DIY Summer Tote Bags for Dolls

Is your doll in need of the perfect summer accessory? Are you looking for a simple sewing project to practice your stitching skills, or to experiment with some new decorative embroidery? The tote bag is the perfect blank canvas for fun embellishments, and can really tie together any summertime look.

This post features a few great ways to make the perfect summer tote for your doll, from PDF sewing patterns, to a free tutorial for upcycling your own tote. 

Summer Tote Pattern Hack

Everybody needs a go-to summer tote- perfect for a trip to the beach, the park, or the farmer's market. This pattern hack of the Sew Urban Reversible Hobo Bag creates an easy casual bag that is unlined and has no hardware, making it great for a beginner project or something you can whip up super quick! Be sure to click the image below to go to the full pattern hack post for this project.

The tie strap detail creates a fun and casual look, and the simple design of the bag means it can be made in a variety of fabrics, from quilting cotton to crochet yardage. 

How To Make An Upcycled Tote

All the time we come across little bags when we're out shopping, from gift card holders to small dust bags for jewelry, and we can't help thinking- hey, this would make a great bag for a doll!

This quick and easy tutorial shows how we made a doll-sized tote bag from a Magnolia bag which had the right width but was too long for a doll bag. This basic concept can also be used to make a bag from scratch, just by cutting out similar sized rectangles and sewing the side and bottom seems first. 

Start by deciding on the ideal measurements for your finished tote. We did this by comparing a tote we already had whose size we were happy with (this gift card holder from Whole Foods!).

Our ideal finished measurements were about 4-inches wide by 3-inches tall.

Once you have determined your measurements, cut horizontally across the top of the bag, making sure to add an extra 1/4-inch for the hem.

With the help of quilters tape (optional), press and hem the top of the bag all the way around. 

Cut two pieces of trim to use as bag handles. Measure on your doll the appropriate strap length for a shoulder bag. We made our straps about 7-inches long. 

Mark the ideal placement of the bag handle. Sew the strap to the wrong side of the bag by making an X with your stitches. Repeat with the second handle on the other side of the bag. 

And your DIY upcycled tote bag is complete!

Even More Great Bag Tutorials

Looking for more bags to make? We have a few more tutorials for cute little bags. You can find the Quick & Easy Shoulder bag here on the Blog, and the cute variation with the rope strap (pictured above) is featured in Sewing With Cinnamon. The Circle Summer Tote tutorial can be found on our Youtube channel. 

The Ultimate Pattern Collection For Bags and Purses

There are so many great purse and bag patterns on Pixie Faire, and any of them can be transformed into the perfect summer bag just by choosing the right fabrics and details. Be sure to check out the pattern collection for Bags and Purses For 18-inch Dolls to see all the patterns which might catch your eye and inspire you to make your doll the summer bag of her dreams!

Here are a few great patterns for summer bags:

We'd love to hear from you. Leave a comment and tell us -which summer bag do you want to make? 

Thanks, everyone!

The Pixie Faire Team