Featured fabric: Studio E Fabrics Hallowed Forest by Grace Popp

Pattern design by: Lindsay Conner

Sewn by: Lindsay Conner

Does anyone ever call you a bookworm? If you’d rather be snuggled up with a cozy book, this tote bag is for you! The paper-pieced book design on the front features many options for you to customize the look of your project.

I’ve specifically created this paper piecing pattern for beginners, so don’t worry if your books do not look precisely like mine. Just try your best, and we’ll learn this new skill together! After we make the main panel, I’ll teach you how to turn it into a quilted tote bag that you can use for trips to and from the library.

Skills Learned: Machine sewing, paper piecing, quilting

Skill Level: Intermediate

Finished Size:

13” (33.02cm) wide x 15” (38.10cm) tall - *23” (58.42cm) tall with straps

Fabric Requirements:

1 yard (.91m) of (2) different prints. I used:

• 7715-93 Charcoal || Hallowed Forest Cobwebs
• 7714-44 Yellow Glow || Hallowed Forest Luna Moths Texture

13” x 5” (33.02cm x 12.70cm) strip of (2) additional prints. I used:

•  7718-55 Purple || Hallowed Forest Cobweb
• Foliage and 7716-97 Charcoal Blue || Hallowed Forest Snails.

1/4 yard (.23m) solid background fabric. I used Kona Biscuit.

Materials:

• Sewing machine
• Binding clips and sewing pins
• Scissors, rotary cutter, ruler, and cutting mat
• Quilt batting, 2 pieces 17” x 18”
• Optional: 46” strip 1” nylon or cotton webbing
• Book Bag Tote paper piecing pattern printout [download it here: Book Bag Tote paper piecing pattern]

Make the Paper Pieced Book Design

1. Trim off the selvages (the fabric ends with words) and set aside. These can be used as decorative titles for your books.

2. Cut 1 strip across the width of the fabric (for all 4 fabric prints), and sub-cut shorter strips. Strips can be anywhere from 2” x 4” wide and 13” long. These will be used for your books.

3. Arrange the strips overtop of the pattern printout until you are pleased with the layout. Then use a pencil to mark on the printout which fabrics will be used for each book section.

4. Cut a strip of solid background fabric 3” x 13”. Place one short end of each print strips right side down atop the solid strip so they are lined up close to each other. Pin and stitch the strips in place using a ¼” seam allowance along the top pinned edge.

Trim the strips apart with a rotary cutter, making sure to cut the “slanted book” fabric at a slight angle as shown.

5. Take the “slanted book” fabric and place it on top of the pattern. Measure the strip length against the pattern and trim off the fabric at the base.

Next, take a 3” x 2” piece of background fabric and stitch it to the bottom of the slanted book fabric. You are not sewing the fabric to the paper yet.

6. Press all of the seams open on each of the “books.” Your strips should look similar to this when placed on top of the pattern.

7. Shorten your machine’s stitch length to 1.4mm. We are going to sew the fabric strips directly to the paper pattern, and this will make it easier to remove the paper afterward!

8. Place the paper pattern up against a window so the blank side is facing you. Starting at the far left, place the first “book” in place on top of the pattern (you can see the lines using the window light) so it overlaps the right side by ¼” or more. The right side of the fabric should be facing you. On top of this, place the second “book” in place, lining up the edges. This time, the wrong side of the fabric should be facing you. (See image above.) Pay attention to the height variance of the books, and feel free to change up the design as you wish! Pin the books in place to the paper.

9. Take the paper with fabric strips pinned to it to the sewing machine. With the pattern side facing up, sew directly on top of the line between the first two “books,” removing the pins as you go.

10. Fold back the paper along the line you just stitched. Use a ruler and rotary cutter to trim the fabrics ¼” past the stitched line. Then flip over the pattern and use your finger to press the second “book” open.

11. The next section on the bookcase is made of background fabric. Cut a piece of solid background fabric 2.5” x 13” and place it atop the second book, right sides together, so the pieces are lined up on the right edge. Pin in place. With the pattern side facing up, sew directly on top of the next vertical line, removing the pins as you go. Repeat the process of step 10, trimming and pressing the next section open.

