Beginner Friendly Tote with Pretty Kitty by Doodlebug Designs

Are you on a bag-making quest for 2025? If you’re like me and ready to step outside your comfort zone, 2025 is the perfect year to dive into bag-making! Today, we’re starting with a very beginner-friendly (and reversible – wink) project to ease into this creative venture.

Hi, I’m Alexis from Stitched by Alexis (Instagram), and I love a good sewing project, no matter how big or small. If you’re looking to try something new in 2025, you’re in the right place! I’m getting adventurous with my projects this year—so why not join me?

Getting Started

For this project, I chose the Texas Sized Tote Bag pattern by In Bloom Sewing Studio, which is an fabulous beginner pattern. It’s a lightweight tote that can be made using canvas for the body and webbing for the handles. However, I decided to use quilting cotton for both the body and the handles. I had a few uses in mind for the bag—a yarn project bag, a grocery sack, or a kids’ library bag—so keeping it lightweight was my main goal.

Fabric

Bag 1:

Body: Pretty Kitty™ Kitty Talk White and Pretty Kitty™ Yarn Dots Pink

Handles: Pretty Kitty™ Polka Dot Pink

Bag 2:

Body: Pretty Kitty™ Yarn Dots White

Body & Handles: Pretty Kitty™ Polka Dot Blue

Alterations

I made a few tweaks to the pattern to customize the look. First, I increased the boxy notch to 2.5 inches. I wanted a bag with a bit more room, and I love how it turned out—it’s a little more squat, but it opens up wider for easier access.

The pattern suggests using polyester thread, but as a new bag maker with limited supplies, I opted for a coordinating cotton thread. The construction went smoothly, but if I were making this bag with heavier materials, like canvas, I would definitely switch to polyester thread for added durability.

The Pretty Kitty fabric from Doodlebug Design for Riley Blake is a thick, high-quality quilting cotton. I chose not to use interfacing on the body or handles, but you could certainly add interfacing before construction to provide extra structure if that’s the look you want.

Creative note: For an extra creative touch, try quilting the exterior panels before final construction! This is a great way to explore your creative side before tackling more complex patterns.

This pattern is perfect for getting your creative juices flowing—especially before you dive into more challenging bag-making projects.

Stay in Touch!

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Thanks for visiting, and I can’t wait to see you back here soon!

Alexis Plunkett
Stitched by Alexis