Sushi Roll Tote Bags

I am a fabric horder. I can't bring myself to throw away any scrap of fabric, ribbon, or trim. You just never know when that bit of elastic or flannel will come in handy.

This Instructable uses scraps of fabric to create a tote bag that looks like a piece of sushi when rolled-up or an abstract colour block bag when in use. You can turn your tote bag into your favourite sushi roll or make one for your sushi-loving friends! These Sushi Roll Tote Bags are packable when rolled-up, making them both adorable and practical.

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies

You will need:

• White tote bags (I bought a 3 pack of 13'' x 13'' canvas bags from a craft store)
• Scraps of fabric or ribbon
• Elastic
• Thread
• Needle
• Scissors

Step 2: Kappa Maki - Cucumber Roll

To give the appearance of cucumber strips, I used strips of light and dark green ribbon and hand-sewed them to the right side of the tote bag. The strips only need to go half way down the bag because only the portion on the fold 1/4 from the top will be seen, but I chose to cover the full length of the bag.

Step 3: Seaweed on the Outside

For sushi that has the nori (seaweed) on the outside, sew a loop of black elastic 1/8 of the way down the left side of the bag. For my 13'' x 13'' bag, I used about 8'' of elastic.

Cut a rectangle of black (or dark green) fabric that is 3/4 the width of your bag and 1/4 the length of your bag. Add seam allowance if you don't want raw edges exposed. I added a half an inch on each side so that I could fold the raw edges under. For my bag, I cut a 10.25'' x 3.75'' rectangle.

Sew the black rectangle to the top left side of your bag, overtop of the elastic. This will be your 'seaweed'.

Step 4: Roll-up Your Bag

To roll-up your sushi with the seaweed on the outside:

1. Fold your bag in half lengthwise.
2. Fold your bag in half lengthwise again, tucking the straps in the fold.
3. Flip your folded bag so that the white side is face up and the black side is face down.
4. Roll towards the elastic loop.
5. Pull the elastic loop over the roll, securing the roll in place.

Done!

Step 5: California Roll

To create the look of a California Roll, I used a scrap of light green fabric to mimic avocado and a scrap of striped pink fabric to resemble crab. I folded under the raw edges and hand-sewed the strips to the right side of the bag.

Step 6: Rice on the Outside

For the inside-out sushi with rice on the outside, sew a loop of white elastic 1/8 of the way down the left side of the bag. I used a piece of elastic that was about 6'' long.

Cut a rectangle of black fabric that is about 1/2 the width of your bag and 1/4 the length of your bag. Roll up your bag to test how much seaweed you need. Add seam allowance if you don't want raw edges exposed. Again, I added a half an inch on each side so that I could fold the raw edges under.

Sew the black rectangle to the top of your bag, next to your sushi fillings.

Step 7: Roll-up Your Bag

To roll-up your sushi with the rice on the outside:

1. Fold your bag in half lengthwise.
2. Fold your bag in half lengthwise again, tucking the straps in the fold.
3. Flip your folded bag so that the side with the seaweed is face up.
4. Roll towards the elastic loop.
5. Pull the elastic loop over the roll, securing the roll in place.

Done!

Step 8: Done!

Your sushi bags are all done!

The Kappa Maki and California Roll bags are just some examples of what you can make. Try red for a tuna roll, multicoloured strips for futomaki, or create your own kind of sushi.

If sewing is not your thing, try gluing fabric to the bag instead of hand-sewing. Another option would be to use fabric paint or markers, which would give you even more possibilities. You could paint abstract images or paint a picture. Only the colours shown on the fold 1/4 of the way down the bag will be shown in the sushi, so plan your painting around that.