12. The next section is the “slanted book.” Place the slanted book fabric (the one with solid fabric at both short ends) right side down on top of the other fabrics. You can flip the paper pattern over and fold along the next vertical line to help with placement. The slanted book fabric should overlap the paper fold by ¼” to the right. Pin in place and stitch on the printed side of the pattern.

Note: Stitch along the slanted line until it intersects with the straight line (where my finger is pointed), then continue past that, sewing along the straight line from earlier.

13. Trim off the extra fabric as before, and press the next section open. Repeat this process until you have sewn on all of the books and background fabric sections.

14. Use a rotary cutter and ruler to trim off the excess fabric all around the paper pattern.

15. Peel the paper off of the back of the bookshelf panel. Decorate the books with the selvages, embroidery, or machine stitching to create book titles.

16. From the background fabric, cut 3 strips 1” x 12”. Sew a strip to the left and right of the panel, then press the seams open. Sew a strip to the bottom of the panel, then press the seam open.

17. From the featured fabric (I chose a spiderwebs print), cut 2 strips 3” x 10” and 2 strips 3” x 18”. Sew the shorter strips to the top and bottom of the panel, then press the seams open. Trim as needed. Sew the longer strips to the left and right of the panel, then press the seams open. Trim as needed.

Make the Tote Bag

1. From the featured fabric, cut a panel 14.5” x 16” for the bag’s back.

2. Place the front and back bag panels side by side on a flat surface. Behind each one, place a 17" x 18" piece of quilt batting. You may use pins or spray baste to hold the layers together. Quilt each panel separately as desired. Trim off the excess batting

3. From the lining fabric, cut a piece 32” x 16.5”. Fold in half, with right sides together, and stitch along the left and right sides, leaving a 3” gap in the bottom corner of one side for turning. Set aside.

4. Stitch the bag’s front and back panels (from step 2) together on the left, bottom, and right sides using a ¼” seam allowance.

Make the Handles

1. From the featured fabric, cut a strip 44” x 5”. Fold it in half widthwise, wrong sides together, and press. Unfold and refold each long raw edge in to meet the center fold line. Press. Clip the 4-fold strap together and stitch 1/8” from the long folded edge.

2. Optional: To make the handles sturdier, slip a safety pin on one end of a 1” x 46” piece of webbing. Slide the webbing through the fabric strap until it comes out the other end.

Stitch a straight line across each end through the fabric and webbing to secure, and then trim off the ends.

3. Cut the 44” strap into two 22” handles. Use a ruler to mark and place one handle 3” from the left and right sides of the bag front, clipping in place. Repeat with the other handle on the bag back. When you are satisfied with the placement, stitch the handles to the bag using a 1/8” seam allowance.

4. Slip the bag (right sides facing out) inside the lining (right sides facing in). Make sure the side seams are aligned, and clip the bag and lining together along the openings. The bag handles should be tucked inside. Stitch along the top perimeter using a ½” seam allowance. Zig-zag stitch around the top seam if desired.

5. Pull the bag through the 3” hole in the lining, and turn the project right side out. Tuck the lining inside the bag and sew the hole closed.

6. Clip the bag and lining together around the top edge and topstitch using a 1/8” seam allowance.

You’re done! I hope you enjoyed this beginner-friendly introduction to paper piecing. My best advice for paper piecing is that you just have to try it a few times to get the hang of it, and you should cut your fabric pieces larger than you need to avoid running into any shortages. With this type of pattern, you can easily change up the design, adding more or fewer books—you can even ignore the slanted book if it trips you up!

Before you get started, you can refer to this paper piecing video tutorial to see exactly how it’s done. I hope you have fun making this quilted tote bag!

Fabric Details:

To view the complete Studio E Fabrics Hallowed Forest by Grace Popp collection click here.

To find a retailer near you click here.

Learn more about Lindsay here.