Sweatshirt Tote

My niece didn’t want to give up her favorite sweatshirt, but she had outgrown it. So, we turned it into a tote. The tote is longer than I what I am used to, but my niece did not want to lose any of the image on the front of the sweatshirt.

Supplies needed:

Sweatshirt (makes the outer pocket of tote)

Rectangular fabric 43 inches by 15 inches for outside of inner tote.*
Rectangular fabric 43 inches by 15 inches for lining of inner tote.*
Rectangular batting 41 inches by 15 inches.*

*If only the sweatshirt is used for a simple tote, then only the lining fabric will be needed.

If my niece hadn’t been so insistent, I would have made a straight cut across the top. Instead, I trimmed the top in order to preserve the image. Then I made straight cuts on the sides trying to square up the front of the sweatshirt as much as possible.

 The back was easier. I made straight cuts across the top and down the sides.

We turned her sweatshirt into a three pocket tote. We used black fabric because it matched the outlining on her sweatshirt. After measuring the sweatshirt sections, we cut a piece of rectangular fabric seven inches longer than the top to bottom measurements of the sweatshirt front and the measurements to the top and bottom of the back section of the sweatshirt section.

My niece’s sweatshirt front (measured 19 inches by 15 inches) and back (measured 17 inches by 15 inches) 36 inches by 15 inches. We add 7 inches to the length making our black cloth 43 inches by 15. We also cut a section for the lining (also black) with the measurement s of 43 inches by 15 inches.

Cut batting 41 inches by 15 inches.



Pin batting in the center of the rectangular fabric. Then add the lining fabric on top of the batting. The layer can now be quilted together.

I sewed straight lines to quilt the layers together and even a line to secure the edge of the batting on all sides of the fabric.

Sew bindings on the tops of the front and back of the sweatshirt sections to get a finished edge.

Fold the rectangular fabric layers in half so that the measurements are 26 ½ inches by 15 inches. Press or mark a line on the fold. Measure 2 ½ inches from each side of the fold line and sew the sweatshirt bottoms to each line.

Fold so the sweatshirt pieces are facing each other and pin. Sew up each side. You now have secured the sweatshirts as pockets to the front and back of the tote.

Sew the triangular tips of the bottom of the tote to square off the bottom.

Cut off triangular tips.

Make the handle. My niece wanted one long handle that she could throw over her shoulder. To make a long strap, a strip of fabric was cut 44 inches by 4 inches. Press in half. Open. Fold the sides to the center and press. Now, you can fold so that you now have a strip of fabric that measures 44 inches by 1 inch.

Before attaching the strap, fold over the top of the tote ¼ inch and press. Fold over ¼ inch again and press.

Sew around the edge of the top to secure in place.

Pin the handle over the seam edges. Sew by hand or machine in place. I sewed by hand because it was very bulky.

Turn tote inside out and you now have a finished tote.