No Sew Ruffle Tote with Tutorial
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No sewing skills, but you want to make one of those cute Ruffled Tote Bags seen all over Pinterest? If so, this craft has your name written all over it! Today, I’m sharing the tutorial for this adorable No Sew Ruffled Tote Bag, made completely with hot glue and a few craft supplies!
For today’s project, I wanted share a tutorial anyone could do.
I tested out my theory that I could create a ruffled tote bag with absolutely no sewing. And guess what- it totally works!
The bag is made with a pre made, plain tote bag, a bit of ribbon, fabric strips, pinking shears and hot glue! (You can find these fabric strips everywhere now, and most of the time they come already cut with the “pinked” or “no-fray” edge. )
Can I just say this bag is his bag is awesome?
Turned out so cute and is perfect as a book bag or overnight bag (For all the seamstresses out there, you can totally sew this project and I’ll include some additional instructions at the bottom of the post.) (See *A)
Make your own No Sew Ruffled Tote Bag:
I originally bought this fabric to make a quilt for my daughter, but I wasn’t “in love” with it. (I have already bought more fabric for her quilt.) I thought the pinks, greens, and yellows in this collection were perfect for a spring tote.
Walmart and Amazon are now selling some pretty darn cute fat quarter and jelly roll bundles. Even though a fat quarter is only 22 inches wide, you can use them for this project. I will show you how at the bottom of the tutorial. (See *B)
Materials needed:
- Tote bag
- About 1/2 yard of fabric (You can do just one fabric or mix several different colors and patterns, you will need more fabric for a larger tote.)
- Ribbon (at least 1/2 inch would be best)
- Ruler
- Scissors
- Fabric marker or chalk
- Hot glue gun and lots of hot glue
Instructions:
Step 1: Get Measurements.
First of all, my tote bag measures 13.5 inches wide by about 13 inches tall. So if your bag is similar in size, then no math for you, just use my measurements! (6 strips 28″ wide x 2.75″ tall)
Width of strips:
If your tote is a different size here is how to figure out the width of your strips: measure the width of the bag, add 1/2 inch and multiply by 2.
Height of strips:
To figure out the height of your fabric strips: measure the height of your bag, and decide how far up the bag you want the ruffled fabric to go. Take that measurement and divide by how many ruffles you want. Add 1 inch to that number and that is how tall your fabric strips should be. (my measurements as an example: My ruffle strips were 28 inches wide by 2.75 inches tall)
Step 2: Cut Ruffle Strips.
1. Cut out your ruffle strips to your measurements. (I cut 6 strips, 28″ x 2.75″.) I used my Pinking Shears for the bottom edge to help with the fraying. (This is a must-have tool IMO.) Regular scissors will be fine if that is all you have, you just may have to trim some fraying fibers off every so often.
2. Fold over the short edges of each ruffle strip, 1/4 inch. Press firmly with an iron to get a good crease.
3. The next step is to “hem” the fabric strip edges. We will use hot glue to do this. I must give this warning… Hot glue is very hot, please be careful! These
4. Open the folded edge of your fabric strip and add a small line of hot glue, then fold the fabric back over and press.
Do this on all of your fabric strips.
Step 3: Adding the strips to the bag.
1. From the bottom of your tote bag, measure up the height of your fabric strip minus 1/2 inch. Do this in several spots along the bottom and then draw a straight line across. Then, from that line, measure up your fabric strip height minus one inch and draw another line. Keep repeating this for the number or ruffles you have. See image below for a better explanation.
2. Grab your fabric strips and fold them into fourths. Make a mark with your fabric marker on each fold. This will divide your fabric into four equal sections and will help you distribute the ruffles evenly. Do the same thing with the tote bag.
 |
| See how the blue marks divide the bag into 4 equal measurements? |
3. Starting at the bottom of the bag, add a 1-inch line of hot glue along the line you drew on the tote bag. Quickly line up the edge of your fabric strip, place it in the hot glue. Using your fingers, slide the fabric backward to make a ruffle. (Remember, the glue is very hot. You have a very small window of time from when the glue is cool enough to work with, but not so cool that it is starting to harden.)
