How to Sew a Wine Tote and Picnic Bag

This is a picnic bag with a wine tote sleeve inside. This bag is cut from an old sail, but can be made from heavy weight denim or canvas.

Interior Size : 15 inches wide x 10-3/4 inches high x 3-1/2 inches deep, will hold an average size wine bottle

1. Sailcloth, 1 yard if buying heavy weight canvas or denim
2. Newspaper
3. Ruler
4. Pencil
5. Paper scissors
6. Sewing machine
7. Quilter's rule
8. Empty wine bottle :)
9. Pins
10. Seam ripper
11. Pen
12. Rotary cutter
13. Spoon
14. Fabric scissors
15. Needles
16. Thread
17. 2 Packages Double fold bias tape - Quilt binding
18. Sewing tape measure
19. Metal coffee clips from Hawaiian Isles coffee packages

I wanted to give wine in a picnic bag for a holiday gift but every bag I found was not exactly what I wanted.

Inspiration for the construction of this wine tote came from a reusable grocery bag being sold at a local hobby store. I liked that the example was unlined but I wanted a different shape and didn't like how the attached straps were placed about a third of the way in.

I wanted a bag with bias tape straps that came from the outside corners and hid all my raw edges.

I could not find a tutorial online for a bag this size that combined the bias tape straps and the wrap around the raw edges. I know I didn't invent this, but I just couldn't find any downloadable instructions.

Cutting the Pattern Out

Using paper scissors, cut the following patterns out of newspaper:

• 1 Body Front : 16 inches wide by 13 inches tall.
• 1 Body Back : 16 inches wide by 13 inches tall.
• 2 Sides : 4-1/2 inches wide by 11-1/4 inches tall (cut a 1/2 inch square out of the bottom 2 corners).
• 1 Pocket : 10 inches wide by 6-3/4 inches tall.
• 1 Wine Sleeve : 9-1/2 inches wide by 4 inches tall.

Draw a line 1/2 inch from the edges to be sewn together on the body, side panels and wine sleeve. Using pins, create a mock up of the bag to insure a bottle of wine will fit. Pin exactly on the 1/2 inch line to mimic where the seams will be sewn.

I used the finished edge of the sail for the top edge of the body front, body back and 2 sides. My pocket did not have a finished top edge. If your fabric has a raw edge at the top, it can be finished by turning or wrapping in bias tape. If turning, plan to leave extra when cutting out like I did with the pocket. Note, the wine sleeve has extra for turning already built into the pattern.

Cutting the Parts Out

Using fabric scissors, cut the following shapes out of sailcloth:

• 1 Body Front : 16 inches wide by 13 inches tall, finished edge at the top.
• 1 Body Back : 16 inches wide by 13 inches tall, finished edge at the top.
• 2 Sides : 4-1/2 inches wide by 11-1/4 inches tall, finished edge at the top. Cut a 1/2 inch square out of the bottom 2 corners.
• 1 Pocket : 10 inches wide by 7-1/4 inches tall, maybe pick a nice feature of the sail. My pocket did not have a finished edge, so I added an extra 1/2 inch at the top of the pocket.
• 1 Wine Sleeve : 9-1/2 inches wide by 4 inches tall.
• 1 Back Decoration : a section from the sail batten pocket to cover the button loop closure.

Turn the Edges

• Take the pocket.

To hem and finish the raw top edge of the pocket, measure and fold over 1/2 inch towards the right side of the fabric. Press this crease by running the spoon top along the edge several times. Use coffee clips to hold everything in place, this fabric is too thick for pins.

Sew the folded edges down with a straight stitch at 1/4 inch from the edge. Finish the edge with a zigzag stitch.

• Take the wine sleeve.

To hem and finish the raw edges along the long sides of the wine sleeve, measure and fold over 1/2 inch towards the right side of the fabric. Press the creases by running the spoon top along the edges several times. Use coffee clips to hold everything in place.

Sew the folded edges down with a straight stitch at 1/4 inch from the edge. Finish the edge with a zigzag stitch.

Attach the Pocket

With the right side of the body front facing up, lay the wrong side of the pocket facing down. The pocket should be centered right to left, leaving 3 inches on either side. Space the bottom of the pocket 3-3/4 inches from the bottom of the body front piece. Mark the edges lightly with a pencil.

Hold the pocket in place with your hands and carefully sew the pocket to the body front on 3 sides with a 1/4 inch seam allowance and a zig zag stitch at the edge. Be careful to leave the top of your pocket open.

Make sure to knot all of the loose strings.

