You will Need:

Step Two

You will need a yard and a half of outdoor material (you can use cotton canvas, which is easier to work with), coordinating thread, cutting mat and wheel cutter, pins or clips, a chalk maker, tape measure, scissors (optional) and a sewing machine (not pictured).

Step One

Pin the handles on the outside of the bag. The handle should be 18” from the top of the bag and 7” from the side. I sewed these in place following the seams on the handles.

Step THREE

Cut out the bag to measure 44” x 24”, two handles 4” X 52”. You will want to hem all raw edges. You can either fold over once with a seam allowance of one-half inch or double it at a fourth of an inch. If you choose a single hem you will need to zig zag or serge the raw edge. For the handles fold 4” strip in half (right side out) and sew the folded edge with an eighth of an inch allowance. Fold in the raw edge to make the handle an inch wide and sew with a seam allowance of an eighth inch.

You will then make a pleat at the bottom to cover the strap edge. Fold a 2” pleat on each side of the bag, to the outside, then sew both the inside and outside of the pleat.

Step Four

Put right sides together and sew the sides. You now have the option of stopping right here or you can box the bottom corner. If you decide to box the corner you pull the corner out to make a triangle and sew across it. You then will want to trim the corner off.

Cute beach bag! We don’t have a beach nearby but I’m just down the street from the pool!