieces of the mustard. I used the mustard top/ striped bottom panel as lining but you can choose which ever one you like.

• Place the pattern pieces on the interfacing and cut accordingly. You will only need 2 pieces for the bottom and 2 for the top as you’ll only use interfacing for the outer fabric panels.

• Fuse interfacing to the outer fabric as instructed on the package.

Sew the bag pieces

• Take the outer panels and match them at the straight line, facing together then sew with 1/4″ seam allowance. Do the same for the other outer panels and the lining panels.

• Now you’ll have 2 big outer fabric pieces and 2 big lining pieces.
• Take the 2 outer fabric pieces, pin at the sides and the bottom then sew a 1/4″ seam.
• Do the same for the 2 lining pieces.

Box the bags

• Box the lining fabric. In the corner, measure 2″ = 5 cm away from the side and the bottom and mark with a fabric marker.

• Now pinch the top fabric and match the side seam to the bottom seam, lining them up to make a nice triangle. Stick a pin if you need to.

• Sew a straight line perpendicular to the corner and do a backstitch at the beginning and at the end.
• When boxing the outer bag you may find it difficult to pinch and match the seams so draw the 2″ mark and cut the fabric out then match the seams as above and sew with 1/8″ allowance, backstitching at the beginning and the end.

Insert the handles

• Make the corded handles as indicated in this tutorial.
• Take your handles and place them on the outer bag as indicated in the image below, 4″ away from each side and 1/8″ outside the rounded top. Pin in place and sew to the bag with 1/8″ allowance.

Assemble the bag

• Take your lining and outer bag and place the outer bag into the lining bag, facing right sides together. (I added some simple pockets to my lining before so that’s what shows in the image below)

• Match up the top side seams and edges, pin, and sew leaving a 1/2″ seam allowance around the top of the bag.
• Don’t sew all around the bag. Leave an opening in between the handles on one side of the bag, to leave room to turn the bag right side out.

Finishing the bag

• Turn the bag right side out through the gap. If you use really stiff interfacing this will prove a bit tricky. Spray some water on your outer bag to make the interfacing moist then turn the bag right side out. This will also help with ironing which is the next step, once the bag is right side out.
• Place the lining down into the bag, iron your top edges, and top stitch as close to the edge as possible.
• Use an ironing board or the back of a chair to smooth out the wrinkles easier. If you didn’t spray any water on the previous step, you may want to do it now or use a damp cloth.

• Done! Enjoy your new super duper, super roomy and super summery tote bag!!

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