Take the front body piece and the back body piece.

With the right sides facing each other, lay the body front on the body back. Use the coffee clips to hold the bottom edges together. Check to make sure the finished top edge and the two sides meet correctly.

Sew the bottom edges together using a straight stitch with a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Use the top edge of the spoon to press the seam over to one side. Zig zag stitch this seam flat and knot your strings.

Sew One Side of the Bag

• Take the body and one side piece.

Find the bottom edge of a side piece, it's the short side between the 1/2 inch squares. With the wrong sides facing each other, match the center of the bottom of one side piece to the straight stitch seam holding the body pieces together. This will create the depth of the bag when sewn. Starting at the inside of one of the 1/2 square cut outs, sew just to the other 1/2 inch square cut out with a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Make sure to leave both squares open. Knot your strings. Using the spoon, press the side panel away from the body pieces.

• Take the wine sleeve.

With wrong sides facing each other, place the wine sleeve 2 inches up from the bottom of the seam just sewn. Line up a wine sleeve edge with a side edge and use coffee clips to hold together. Sew with a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Line up the other side of the wine sleeve edge with the other edge of the side panel and use coffee clips to hold them together. Sew with a 1/2 inch seam allowance and knot your strings.

• Sew the sides.

Match up the side edges with the body panels and coffee clip. Make sure the top edges meet correctly. Starting at the top edge, sew the sides with a 1/2 inch seam allowance all the way down to the 1/2 inch cut outs. Knot all strings.

Sew the Other Side of the Bag

• Take the other side piece.

Find the bottom edge of the second side piece, it's the short side between the 1/2 inch squares. With the wrong sides facing each other, match the center of the bottom of this side piece to the other side of the straight stitch seam holding the body pieces together. This should mirror the other side placement. Starting at the inside of one of the 1/2 square cut outs, sew just to the other 1/2 inch square cut out with a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Make sure to leave both squares open. Knot your strings. With wrong sides together, align the raw edges of the body front, back and this second side. Coffee clip together and sew with a 1/2 inch allowance. Knot your strings.

Your raw edges should all be facing the outside of the bag.

Test fit your wine bottle.

Take the bias tape.

Cut two 5-inch pieces of bias tape. Find the center and crease each piece of bias tape. Unfold the bias tape once and sandwich the bottom side seam so the raw edge is covered when viewed from the top and from the bottom. Make sure to match the center of the bias tape to the center bottom seam. Hold in place with coffee clips and sew the bottom edge at a 1/2 inch.

The combination of the presser foot size and stiff sailcloth kept me from machine sewing around the corner. I hand sewed the bias tape as it turned the corner.

Knot all strings.

Cut two 51-inch pieces of bias tape.

Starting at the bottom corner of the side seam, sandwich the raw edge and hold in place with coffee clips. Make sure to turn the edge under and then overlap the raw edge of the already sewn piece of bias tape. Continue all the way up the right side, over the middle, around and down the left side. Keep your bias tape straight so your straps don't twist. Test your shoulder strap length for comfort.

The raw edge on this side of the tote should now be completely hidden. Sew the bias tape to the tote at a 1/2 inch.

Repeat this and coffee clip the bias tape on the other side. Test both shoulder straps for comfort and ensure matched length. Sew this side's bias tape to the tote at a 1/2 inch.

Knot all strings and hide loose ends.

The Button Loop

Cut two 6-inch pieces of bias tape.

• Create the Strip for the Button Loop.

Take one piece of bias tape and get ready to make it skinnier. Open this piece of bias tape and cut down the length to create a piece that is about 1 inch wide and 6 inches long. Fold a little less than 1/4 inch in on both long sides and pin. Now fold in again and pin those sides together to hide any raw edges and make a skinny strip. Sew down the middle.

• Attach the Button Loop.

Take the second piece of bias tape and the extra piece cut for back decoration. Sandwich the raw edge of the back decoration with this piece of bias tape. Sew down the bias tape at a 1/4 inch from the edge on three sides, but sewing on all four would be okay too. Take the strip just created and measure for button size and fit while takiong into consideration the placement on the bag. Tack the skinny strip in a loop to the back decoration. Find the center of the back top edge of the bag. Align the center of the back decoration with attached button loop to the center of the back body of the bag. Check again for button fit given the location chosen. Sew close to the edge of the back decoration and make sure to not catch the straps in the stitches. Knot any loose strings.

The Button

Place your button on the front side of the bag and make sure the button loop will fit over the button. Hand sew the button on. Try closing and opening your bag.

Now add wine and you're finished!