Today is the fifth and final installment of the Bucket Tote Sewalong. In this video, I’ll show how to sew the rounded bottom of the bag to the body and share two different methods for attaching the lining to the exterior. Sewing the rounded corners of the bottom of the bag can be one of the trickiest steps when sewing this pattern, so I make sure to include all of my techniques for sewing the curves with ease.

For sewing the lining of the bag to the exterior, I first demonstrate the method that I use in the instruction booklet which uses a hole in the lining to turn the bag right side out. During the testing of this bag, a couple of testers used a “drop-in” method where they topstitched the lining and exterior together in one step. This is not my personal preferred method BUT it is easier if you are using especially thick layers of fabric. Both methods are included in the video and you can use the time stamps to skip ahead to the section you’re interested in.

Today, is the fourth installment of the Bucket Tote Sewalong. In this video, I’ll show you how to stitch the pleats, assemble the body of the bag and topstitch the handles. The handles and pleats are key features of the design of the Bucket Tote, from both a functional and style perspective. The pleats create the shape of the bag—narrower at the bottom than the top. The handles are topstitched to the exterior of the bag and anchored into the bottom for security and to show off the center exterior pockets.

Today, is the third installment of the Bucket Tote Sewalong. Last week, we sewed the zippered welt pocket for the regular size tote and today we’ll sewing the patch pockets. There are two styles of patch pocket in this pattern. First, we’ll sew the traditional patch pocket, which is on the inside of the small tote. This pocket is folded in all sides and then stitched in place. The second style of patch pocket we’re making is the exterior pocket, which is anchored into the seams on the sides and bottom. In the video, I share all of my tips and techniques for sewing these pockets with accuracy and ease.