Making Tote Bags Out Of Canvas Scraps

Sorry to disappoint, but this is not really a DIY 😩 I'll try to get better at documenting what I'm doing though.

As much as I try to consciously try to measure out my canvas, I'm somehow still left with squares that are too small to stretch into regular sized canvases. I can possibly stretch them into tiny canvases, but I usually work in larger sizes. So, with these scraps, I decided I can make tote bags. At the time, my friend's birthday was coming up. So, I wanted to give her a small gift. One of the two gifts, happened to be a tote bag. She was actually my first commission, so I thought it would be fitting if she had the 'prototype'. Not that this is heavy engineering or anything 👀. Anyways, I did not use a pattern though, in my Fior fashion I did it freehand because I am impatient and like to do things fast. So, I just measured, marked, and cut the fabric into the pieces I needed to create the bag.

Here's a short video of me assembling and then sewing the bag. The following image is the end result after painting the front. The lettering is my friend's initials.

The next time I went to my studio, I decided to create patterns for future bags. I know I said "I like to do things freehand and fast" but turns out it will save me lots of time in the future if I had a pattern I could just trace and cut. I drew out the different measurements, then took paper, measured it out, and then taped the edges.

I decided to make the straps standard of 28 inches long and 2 inches wide. The pattern piece measures 4" x 32" for seam allowance. Here's some sizing

Size 1: 11" x 14": pattern measures 13" x 14" (one side) minus an inch each side for seam allowance

Size 2: 12" x 28": pattern measures 14" x 30" (one side) minus an inch on each side for seam allowance

Each tote bag is going to be completely random. Some would be using paintings that I decided not to use, some will be plain, or I'll paint a section of it.