How to Machine Embroider on a Tote Bag Tutorial

Watch our video tutorial to learn how to machine embroider on a tote bag or keep reading below. Also, find affiliate links to supplies for this project below.

The embroidery design on our bag is by Designs By Juju from their Sewing Sayings 2 package. We will include a link to their site below.

What you will need for this project:

* Pre-purchased Tote Bags
* Machine Embroidery Design
* Tear Away or Cut Away Stabilizer
* Fabric Spray Adhesive
* Fabric Clips (optional)

 

Tote bags are fun and easy to machine embroider, but most of them pose one challenge. Since they are not large enough to move the back of the tote bag out of the way to embroider, we need to come up with a solution.

The easiest way to solve this problem is to remove one or both of the side seams. Usually, removing just one side seam will give you enough clearance to move the back out of the way for embroidery.

Using your seam ripper, take out the side seam of the bag.

Once the side seam is removed, you can turn the bag inside out. Hoop the stabilizer in the correct sized hoop for your design.

Your bag will be "floated" over the stabilizer and held in place using the fabric spray adhesive. Center the bag over the hoop making sure that the center of where you want the design is centered on the hoop. I centered my bag by aligning the bag edges with the sides of the hoop.

Once you have the bag in the correct location, fold back the sections of the bag so spray adhesive can be sprayed lightly on the stablizer. Don't spray too much as it can soak through to the front of hte bag.

Next, roll the back of the bag out of the way and clip it so it won't move in front of the embroidery area.

Take your hooped bag to the machine and embroider the bag front. Keep an eye that the back of the bag stays out of the way. Once the embroidery is completed, remove the bag from the hoop but leave it inside out.

The bag side must be sewn and finished. Align the side seam for the bag and pin it together.

Thread your sewing machine with matching thread for your bag. Sew a seam the size of the old seam. Mine was a 1/4" seam. After sewing the seam, finish the edge by using the overlock stick on your sewing machine. If you do not have an overlock stich, you can use a zig zag stitch for the same results. The overlock or zig zag stitch should go over the edge of the bag seam.

Fold down the top edge of the bag as it was originally and sew the topstiching back in place.

The side seam has been restored and the top stitching in place.

We hope you will make some fun tote bags. These make great gifts for friends, family or teachers.

TOTE BAG TUTORIAL

No-Sew Flower Applique Tote Bag Tutorial