Easy DIY Upcycled Tablecloth Market Tote Bag

Hi guys! Today I am going to show you how to make a basic tote using a vintage tablecloth. Vintage linens are my favorite things to collect! The prints are just amazing! Sometimes I come by shabby tablecloths that have stains or holes, and so those I upcycle. This tote is a perfect size for a small grocery trip or it can hold all your essentials for everyday. Check out the how-to:

Here’s What You Need:

*Old Tablecloth (or you can find a similar reproduction here)
*½ Yard Lining Fabric
*Cotton Webbing 1 ⅓ Yards
*Ruler
*Marking Pen
*Scissors
*Sewing Machine and Thread

Instructions:

First you need to cut your fabric. Cut two pieces of your lining and two pieces of your tablecloth to be 19” tall by 18” wide. Cut your webbing in half to make your two straps.

Now you are ready to sew. Take your tablecloth pieces and match them up with right sides together. Stitch down the side then across the bottom and then back up the other side leaving the top unsewn with a half inch seam allowance. Press open seams the best you can. Do the same thing with the two lining pieces.

Now you need to make the gusset. Take the bottom corner of your tablecloth sack and pinch it between your fingers so that the bottom seam and side seam are touching. Line up the seams as best you can and lay flat. Iron down the triangular end. Repeat step on lining too.

Now you will mark the gusset. Take your ruler and measure down 2.5” from the start of the seam end. Then mark across the seam in a perpendicular line to the seam forming a triangle. Stitch across this line. Cut the triangular tip off leaving a good half an inch by the seam. Now repeat with the other side of your tablecloth sack. Then you will end up with a gusset at the bottom of the bag. Repeat the process with your lining.

Next you will add your straps. Mark in 4” from each edge at the top of your tablecloth sack and then line up your strap in an upside down “u” to those marks.

Pin the straps in place. Then do the same with the other side for the other strap. Top stitch about a quarter inch away from the top of the bag to hold the straps in place.

Now you are ready to assemble the bag and the lining. Lay the tablecloth bag right side out inside the lining sack so that the right sides of the fabrics are touching. Pin all the way around the top. Then sew all the way around the top with a half inch seam allowance leaving a couple of inches open for turning.

Pull the right side of the bags out through the hole in the top. Push your lining inside the tablecloth part. Press the top of the bag all the way around the top and making sure your seam is pressed nicely flat. Stitch the opening closed by hand or machine stitch close to the top.

Now you are ready to add your topstitching. Top stitch around the top of the bag about a quarter inch down from the top. You can use your bag just like this, or you can add a little extra style to it by stitching a little around the bag.

Flatten the bag along the side. Mark 2” out from the center side seam, and then 2” out from the bottom center seam, and then back up the other side seam. Do this with both the front and back of the bag. Now stitch the sides to the front along the markings you made. Clip all excess threads and then you are done.

I love the size and style of this bag! It is a great farmer’s market bag or just an everyday tote for any time of year. We use this one a lot for library trips. I used a vintage tablecloth, but you can easily make the same tote using any fabric of your choice. It is a good project for an afternoon and takes about an hour to make. I hope you all will give it a try sometime. I’ll be back soon with more DIY fun…

Xoxo,
Ashlee