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Activities / Jute Craft / Jute Tote Bag

Jute Tote Bag

Jute Tote Bag: Cut, Stitch and Add Rope Handles

Level
Intermediate
Duration
2 - 4 hours
Budget
₹912 – ₹1,102
Age
14+
State
West Bengal

Materials

  • Natural jute cloth, at least 51 cm wide, 1 m long
  • Natural jute rope, 8 mm thick, 1.2 m for the handles
  • Sewing kit with thick needles, pins, thimble and tape measure
  • Strong sewing thread (cotton or polyester)
  • Sharp scissors, ruler and pencil
  • Masking tape or cellophane tape

Steps

  1. Clear a big table and lay out your sewing tools
    Use a table at least 80 cm wide with good light. Lay out the jute cloth, rope, scissors, pins, pencil, ruler, thread, needle and thimble. Jute is rough and shreds fibres everywhere, so put a sheet or newspaper under the cloth. Sit comfortably, because hand sewing jute takes a while. Common mistake: using a thin needle, which bends in jute. Use a thick sewing needle with a large eye.
    Tip: Wash your hands after cutting jute, because the fibres can itch your skin.
  2. Cut two rectangles of jute, each 40 cm by 38 cm
    Spread the cloth flat and mark two rectangles 40 cm wide and 38 cm tall with a ruler and pencil. With a 63 cm wide cloth, mark them along the length so the 40 cm side follows the width. Cut along the lines with sharp scissors in long, firm strokes. Jute sheds threads at every cut edge, so cut a little slowly and pull away loose strands. Common mistake: cutting off the grain, which makes the bag twist.
    Tip: Pull one thread out of the cloth and cut along the gap it leaves for a perfectly straight line.
  3. Mark a 2 cm seam line along the sides and bottom
    On the back of each piece, draw a line 2 cm in from both short sides and the bottom edge. Do not mark the top edge yet, because you will fold it later. These lines show you where to sew. Check that the bottom edge is 40 cm long and each side is 38 cm. Common mistake: skipping the lines and sewing by eye, which makes one side narrower than the other.
  4. Pin the two pieces together and sew the side and bottom seams
    Place the two rectangles with their good faces together and pin along the sides and bottom, with a pin every 5 cm. Thread a thick needle with a doubled thread about 60 cm long and knot the end. Sew with backstitch along your pencil line: take a stitch forward, then go back to the end of the last stitch. Make stitches about 4 mm long. Go over each seam twice for strength. Common mistake: using running stitch, which pulls apart under a heavy load.
    Tip: Pull each stitch firm but not so tight that the jute puckers.
  5. Box the bottom corners to give the bag a flat base
    Pinch one bottom corner so the side seam lies right on top of the bottom seam, making a small triangle. Measure 4 cm from the point of the triangle, draw a line across, and sew along it twice with backstitch. Repeat on the other corner. Trim the pointed triangle 1 cm outside the stitches. When you open the bag, it will stand up with a flat base 8 cm deep. Common mistake: stitching across the corner at a slant, which makes a lopsided bag.
    Tip: Check that the line is exactly at right angles to the seam, using the corner of your ruler.
  6. Fold the top edge in twice and hem it
    Turn the bag right side out for a moment to check the shape, then turn it inside out again. At the top edge, fold 1 cm of cloth to the inside and press it flat with your fingers, then fold another 2 cm. Pin the fold and sew round the opening with backstitch, 1.5 cm from the top, twice. The double fold hides the raw edge, so it will not shed threads. Common mistake: folding only once, which lets the cut edge fray.
  7. Cut two 60 cm rope handles and tie a knot in each end
    Cut two lengths of 8 mm jute rope, each 60 cm. Wrap a strip of tape round each cut end, then tie a loose overhand knot about 3 cm from the end. The knot stops the rope from untwisting and gives you something thick to stitch over. Pull the knots snug. Both handles should be the same length, so check against each other. Common mistake: leaving raw rope ends, which unravel inside a week.
  8. Stitch each handle firmly to the inside of the bag top
    Lay the bag flat. On the front, place each knotted handle end on the inside, 8 cm in from the side seam, so the two ends are about 20 cm apart. The knots should sit just below the hem. Pin and sew each end with a square of stitches, 2 cm per side, then add two diagonal lines across it, making a box with an X. Do the same on the back. Common mistake: sewing the handle with a single line, which pulls out the first time you carry something heavy.
    Tip: Doubled thread and a thimble make this step much easier. Push the needle with the thimble, not your fingertip.
  9. Turn the bag right side out and tidy the ends
    Turn the bag right side out, pushing the corners out with a blunt pencil. Snip every loose thread end and pull off loose jute fibres by hand. Shake the bag well outdoors to get rid of fibres, then load it with a few books to check the handles hold. If a stitch looks weak, add a few more. Your bag is ready for light shopping.
    Tip: A strip of fabric or a block-printed patch stitched on the front adds a personal touch.

Sustainability

High - jute is a plant fibre and biodegradable; a reusable bag replaces single-use bags

Safety

Needle pricks, so use a heavy-duty needle and a thimble; sewing machine needle hazards, so supervise; jute fibres can irritate skin; scissors are sharp