Vinyl Halloween Confetti Tote

Hey ghouls and creeps! Up next on the Halloween project tour is this vinyl Halloween confetti tote! I’ve made a few projects out of vinyl, including a couple duck-tape outfits using vinyl as a base. Vinyl can be fun to work with, simply because it requires approaching sewing techniques a little differently.

A few of those variances include, vinyl never forgets. Unfortunately, if you stitch some where you didn’t want/mean to there will be permanent holes in your material. For this reason, pins are not recommend, you’ll see farther into the tutorial that I use sewing clips when keeping layers of material together.

Another tip is to make sure to increase your stitch length slightly longer than typical (I went with a 3.5 for my assembly seams). You will want to do this because having a short stitch length will further compromise the strength of your seams. In other words, having less material between holes will increase the possibility of the tote tearing along a stitch line.

I also made sure to include binding on my seams to provide extra stability. Vinyl’s strength will be compromised even with the longer stitch length, so applying a seam finish/treatment will help distribute the stress!

Finally, since the vinyl used in this tutorial is transparent, make the inside pretty! These areas will be more visible than normal, so paying close attention to the inside finishing will be a nice touch. I personally love incorporating these small details when sewing things, because it ensures that your project will last longer!

Finished tote measures: 15″ tall, 12″ wide, and 6″ deep. Handle length measuring from the top of the bag is 26″, perfect for looping over your shoulder!

Now that we’ve done the run-down on sewing vinyl, are you ready to make a vinyl Halloween confetti tote?!? Fun side note about this project, the quilting cotton that I used for my binding, was fabric my mom had used for a witch costume I wore for Halloween when I was like four! Hilarious she still had this fabric laying around, does anyone else miss neon Halloween fabric from the 80s, or is that just me?

The vinyl Halloween confetti tote is rated at a moderate difficulty level because the project is easy, the material choice could be tricky for someone learning to sew.

Step 1: Cutting the Material: Cut your vinyl into four rectangles that measure 18″ X 19″. You may choose to cut each rectangle individually. I cut the width of my piece down to be 36″ X 38″, this should leave a remnant measuring 36″ X 16″.

I then cut my 36″ X 38″ piece in half to give me two pieces measuring 18″ X 38″. I then laid these two pieces on top of one another matching up all my sides, and cut the width again (this time in half) to give me four pieces measuring 18″ X19″.

Lay all four pieces on top of each other, matching up sides, cut two 3″ X 3″ squares from the corners of one of the 18″ sides which will later be the bottom of the tote.

Take your remnant (measuring 36″ X 16″ and cut three pieces measuring 36″ X 3″.

For the binding on the tote handles, and interior seams cut your quilting cotton to six pieces measuring 2 1/4″ X WOF (width of fabric).

Step 2: Prepping Tote Side and Making Handles: Take your tote sides and lay them together in pairs, matching up all sides. Do a stitch line around the entire perimeter approximately 1/4″ from the edge, leaving a 7″ opening at the bottom of both pairs.

Set side pieces aside, and join 36″ X 3″ handle pieces together at the ends with a diagonal seam. Once all three pieces have been joined, fold piece in half width-wise and cut in half. Fold handles in half length-wise (make sure diagonal seams are inside handle) and sew a little less than a 1/4″ from the raw edge. This will keep your handles together while attaching binding.

Take three of your binding pieces and sew together at the ends with diagonal seams. Once joining all three pieces, fold in half width-wise and cut in half. Press binding pieces in half length-wise with an iron. Matchup binding and handles ends, place binding along stitched side of handle, and stitch 1/4″ from raw edges.

Take your fabric clips and clip binding in place as you wrap it around all raw edges of both binding and handle. Edge stitch along binding edge. Follow these steps to bind both handles.

Once both handles have been bond, find the center of each handle and measure out 4″ from the center in both directions. Fold this 8″ length in half and edge stitch in place to form your handles!

Place your finished handles on top of tote sides, situating handle pieces so that binding is on outside edge of handles. Use a ruler to verify that your handles were consistently placed 5″ in from the sides. Once your handles are where you want to sew them, use fabric clips to clip the tops and bottoms. Press the handle to the tote side so that the vinyl sticks together.

Make small discrete marks 3″ from the top of my tote on your handles to use as a guide for when to stop sewing handle and pivot. Attach handle by sewing right along the binding edge, pivoting at the top, and then sewing 1/4″ from the folded edge. Perform this step for all four handle sides.

Step 3: Put in the Confetti!: Put all your confetti in a bag if it’s separated and mix it togehter. Divide confetti in half inside bag. Using the opening left at the bottom of the tote sides, pour confetti in between side panels. Pour half of the confetti in each tote side.

I found that I had to take out some of the stitching along the sides to separate the vinyl layers to distribute the confetti evenly. After creating these holes, be careful to clip closed so that confetti doesn’t fall out accidently.

Step 4: Tote Assembly: Once confetti is as desired, clip sides and bottoms together of side panels (make sure sides are right sides together) and stitch together with a 1/2″ seam allowance.

Using one binding piece, bind seams like you bond your handles, first attaching 1/4″ from raw edges and then edge stitch in place.

Box the bottom of your tote, by lining up corner edges so that they are perpendicular to the side and bottom seams. Pro tip: to reduce bulk, lock your side and bottom seams by pressing them in opposite directions. Sew a 1/2″ seam allowance for both corners.

Flip your tote right side out. You may choose to bind the top edge with your remaining binding pieces, but this is optional. I decided to bind the edge as a nice surprise/ pop of color when you go to look inside the tote. Fold top edge over 1 1/2″, and stitch along binding edge, or an 1 1/4″ from the top of the bag.

You’re finished! Take this bag shopping as a festive reusable bag for all your Halloween decor finds this season. This would also make a great trick or treat bag, or use this all year long to carry the essentials while showing your unwavering Halloween enthusiasm!

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Ready for your next project? Here are some tutorials on the blog I think you’ll like! Frame Flip tutorial: https://britnijade.com/frame-flip/, Macrame Wall Hanging: https://britnijade.com/macrame-wall-hanging-w-bones/, or the Spider Web Macrame: https://britnijade.com/spider-web-macrame/. Enjoy!