Pom Pom Cuff Trick or Treat Tote - Tutorial

Read on for my Pom Pom Cuff Trick or Treat Tote tutorial!  It's quick to make and so cute made from Halloween fabrics and pom pom trim.

Can I tell you a secret?  I’m a lazy sewist. Like, when I made my Campus Messenger Bag and the last step is to use a ladder stitch to close up the hole in the bottom of the bag?  Yeah, still haven’t done it.

That one little step is all that separates me from using that bag, because even though I made it for my daughter I’m totally stealing it for myself.  Ha!  I guess that’s a second secret I just told you.

Those finishing details, sometimes they get the best of us.  So when I made this pom pom cuff trick or treat bag, it was totally a happy bonus that the construction does not require leaving a hole to turn the bag right side out, OR having to then close that hole with hand stitches.  I've got a tutorial below showing how I made it.

I designed the trick or treat bag based on one I made for my daughter when she was little.  The shorter, wider tote with boxed bottom makes it easier to rummage through all your treats.  Plus, I think the shorter bag is easier for small bodies to carry, as it’s not knocking against their hips as they walk.

And can we take a moment to talk about the spider pom poms I used?  Look at those  spider eyes and legs on the pom poms!  I might have squealed out loud when I saw them in the fabric store.

Finished dimensions are 15 ½” wide x 9 ½” tall.

Materials

Main bag fabric – 2 pieces 17” x 13”

Lining fabric – 2 pieces 17” x 13”

Cuff fabric – 4 pieces 4.5” x 17”

Handles – 5” x 22”

Pom pom trim – 1 yard

Fusible fleece – 2 pieces 16” x 12”

All seam allowances are ½” unless otherwise noted.

RST = right sides together

Prep your pieces

Fuse the fusible fleece to the back of the outside fabric pieces.

Make the cuff

Sew the short ends of 2 cuff pieces RST.  Repeat with remaining 2 cuff pieces.

You’ve now got two circles of fabric.  One will be the outside of your cuff, the other the cuff lining.

Baste pom pom trim along the bottom of the cuff piece RST and with pom poms facing up away from the raw edge.

Place the cuff lining over the cuff, RST.  Sew around the bottom.

Flip the cuff lining to the inside of the cuffs so pom poms are hanging from the bottom seam.

Make the straps

Press strap pieces in half lengthwise wrong sides together, then open up and fold long edges to the center and press again.

Top stitch close to the edge down both sides of each strap.

Assemble the bag

Sew the bag front to the bag back RST at sides and bottom.

Box the corners to create a 4” bottom.  (To make a 4” bottom , your boxing seam should be 2” from the tip of the flattened out side seam.)

If you haven’t boxed corners before, here’s a good tutorial showing how.

Repeat above steps with the lining pieces.

Pin ends of the straps to the top of the lining 2 ¾” from the sides, RST and raw edges aligned.  Baste in place with a ¼” seam allowance.

Pin the cuff around the top of the lining (layered over the straps), RST and raw edges aligned.  Baste in place with a ¼” seam allowance.

Turn the lining inside out.  Place inside the bag outside, wrong sides together.  (The straps and cuff will be on the inside of the bag.)  Sew all the way around the top.  Do not leave a hole for turning.

Zig zag over the raw edges to control fraying.

Flip the cuff over the top of the bag and press.

Your bag is finished!