Making the Perfect Beach Theme Tote Bag

Close your eyes and imagine the soothing touch of the ocean breeze, the soft sand underfoot, and the unique shapes of seashells. Dive into coastal tranquility as we craft a beach-themed tote bag, blending seaside charm with your personal style.

Blue Escape Coastal Collection by Riley Blake Designs comes with a decor panel, printed on lightweight canvas and features four large shells that can be made into pillows or other projects. I picked out 2 prints from the panel and turned them into a light weight tote bag with ruffle trim.

Cut your 2 panel prints and trim to 16.5″ x 16.5″, and (2) 16.5″ x 16.5″ for lining. I decided to make rounded bottom using a bowl from my kitchen, but you can keep it square if you’d like.

To make the ruffle trim, cut (2) 4″ x width of fabric (WOF). Sew them end-to-end to create one long strip. Fold in half lengthwise to create a crease. Sew the short end together wrong side together as shown above, clip the the corners, then turn them right side out.

Use basting stitch (mine is about 5mm long) and sew 1/8″ and 1/4″ from the edge (shown in the image above). Grab the bobbin threads and begin gathering.

Pin the ruffle trim to the front side of the exterior panel (Right side facing up). Secure it by sewing along the edge with 1/8″ seam allowance. Assemble your bag like you normally would for a tote bag.