A tote bag is always handy every time you go grocery shopping or when heading out of town for the weekend. And to make your standard tote bag more functional, you can also add a zipper to ensure that all your items are clean and safe.
Follow the steps below to add a zipper to your favorite tote bag:
- Cut the following from the main fabric:
Two 3 x 24-inch pieces for the zipper part.
Two 21 x 24-inch rectangles for the back and front of the bag.
Two 6 x 32 ½-inch pieces for the bottom and sides of the bag.
Cut the following from the lining fabric:
Two 3 x 24-inch pieces the zipper section lining.
Two 18 x 24-inch pieces for the back and front lining.
Two 6 x 30 1/2-inch for the bottom and sides lining.
Put the zipper right side down on the 24-inch edge of one of the 3 x 24-inch pieces, aligning the zipper’s edge with the fabric’s edge. Using a seam allowance of 1/4-inch, sew the zipper tape on the fabric. Repeat using the second 3 x 24-inch pieces on the other zipper tape.
Put the right side of the 3 x 24-inch lining piece on the zipper, putting the zipper in the middle of the fabrics. Sew the lining to the fabric using a seam allowance of 1/4-inch. Repeat for the second 3 x 24-inch lining piece on the second portion of the zipper.
You can then sew the seam finish on the sewn edges. Press flat the zipper tape, pressing both fabric layers away from the zipper.
You can topstitch the pressed edge for holding the fabric right in place away from the zipper. Baste the fabric’s edges and lining together.
- Take the two pieces of 6 x 32 ½-inch and put together the wrong sides, matching the first set of the ends measuring 6 inches. Use a 1/2-inch seam allowance for sewing the 6-inch end before applying the seam finish. You can press the seam to the other side and topstitch the seam to the fabric’s body.
- Match the previous seam you made on the bottom piece or sides to the middle of the bottom of one 21 x 24-inch piece with the right sides placed together. You can now pin the bottom right in place.
You can clip the bottom piece or sides at the corners then align the edges to the upper edge of the 21 x 24-inch then pin it in place.
You can sew the bottom piece or sides to the 21 x 24-inch piece with the use of the 1/2-inch seam allowance before applying the seam finish.
You can do this again for the 21 x 24-inch piece for attaching the back and front of the bag.
- Pin the bag’s top together. Measure then mark 3 inches from the bag’s top. You can cut the bag’s top at the 3-inch mark.
- Match the top piece’s seams cut off with the zipper section’s corners. Sew these together with the 1/2-inch seam allowance. The corners can be clipped when needed for turning the corners before applying a seam finish.
- The bag lining can be assembled in the same way you did with the main fabric. Put the lining in the bag’s body with the fabrics’ wrong sides together. You can match the seams then baste together the top edges.
- Measure in 5 inches from side seams on the back and front of the back. Straps should be pinned at the 5-inch mark. Sew these straps to the bag’s body inside the 1/2-inch seam allowance.
- Open the zipper section’s zipper, placing the bag through the zipper with the fabric’s right sides kept together. Align all the seams then reattach the cut off fabric from the top where the zipper is now attached.
- Turn out the top right side, with the bag’s top folded inside the bag on the seam line. Make sure to press for the seam line to be on the bag’s top edge. Topstitch the bag’s top half an inch from this folded seam line.
Visit https://www.zippershipper.com to find the zippers you need for your tote bag.
