https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/tetris-tote-bag • Posted by Julie from Sum of their Stories
Channelling my inner retro gaming geek I made this tetris tote bag from an old pair of trousers, 2 tea towels and felt. Here is how I did it!
Channelling my inner retro gaming geek I made this tetris tote bag from an old pair of trousers, 2 tea towels and felt. Here is how I did it!
First prepare the felt Tetris pieces I made templates from card, 4x4cm squares, in the right shapes then cut several of each shape out of coloured felt.
Next prepare the fabric bag pieces I used 2 tea towels to line my bag, so they determined how big it could be. I chopped a piece of the top to use for the handles, like so:
I used the lining fabric to measure my outer fabric from the trouser legs. Sorry to be a bit vague here but as this was a recycling project I used what I had. If you are using new fabric you can make your bag any size you want.
In total I ended up with 12 pieces: 2 x 41 x 44cm outer "trouser" fabric 2 x 41 x 44cm tea towel lining fabric 4 x outer fabric handle pieces 7 x 41cm (or cut 2 x 7 x 79cm if you have enough fabric) 4 x lining fabric handle pieces 7 x 41cm (or cut 2 x 7 x 79cm if you have enough fabric)
Now attach the felt shapes Before you make the bag you want to add the decoration to one of the large outer fabric pieces.Play around with your pieces until you are happy with the arrangement, I was/am a Tetris fan so it was important to me that the pieces fitted like they would in the game. Remember if a line is all filled in it disappears (and you get points!) so you need to leave gaps on every line. Once you you are happy pin them centrally to the bag front piece.
I attached each piece by stitching it on with a zig zag stitch, I wanted the thread colours to match so I stitched all the yellow, then all the green etc changing the threads as I went. It was a bit of a fiddle but worth it.
Now make the bag Once the decoration was on, I joined the 2 outer pieces and the 2 lining pieces, right sides together, pinning then sewing down the side, along the bottom then back up the other side. Leave a 3 inch gap in the bottom edge of the lining fabric in the middle. This is important, you'll need this gap later.
Next make the handles Join the handle pieces you cut out earlier in pairs by stitching the short edges. If you had more fabric and were able to cut longer strips you won't need to do this. You should end up with 2 long thin strips of your main fabric and 2 of your lining fabric. Pin 1 outer and 1 lining, right sides together, then stitch down the long edges.
To turn them right side out, put a safety pin on the end and push through the tube. Press flat with the iron then top stitch if you want to. I like how it neatens it up. Make the other handle in exactly the same way.
Now your handles are ready you can position them on the bag. Pin them to the outer bag, one handle on the front and one on the back, right sides together. Mine were 6cm in from the edge.
Turn this outer bag inside out again and turn the lining bag right side out. Insert the lining bag into the outer bag so the right sides are together.
Pin then stitch the two bags together along this top edge. Pull the lining bag out and find that gap you left in the bottom edge.
Now this is where the magic happens! Gently pull the whole bag through that hole till it's all right side out.
Stitch the gap in the lining, either by hand or by top stitching on the sewing machine. Push the lining back inside the outer bag and Voilà! A beautifully lined bag - how cool is that!