Making a Pokemon Tote Bag: Sewing + Cricut Maker Project

Seeing my new Babylock sewing machine and a Cricut Maker in the same room, I wondered how I could merge my two hobbies together.

Inspired by Pokémon manhole lids in Japan, I decided to make pocket-able shopping bag that’ll “give me joy” every time I see it.

So here is my first ever bag-making project; a pack-able lined cotton shopping bag featuring Jigglypuff and Chansey.

Sewing the tote bag

I was new to sewing at about one month in. But I wanted to sew a smart tote bag; one that could convert into a handbag, as well as being pack-able in my pocket.

I found an amazing Youtube video by Ciro Curo that steps through sewing an eco-bag that ticks all the boxes:

I followed it step by step; the only difference being, I used a sturdy cotton herrinbgone tape for the handle. Below is a quick summary.

What’s funny is that I didn’t end up using my new Babylock serger; All I needed was my basic Singer Simple sewing machine 😂

Material used:

• Black cotton calico fabric
  • 2 pieces of 45 x 80cm
  • 2 pieces of 32 x 9cm
• Black cotton herringbone tape (2.5cm wide) – 90cm
• Black thread

Applying heat transfer vinyl

The design is based on a Pokemon manhole lid in Fukushima, Japan featuring Jigglypuff and Chansey.

1. Illustrator was used to create and export the SVG shapes;
2. SVGs were imported into Cricut Design Space – colours were assigned and required vinyl dimensions calculated;
3. Using a craft scalpel, vinyl sheets were cut out into rectangles of required dimensions;
4. Cricut Maker 3 was used to cut out the design shapes, one colour at a time;
5. Back with the scalpel, each design shape was weeded one by one; then
6. A household iron was used to iron on the vinyl, one bit at a time.

Siser Easyweed heat transfer vinyl colours used:

• Aqua (ecostretch)
• Ballerina pink (ecostretch)
• Coral (ecostretch)
• Orange (ecostretch)
• Yellow
• Sun
• White
• Celestil Blue (ecostretch)
• Pale blue
• (Pearl) White (electric)

The outcome

It’s absolutely adorable! I have the tote bag hanging on the wall near the front door, and it gives me joy every time I walk past 😀

It works great as a handbag style tote bag. Although it’s convertible to a shoulder bag by pulling on the handle straps, the handles could be longer for it to be comfortable on the shoulder. It does pack well, but I think it’ll pack even smaller if it wasn’t lined; some things to think about for my next creation.

I also like the idea that it’s washable, although I’ll need to give myself some time before the first wash to accept that the vinyl will appear creased after washing.

For now, I’ll use it when I go shopping for clean and dry things – like bread, clothes, and Daiso trips 😀

So… now I’m thinking of making a similar bag to carry my motorcycle helmet… something a tad bigger, and perhaps made from upcycling my vintage yukata (aka cotton kimono)… 🤔

Follow me along on Instagram! 😀

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