What’s better than a bottle of wine for a hostess gift during the holidays?  Two bottles of wine of course.  Therefore, here is a great gift idea by Carla at Creatin’ in the Sticks with HeatnBond Fusible Interfacing – Craft Extra-Firm, HeatNBond Fusible Fleece, HeatNBond Soft Stretch, and the Home for the Holidays fabric collection by Michael Miller Fabrics.

HeatNBond Craft Weight Interfacing keeps this wine tote in shape. Because of the HeatNBond Fusible Fleece divider inside the tote, the bottles are protected and this Two Bottle Wine Tote is as practical as it is cute.

Two Bottle Wine Tote

By Carla Henton at Creatin’ in the Sticks

Finished Size:  3 1/4” x 6 1/2” x 15” tall

Tote supplies:

Two Bottle Wine Tote PDF pattern with layout diagrams – download HERE

HeatnBond® Craft Extra Firm Non-Woven Interfacing

HEATnBOND® Fusible Fleece

HeatnBond® Soft Stretch™ LITE 5/8” x ’10’ roll

Michael Miller Fabrics – Home for the Holidays Collection

½ yard each:

Home for the Holidays, CX8381-WINT-D, for outside

and

Sugar Stripe, CX8386-PEPP-D, for lining

White fleece fabric 20” x 7”, Aurifil Thread 50 wt. thread #2021 and #2784, Iron (I love my pink Oliso) and ironing surface, erasable fabric pen, sewing machine with a walking foot, and general sewing supplies: rotary cutter, cutting mat, scissors, pins, etc. 

 Tote Cutting:

Home for the Holidays outside fabric

Cut 2 “A” – 7” x 9 ½” rectangles for sides outside of the tote

2 “B” – 3 3/4” x 9 ½” rectangles for ends outside of the tote

1 “C”– 3 3/4” x 7” rectangle for the bottom of the tote

From HeatNBond Craft interfacing cut all the above

Sugar Stripe lining fabric

Cut 2 “D” – 3 3/4” x 8 ½” rectangles for tote divider

2 “E” – 3 3/4” x 3 3/4” squares for lining bottom

6 “F” – 3 ¾” x 9 ½” for lining sides

1 “G” – 16” x 5 ½” for handle

From HeatNBond Fusible Fleece cut all the above pieces

Tote Sewing Instructions:

Please read through the complete instructions before beginning your project.

*1/4” seams are used throughout and backstitch at beginning and end to lock all seams

Step 1:

Following the package instructions, fuse all HeatnBond® Craft Extra Firm Non-Woven Interfacing pieces to the wrong side of all the outside fabric pieces.

Step 2:

On pieces A and B, mark a dot with an erasable pen in the bottom corners on the wrong side of the fabrics (interfacing side) where the ¼” seams will meet.  On the C piece, mark all four corners on the wrong side of fabrics where the ¼” seams will meet.

Tip:  mark the pieces with the corresponding letters on the wrong side of the fabrics for easy reference.

Step 3:

Following the layout for the outside fabric, stitch ¼” seams from dot to dot with fabrics right sides together.  Stitch the A pieces to the C piece from dot to dot.  Next, stitch the B pieces to the C piece from dot to dot.

Once the flat layout is stitched as shown, sew the corners by matching the dots and with right sides together, stitch from the top edge to the dot in the corner.  Do this on all 4 corners to make an open-top box.

Turn the box right side out and push all corners out.  Set this aside.

Step 4:

Following the package instructions, fuse all HeatnBond® Fusible Fleece pieces to the wrong side of all the lining and handle fabric pieces.

Step 5:

On pieces, F and D, mark a dot with an erasable pen in the bottom corners on the wrong side of the fabrics (fleece side) where the ¼” seams will meet.  On the E pieces, mark all four corners on the wrong side of fabrics where the ¼” seams will meet. Once again, mark the pieces with the corresponding letter for easy reference.  Prepare the lining by first making 2 of the sections shown on the lining layout diagram.  It is important to note that one of the rectangles “D” is the 3 ¾” x 8 ½”.  This will be half of the divider in the lining. Next, sew the two units together by stitching the “D” rectangles right sides together with a ¼” seam where indicated.

On right sides, pin the “D” rectangles wrong sides together. Now, topstitch along the top edge and topstitch on the seam where the “D” rectangles meet the “E” squares.

Sew the middle seams of the lining by sandwiching the “D” flap in the seam of the side panels. Pin the seams first and then start at the top edge with right sides together and sew ¼” seam to the dot.

Repeat on the other side.

Finally, sew the lining corners just as the outside corners were similarly sewn in step 3.

Step 6:

Firstly, slip the lining into the outside with wrong sides together.  Secondly, pin around the top, matching all seams. Thirdly, baste 1/8” from the top edge all around the top.

Step 7:

To begin the handle, fold the fleece-backed, G,  in half lengthwise with wrong sides together and press. Open the fold and then fold both long edges to the center crease and press. Next, fold the long handle in half lengthwise encasing the edges in the middle of the handle.

Most importantly, press this well and place pins to hold it in place.  Lastly, use a walking foot to topstitch around the edges. After that, place the handle inside the tote and pin on the narrow ends of the tote. Stitch ¼” from the edges to certainly secure the handle.

Step 8:

Prepare the tote cuff by folding the 20” x 7” fleece fabric in half with right sides together and stitching 1/4″ seam on the 7″ side to form a tube. After that, press the tube and on the wrong side on one of the edges, fuse the paper backed 5/8″ HeatNBond Soft Stretch completely around the tube.

TIP:  Don’t worry about overlapping the paper backed Soft Stretch.  It will adhere to the fabric and peel off of the paper.

Finally, remove the backing paper.

Next, fold the tube in half, wrong sides together, meeting raw edges and matching the seam to form the cuff of the stocking.  Press the raw edges to fuse the HeatNBond Soft Stretch following the package directions.  Above all, using HeatNBond Soft Stretch stabilizes the fleece making it much easier to stitch.

Step 9:

Lastly, finish the wine tote by pinning the cuff inside the lining of the tote with all the raw edges matching and sandwiching the handle between the cuff and the lining. Likewise, the folded edge of the cuff is inside the tote.

Stitch ½” from the edge around the top of the tote using a walking foot. Following this, pull the cuff out and fold it over the wine tote.

Just add the wine and above all else have a happy holiday season!

Carla