How to Make a Bag-Style Lining for a Leather Tote Bag, by Tooka Leather on YouTube. 12 min 3 s.
- Video length
- 12 min 3 s
- Time to do it
- 2 hours
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Cut your lining panels to the same size as the tote body plus a seam allowance. Cut a facing strip for the top edge and a pocket piece sized to your zipper.
Make the zippered pocket first. Sew the zipper between the pocket fabric pieces, then stitch the pocket to the lining panel.
Sew the lining panels together along the sides and base, right sides facing. Leave a gap in the base so you can turn the lining later.
Press the seams open. Clip or pin the lining into shape so it matches the tote body.
Sew the lining to the facing strip along the top edge, right sides together. This strip becomes the clean edge you see inside the bag.
Fold the facing over to the inside and press it flat. Topstitch close to the fold so the edge stays crisp.
Install the stopper, the small tab that holds the lining in place at the top of the bag. Punch or awl the holes and fix it as your pattern shows.
Drop the lining into the tote and pin it to the bag top. Sew through the facing and bag edge all the way around.
Reach through the gap in the lining base and turn the bag right side out. Close the gap with a small hand stitch or machine stitch.
Tips and common mistakes
Make the lining slightly smaller than the bag body so it sits flat inside instead of bunching.
Sew a test pocket on scrap fabric first to check your zipper foot and seam allowance.
Keep pins away from the machine needle path and remove them as you sew to avoid a broken needle.
Press each seam as you go, since crisp pressing does more for a clean finish than extra stitching.
Questions
Do I need a sewing machine for this lining?
A machine gives the strongest, neatest seams on lining fabric. You can hand sew it, but it takes much longer and the topstitching will look less even.
How much lining fabric do I need?
Measure your tote body and add a seam allowance on every side, plus extra for the pocket and facing. Two panels the size of the bag front and back is the usual starting point.
Can I add the lining to a bag that is already finished?
Yes, if the top edge is open enough to sew the facing in place. You sew the lining to a facing strip and attach that to the bag top, so the bag body does not need unpicking.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
