Tree Tote

Here are some basic directions for the

Painted Tree Tote

This is a fun project because you can design the color palette and spacing of your trees to your liking and make it your own.  I was inspired for this idea from wrapping paper on a gift my husband recieved for his birthday.  You never know where inspiration will come from...sometimes even the trash! I also liked the same concept of layered colors and patterns on Vanessa's canvas art project at V and Co.

Supplies:

1/2 yard outer fabric

1/2 yard lining fabric

2 yards of strap (find it by the yard in the notions section)

1 package (10) large eyelets with tool to attach

fabric paint

freezer paper

Print my tree pattern

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut your fabrics to make

-2 rectangles (12"x14")

-one long strip 4" wide and 42" long

of each color

2. Plan Your Design

Decide how many trees of each shape, and which colors you want them to be

Trace your trees on the paper side of the freezer paper.

Cut them out.

3. Paint Trees on Tote

Beginning with your lightest/ most translucent paint, position the trees where ever you want, and iron the freezer paper on the canvas.  Paint the trees with your fabric paint, then peel off the paper.

Continue painting each additional layer, allowing each color to dry in between.  Some brands of fabric paint require you to iron to seal paint when it's all dry.

*I chose to add another tree on the back of the tote, so paint anything else at this time.

CONTINUE TUTORIAL HERE

4. Construct tote and lining

Beginning with one end of your long strip, place the right sides together, and sew down the long side of the rectangle.  Put your needle in the fabric, rotate the rectangle while stretching the strip to line up, and sew across the bottom.  Turn the corner again, and sew up the other side.

Pin the other rectangle right side to the raw edge of the long strip, and repeat the sewing around the edges.

So you now have a rectangular bag

5. Sew Lining

Repeat step 4 with lining fabric

Flip your outside bag right-side-out.

Keep your lining in-side-out.

6. Sew Tote Together

Place the right-side-out tree bag inside of the in-side-out lining fabric.

Sew along the open tops of the bag, but leave 3-4" unsewn.

7. Top-stitch along top edge

Pull the outside through the open hole, followed by the lining.  You'll have both bags right-side-out.  Then shove the lining back into the tree outside.

To close the open hole, top-stitch along the top edge 1/8" from the folded seam.

8.  Place metal eyelets in Tote

Grab your packages of extra large eyelets ($4.50) and tool kit ($3.00).

Measure along the top of the tote to space your eyelets equally.

I gave it 2" in the center of each side, then 1.5" in between the rest, with one eyelet on each end.

Trace the inside of an eyelet on the fabric, then cut out these circles in both layers.

Following package instructions, attach your eyelets to the fabric.

9. Strap

Lace your 2 yards of coordinating strap through the eyelets.

Sew the 2 raw ends together, zig-zagging across the seam.

Finished!