• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • DIY Projects
    • Homemade Bath and Body
    • Sewing
    • Flower Crafts/Decor
    • Thrift Store/Vintage
  • Gardening
    • Flower Gardens
    • Container Gardening
    • Houseplants
    • Indoor Gardening
    • Landscaping
    • DIY Garden Art
  • Decorate
    • Room Makeovers
    • Spring Decor
    • Summer Decor
    • Fall Decor
    • Winter Decor
    • Home Decor Projects
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast Recipes
    • Lunch Recipes
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Dessert
    • Salad Recipes
    • Soups and Stews
    • Side Dish Recipes
    • Appetizers and Snacks
    • Healthy Recipes
  • Holidays
    • Valentine's Day
    • Easter
    • Mother's Day
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
Hearth and Vine
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About Hearth and Vine
  • DIY Projects
    • ...Flower/Gardening Crafts
    • ... Bath and Body
    • ...Sewing/Fabric Crafts
    • ...Thrift Store/Upcycle
  • Gardening
    • ...Flower Gardens
    • ...Container Gardening
    • ...Indoor Gardening
    • ...DIY Garden Art
  • Decorate
    • ...Home Decor Projects
    • ...Spring Decor
    • ...Summer Decor
    • ...Fall Decor
    • ...Winter Decor
    • ...Room Makeovers
  • Recipes
    • ...Appetizers and Snacks
    • ...Dinner Recipes
    • ...Side Dish Recipes
    • ...Salad Recipes
    • ...Dessert
    • ...Drinks
  • Holidays
    • ...Valentine's Day
    • ...Easter
    • ...Mother's Day
    • ...Halloween
    • ...Thanksgiving
    • ...Christmas
  • Subscribe
  • Instagram
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » DIY Projects

    DIY Beach Bag from a Tropical Tea Towel

    March 29, 2022 by Patti Estep Leave a Comment

    Jump to How-to Card
    Tropical beach bag on a shoulder over a set of three printed tea towels
    Tropical print beach bag with sunglasses hanging on the edge.

    This DIY beach bag sewing tutorial is so easy. If you can sew a straight stitch then you can make this beautiful bag to carry to the pool or beach this summer.

    DIY beach bag with white cotton handles. A pair of sunglasses hang off the top edge.

    Here's another tea towel craft. That's right, this pretty tropical beach bag was made from a beautiful tea towel or dishtowel. And it's easy enough for beginner sewers or someone who hasn't used a sewing machine in a while.

    This post contains some affiliate links (that means if you make a purchase after clicking a link, there’s no additional cost to you, but I will earn a very small commission. ) i.e. as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

    Set of three tropical printed tea towels.

    I picked up this set of tropical tea towels. You can find beautiful ones just about anywhere. Perhaps you already have one in the kitchen you want to use or maybe you've found some beauties at the local thrift store.

    The only caveat is that it needs to be fairly large. Mine measured 20 inches by 27.5 inches. However, many measure larger than this, and they would be perfect.

    You could also simply use a piece of pretty fabric. Just make sure that it has good weight like a canvas to make it sturdy enough to hold a few things.

    Scissors cutting a printed tea towel in half.

    Making a Beach Bag from a Tea Towel

    Start by folding the tea towel in half and cutting it into two pieces.

    Edge of fabric rolled over twice and pressed with an iron.

    Use an iron to fold over the cut edge twice on each piece. Then top stitch in place.

    Next, place the right sides together and sew along the sides and bottom.

    Bottom seam matched to side seam and measured 2 inches across.

    Making a Bottom of the Bag

    This is the only tricky part. While the bag is still inside out take the bottom seam and match it to one of the side seams shown above. Measure across at two inches and draw a line. Then sew that line. Repeat on the other side.

    Tote bag turned right side out showing the bottom seams.

    When you turn the bag right side out you'll get a nice flat bottom for the bag.

    DIY beach bag turned right side out.

    So cute!

    Pinning cotton straps to the inside of the bag.

