Slumber party tote bag

It's summer vacation and that means it's slumber party season. As a kid, I spent so many summer nights sleeping over at my best friend's house and now my daughter is starting to experience the joy of slumber parties, too. 

I stitched up a cute tote bag to make it easy for her to just throw in her pajamas and favorite bear, and she can head off for a fun night of staying up talking & giggling with her friends.

I used Joy Letters to personalize the tote with her name because she frequently forgets things at people's houses. Now there's a better chance her belongings will make it back home.

To sew a slumber party tote bag, I used the "Library Bag" instructions from the book, Sewing Bits and Pieces: 35 Projects Using Fabric Scraps by Sandi Henderson.  I added the monograms and made some size adjustments to suit my needs. You can use any of your favorite tote bag tutorials or patterns to create a similar bag. Supplies:

•  Joy Letters - I used a large monogram for the first letter and smaller letters for the rest of her name
• 5x17" fabric strip for the front of the tote (mine has a "Princess and the Pea" theme)
• Two 16x17" pieces of canvas fabric (Designer Tip:  I keep canvas drop cloths from my local hardware store on hand for projects like these. It's super inexpensive and sturdy)
• Two 16x17" pieces of cotton print for interior 
• Two 16x17" pieces of Fairfield™ Stabilize™ Interfacing 
• Two 4x18" pieces of fabric for straps
• Two 4x18" pieces of interfacing for the straps 
• Basic sewing supplies

Instructions:

• Press the raw edges of the 5x17" fabric under. Place the strip, right side up, on one of the canvas fabric pieces, pin and top stitch it into place.
• Once the fabric is stitched to the front, place the monogram letters on the fabric and iron them on per the package instructions.
• Iron interfacing onto the backs of the canvas pieces.
• Fold the top side of the canvas pieces down 1/2" and stitch to finish the top edge.
• Place canvas pieces together, right sides facing, and stitch around sides and bottom.
• Turn bag right side out.
• Iron interfacing onto the back side of the strap fabric. Mark the middle of the strip. Fold the long edges towards the center and press. Fold in half and stitch together.
• Pin the straps onto the top of the bag, 4" in from each side. Stitch in place.
• Fold the top side of the interior fabric pieces down 1/2" and stitch to finish the top edge.
• Place the interior fabrics together, right sides facing, and stitch the sides and bottom together.
• Turn the interior pieces right side out and put into into the outer bag. Smooth it out and match-up the side seams on both the outer and interior bags. Pin around the top and then stitch around top to hold lining in place. (This is my super tricky/lazy way to give a bag lining!)

Want to make a gusset bottom? Watch the video on my blog for making wine gift bags to see how to create gussets. 

You can find Joy Letters in your local craft and fabric stores. Want to make a matching zipper pouch to go with your "Princess and the Pea" Tote Bag? Visit my blog to get the tutorial. It even has a cute little pea charm on it! This set would make a great birthday gift for your favorite girl!