I posted this wine tote recently and just finished another and took pics! So here we go. With the required feline helper.
Step 1: Wear out your jeans or grab a pair from a family member and pretend they are lost. Or get creative and use any worn-out pair of sturdy pants.
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Cut approx 15" from the bottom of a leg. (Or measure a wine bottle. Add 1 3/4" for the bottom, the existing hem will be used for the top of the tote.
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Cut two strips 1 3/4" wide for handles and trim off the heaviest seam to open up. From a contrasting fabric, cut two strips the same size as the handles for lining.
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Seam rip a back pocket from the jeans (not shown).
Step 2: Turn the leg inside out. Match the seams and mark a dart on each center side. From the cut edge (now the bottom of the tote), start at about 1/2" and taper off at about 8". Sew the darts.
Step 3: Trim the darts and iron flat. IMPORTANT! Now cut a piece of contrasting quilted fabric with seam allowance the same shape as the leg. Optional: If you don’t have quilted fabric, use a lining and padding. Set this aside.
Now, Open up the inside seam of the leg to about 2-3 inches from the hem (now the top of the tote).
Step 4: Position the pocket on the wider leg side and stitch down. We opened the leg to make it easier to machine stitch. Or, don’t open the leg and hand stitch the pocket in postition. Remember that the hem edge is now the top of the tote. (I did not take a picture of sewing on the pocket before, this is a final picture, but you get the idea)
Step 5: Decorate the other side of the leg. I used craft paint and stamps to create a bunch of grapes. But you could embroider or applique a design as well. Or leave blank, but what’s the fun in that?
Step 6: While the paint is drying, cut a contrasting fabric the same size as the straps. Stitch and turn, then topstitch. These handles came out about 11- 12" long,
Step 7: Turn the leg inside out and sew up the opened leg. Then sew across the bottom.
Step 8: Flatten the bottom corner into a triangle by matching bottom seam and side. Stitch across about 1 1/2" to 1 /3/4" from the corner. Then trim. Repeat. I was aiming for the remaining bottom seam and corner seams to be around 3" each to form a square bottom. Adjust as needed for your size of jeans.
Step 9: Stitch up the sides and bottom of the lining. Finish the corners the same as the tote.
Step 10: Turn the tote right side out. Position and pin the handles. I equally spaced them around the top. With the lining inside out, place inside the tote matching bottom corners and sides. Fold-down about a 1/2" at the top and pin or clip it just below the existing hem. Stitch on the inside.
Step 11: I then did a decorative stitch on the outside to hide the rather wonky stitching. Those seams are hard to sew over.
Go on a picnic or meet friends outside for fun.
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