How to Make a Beach Bag - Fun Boho DIY Beach Tote Bag Tutorial

Tools and materials:

• Beach tote fabric
• Leather or faux-leather fabric
• Decorative jewels, edging, and feathers
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Fabric glue
• Sewing machine

1. Cut the fabric

Cut a rectangle from a good tote bag fabric of your choice, measuring 43 centimeters (17 inches) x 96 centimeters (37.8 inches). That gives you enough fabric for your beach tote plus a seam allowance.

Now, cut two beach tote handles from your fabric, measuring 10 centimeters (3.9 inches) x 80 centimeters (31.5 inches) each.

Now you will need a decorative piece of leather or faux-leather fabric for the fringe on the front of your beach tote. As shown above, the pentagon shape is 40 centimeters (15.75 inches) x 16 centimeters (6.2 inches) x 25 centimeters (10 inches).

2. Make the beach tote handles

Turn in the long edges of the beach tote straps and iron them flat.

Now fold each handle in half lengthwise, with the wrong side of the fabric facing in. Iron the handles flat.

Top stitch around all four sides of the handles.

3. Make the decorative fringe

Using the decorative elements you’ve chosen, lay them out on the piece of cut leather, in whatever pattern you like. 

Using a pencil and ruler, make a horizontal line across the leather piece at the point from the bottom where you want your fringe to end. 

Starting at the center bottom of the leather and working out to both sides, cut slits from the bottom to the line you drew to make the fringe.

Now use fabric glue to attach your decorative elements to the leather fabric above your fringe. 

4. Attach the fringe to the beach tote

With your beach tote fabric laid out with the long sides vertical and the short sides horizontal, place the decorative leather fringe piece on top of the beach tote.

Line the top of the fringe piece to the top of the beach tote fabric, leaving a small seam allowance above the fringe fabric. Make sure you center the fringe piece horizontally on the fabric, so you have the same seam allowance on both sides.

Now, fold the bottom half of the fabric up to the top, so the flap is inside the bag, and stitch the side seams. The front flap will be sewn in place as well. Then, turn the bag right side out.

5. Attach the handles

Turn in the hem of the top of your beach tote and pin one handle to the front and one handle to the back of your tote, 10 centimeters (3.9 inches) from the outer edge of the tote.

Sew the top hem, catching the handles in the seam as you go. But do not catch the fringe fabric into the hem as you sew.

Glue the fringe fabric to the top of your beach tote. Add any additional decorative elements you want to the fringe fabric.

Your DIY beach tote bag is finished!

How to make a beach bag tutorial

Now throw a good book, a bottle of water, and some snacks into your DIY beach bag and head to the beach! Don’t forget your sunglasses, sunhat, and sunscreen. Let me know what you think of this beach bag in the comments below.