4. Keep going until all your ruffles are glued on. Go back and add more glue to any loose areas.
Don’t be afraid to practice your ruffling first. I practiced on paper and scraps from an old t-shirt:
Step 4: Adding the ribbon trim.
1 Cut a piece of ribbon to the length of your bag plus 1/2 an inch. Use a lighter to heat seal your cut ribbon edges. Fold over one of the ends of the ribbon 1/4 inch, add a drop of glue and squeeze with your fingers; like this:
2. Starting with the edge of the ribbon you folded over, add hot glue to the back of the ribbon and attach it along the top edge of your top ruffle, concealing the glued ruffle part of the fabric.
3. Add a spot of glue to any extra ribbon and fold over to make a smooth hemmed edge, then add a little more glue and secure to the bag.
 |
| Yuck! I hate it when my camera focuses on the wrong subject. Bad camera! |
You are done!
I added another color of a smaller ribbon and a fabric flower for a little pop! (You can find the fabric flower tutorial here.)
*A. Sewing instructions: After you cut your fabric, fold over the short edges of each ruffle strip, 1/4 inch. Press firmly with an iron to get a good crease. Sew along the pressed edge, 1/8 inch from the edge. Do this on all of the short edges.
Follow the ruffling tutorial found here to ruffle your fabric strips. Pin your ruffles to the bag and sew right over the ruffling stitch. Do this for all of your ruffles.
When you get to the last ruffle, follow the instructions at step 7. You can sew your ribbon on or just glue it.
*B: Using fat quarters: Cut enough fabric so when you line up the fat quarters, they will equal the fabric strip width you figured earlier PLUS 1/2 inch. Fold, iron and glue all the short edges to make a nice side hem on all the fabric strips.
Divide the fabric into 4 equal parts and mark as we did in step 5. (Pin the two fabric end pieces together if that helps.)
Start attaching your ruffles. When you get to the end of one fabric piece, just start with the other and finish the ruffle. You can barely tell where one piece ends and the other begins.
And just to prove it is not all cupcakes and roses all the time over here. That face, oh my…
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Aw, this is so beautiful! Just wanted to let you know that I featured this today. Thanks for sharing @ Show & Share.
http://southernlovely.blogspot.com/2012/03/show-share-29-features.html
What a fantastic idea! I am featuring it today:
http://www.thegunnysack.com/2012/03/who-was-stuffed-in-gunny-sack-week-27.html
Stop by and grab an I Was STUFFED button! 🙂
~Tonia
OK – this is absolutely adorable and so easy! Love no sew projects! Thanks for linking with Sugar & Spice!
Fabulous project!!!
Thank you for linking up, hope you will stop by my blog today and link up another great project…
Claire xox
http://polkadot-pretties.blogspot.com/
It came out beautifully!! The green fabric in it is what I used for curtains in my daughter's room. Thank you for sharing at Sharing Saturday! I hope you will share with us again this week!
You have been featured(again) @CountryMommaCooks Link and greet Party
stop by and pick up a featured button:)
Really cute! So nice to see something in fabric that does not require a sewing machine:0)
Adorable! I am such a ruffle fan – so girly! Thanks for the post!
Jamie, this is so cute and I love that it's a no sew project! It's super trendy, too! 🙂
Jenny
LOVE this! I've featured it this week at my *Get Creative* party, come on over and grab your "I've Been Featured" button, and link up any new craftiness you have 🙂
http://www.justalittlecreativity.com/2012/02/get-creative-party-3-and-fun-features.html
Hope to see you there again this week!
-Molly
The outcome is really cute! So easy and so pretty! 🙂
Thanks for linking to Take-A-Look Tuesday over at Sugar Bee Crafts – you were featured today!!
