Fashion Fix: How to make a Neon Toile Tote Bag

When I come back down to earth and can't use Handbags from Heaven's amazing designer handbag hire service, I need a bang on trend bag idea to tide me over.

This project is for all the fabric that you gather over the years but never know what to do with it all. What better way to showcase your favourite prints than with a simple tote. 

Buying fabric is an expensive business these days, yet this project uses less than a metre of fabric and it is so simple that you don't run the risk of ruining a favourite fabric by going wrong.

I was looking for an alternative tote project, and loved the idea of juxtaposing classical parisian toile with a punchy neon stencil effect.

You will need:

• 1 metre of mid to heavy weight cotton fabric
• sewing machine with complimentary thread
• dressmaking pins
• dressmaking scissors
• neon spray paint
• stencil
• iron
• stencil
• paper and masking tape to mask when spraying

How to do it:

1. Cut two 45cm  tall by 35cm wide panels from the fabric. Make sure the pattern is going the correct direction on both panels. Decide how long you would like your straps, would you like to be able to sling it over your shoulder? if so cut longer strips 6 cm wide.
2. fold the long edges of the strip into the middle and then fold once again hiding all the raw edges. Press and top stitch down either side of the strip. 
3. Repeat for the other strip
4. lay out your bag pieces wrong side up. fold down the top edge of your bag 1cm and press. then fold down 2cm to cover the raw edge. Machine a top stitch in place.
5. Pin the handle pieces to the top  edge of the wrong side of each panel 10 cm from the sides. 
6. machine in place.
7. place the two bag pieces right sides together and pin around the three sides.
8. machine a running stitch, take the pins out.
9. trim the corners,  turn right side out and press.
10. place your stencil in the desired area and mask off the rest of the bag. 
11. In a well ventilated area (and if under 18 with the help of an adult) spray your stencil.
12. Peel away with care almost immediately and leave to dry.

Use bright contrasting threads for your top stitching