    Adding Handles

    Add handles or straps to the inside of the bag on both sides. I used two 26 inch pieces of cotton twill tape. Pin the tape about an inch from the top and three inches to the left and right of the center point.

    Twill tape straps sewn in a square with an X in the middle.

    Sew a square and then an X inside the square to make the straps strong and sturdy.

    DIY tote bag with a paperback book, a gray towel and a pair of sunglasses.

    Fill your bag with a good book, sunscreen, snacks, a towel, and head to the beach. Don't forget your sunglasses.

    Beach bag hanging on a shoulder with sunglasses hanging off the top.

    This is also the perfect bag to use as a market tote or just an all-purpose bag you can use while running errands all summer long.

    Patti signature

    More Easy DIY Bags

    • DIY Jean Weekender Bag
    • Easy Snap Bag
    • DIY Laundry Bag for Travel
    • Crossbody/Hipster Jean Bag
    Tropical beach bag with white straps
    Print

    DIY Beach Bag Tutorial

    Learn how easy it is to make this beautiful tropical tote bag you can take to the pool or the beach.
    Active Time1 hr
    Total Time1 hr
    Course: Sewing
    Yield: 1
    Author: Patti Estep
    Cost: $10

    Equipment

    • scissors
    • sewing machine
    • Color coordinating thread

    Materials

    • 1 large printed dish towel approx 20 x 27 or 28 x 28 inches
    • 1.5 yards of 1 inch twill tape

    Instructions

    • Fold the tea towel in half and cut along the fold.
    • Press 1/4 inch of the raw edge on each end with an iron to the wrong side.
    • Fold over the edge again for another 1/4 inch.
    • Topstitch the folded edges.
    • With right sides together pin the two pieces together matching the folded edges at the top.
    • Sew each side and the bottom with a .5 inch seam allowance.
    • Bring the bottom seam over to the side seam and press it flat with your hands.
    • Draw a line from across at 2 inches from the point.
    • Sew along the line. This will create a bottom for the bag.
    • Next pin twill tape to the bag.
    • Cut each piece at 26 inches.
    • Pin one end 3 inches from the center point one inch below the top.
    • Sew a square along the edges of the tape.
    • Then sew an X in the square to attach the strap.
    • Continue with the other end.
    • Repeat sewing the 2nd strap on the other side of the bag.
    • Turn the bag right side out and enjoy.

    Notes

    For added stability you can cut a piece of thin cardboard to place in the bottom of the bag.

    More DIY Projects

    • Make Your Own Corn Heating Bags
    • How to Make Your Own Birdseed Cakes
    • Make an Emergency Candle Kit for Power Outages
    • Homemade Dusting Spray

    About Patti Estep

    Patti is the creator of Hearth and Vine, a home and garden blog filled with projects to inspire your creative side. She loves crafting, gardening, decorating and entertaining at her home in Pennsylvania. When she is not working on a project at home or searching for treasures at nurseries and thrift stores with her girlfriends, you’ll probably find her with family and friends, at a restaurant, or home party enjoying new and different food adventures.

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Follow Me

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Patti profile pic

    Hi! I'm Patti

    Join me to create lots of fun DIY projects including crafts, gardening, home decor and tasty recipes.

    more about me

    Popular Posts

    Blue jean crossover bag

    DIY Crossbody Bag from Jeans

    tabletop water gardens

    How to Make an Indoor Water Garden

    Echievera planter

    What to do With a Stretched Succulent

    Fabric bowl covers in 3 prints

    How to Make Fabric Bowl Covers

    Collage of flowers including russian sage, pink hydrangeas, coneflower and yarrow.

    10+ Long Blooming Plants

    Chicken black bean tortilla casserole

    Chicken Black Bean Casserole Recipe

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About
    Privacy Policy
    Disclosure Policy

    Sign Up Here!
    for our weekly
    newsletter &
    special offers

    • Shop
    • Web Stories

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. i.e. as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2021 Hearth and Vine