–Mandy, http://www.SugarBeeCrafts.com
I signed up for your emails and love all the ideas! Very motivating 🙂 thank you!
This is so cute! I'm definitely not a sewing person so I'm going to have to try this!
This is adorable! I love that it's no sew!
I'd love for you to link up and share: http://tutusandteaparties.blogspot.com/2012/02/pinteresting-party-week-28.html
This is so cute! Can't believe you didn't have to SEW 🙂
Love for you to share this at my Wednesday's "Made by ME" linky party here:
http://www.jaqsstudio.com/2012/02/made-by-me-20-linky-party.html
This is so cute!! HOORAY for glue guns! We loved having you link up to "Strut Your Stuff Saturday." We hope to have you back again soon!! -The Sisters
Love the ruffles!! I would love it if you linked up at my party going on now! (It's my very first one!!)
Jill
http://www.jillifyit.com
Cute bag! I love that you showed how to do it without sewing!
-Brandy
I love the easy peasy factor .. can't wait to try it with the kids! thanks for sharing your super cute bag with us 🙂
Danielle — craft play love.com
An incredibly adorable bag, but being the sewer I am I would have to sew it! Love you color choices. Thanks for sharing your creative inspiration at Sunday's Best Par.tay!
Such a cute bag! Love it.
This is super cute! I always get free totes from grocery stores, so I have a lot on hand. I'm definitely going to try this out and I'll post it to the group link you've provided above! Thanks 🙂
Hi there
Love Love Love the tote 🙂
What a greast idea
Cheers
Catie
Love love love it! So cute and fun.
Cute! Love that it's "No Sew!"
GREAT job, love it and of course, I am pinning this!!!!
Very cute! Love ruffles. Nice tutorial also!
So cute! I featured this on my blog, here: http://punkprojects.blogspot.com/2012/02/make-it-monday_27.html
-Katie
Just pinned this – I LOVE IT!! 🙂 Great tute.
That is SUPER cute!!!
Very cute, thanks for the tutorial – found my weekend project (like I needed another one…)
Stephanie
I love this! The ruffles, the colors! You are one talented lady! Thanks fot sharing!
Stacey of Embracing Change
Now, I have only ever sewed ruffles, but this looks like something to try out. I will have to remember about that glue being HOT. I have burned my fingers before and for some reason or other, forget and burn my fingers a lot.
Adorable, and I've recently taken up sewing, but am currently completely infatuated with RUFFLES<3
So cute a teen would want to have it as a gift
I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't sew!!!! I LOVE no sew projects!!!
I hope you'll come over to The DIY Dreamer and share it 🙂
http://thediydreamer.blogspot.com/2012/02/from-dream-to-reality-linky-party-4.html
This is so adorable! I'm pretty sure a bag of some sort is going to be my first craft project once I get moved in a month, and this one is perfect!!
Super cute!! I will have to make one for my daughter….she will LOVE it!! Thanks for sharing!!
These are cute and I have alot of totes that I have gathered over time that I can use.
🙂
Adorable bag and great idea!! Pinning it:D
what a great idea! I'd love to win, as we're giving my daughter a ladybug party for her birthday and she'd love a bag like this!
THANKS
My girls would love these!
I would love to make a bag like this for one or all of my granddaughters …such a cute idea…love it!
My grandaughter would love a bag like this. Very cute
This tote is adorable. I have a similar one to try this on!
I "like" you on Facebook, and shared your post.
What a cute bag!! I follow your blog through Google Friend Connect. Thanks for the
chance to win!
That's really cute!!! And I have that green fabric with the ladybugs on it totally awesome. especially for those of us who don't know how to use a sewing machine!!
Stacey
http://www.silvergriffondesigns.artfire.com
This is a perfect project for my high school Fiber Arts class! I'm really trying to get them to create things that resonate with their style, and this could be something that could be tweaked in a lot of different directions.