Mae Zipper Tote Bag Pattern + Video Support

Join the Mae Waitlist

Love the room of a big tote, but wish you could zip the whole thing closed? Meet Mae. It’s a structured bag with space for the things you carry and a zippered top that keeps them from sitting out in the open. Pack it for a weekend away, use it for everyday hauling or sewing supplies, or make it a handmade diaper bag. Mae gives you room to decide what goes inside.

And when you reach into that big bag, you don’t have to rummage through one giant open space. Six interior slip pockets, finished with binding and divided into useful sections, help keep smaller things where you can find them. The zipper tabs, clean lined interior, and structured shape give Mae a polished finish, without requiring an industrial machine or hardware.

IMPORTANT:  Mae includes a complete written PDF pattern plus private video support beginning with the zipper construction and continuing through much of the remaining construction. The videos are designed to give you extra visual help as you work through the pattern and are not a complete start-to-finish sew-along.

Why You’ll Love Mae

• Zip the top closed instead of leaving everything exposed in an open tote.
• Carry more without losing the little things: six divided interior slip pockets give your large tote practical organization.
• Bound pocket edges, two zipper tabs, and a structured, lined finish give Mae its polished look.
• Private video support is included for select construction steps, so you can see a technique when that’s more helpful than reading about it.

What You’ll Learn

Mae brings familiar tote and zipper-pouch skills into one larger project. You’ll construct a zippered top with two zipper tabs, build structure into a lined tote, make bound and divided interior pockets, and bring everything together for a clean finished bag.

Skill Level

Confident Beginner. If you’ve sewn a few totes and/or zipper pouches and feel comfortable with basic bag construction, Mae is a natural next project. The detailed written pattern guides you through the whole bag, with extra visual help available for much of the more involved construction.

Pattern Details

• Digital PDF sewing pattern with complete written instructions
• One finished size: 18.5"W x 11.5"H x 6"D
• Measure & Cut Pattern — NO TEMPLATES PROVIDED
• Two handle choices: make fabric handles with the included instructions or use webbing. The free handle video playlist offers optional ideas for customizing yours.
• No hardware required; designed for domestic sewing machines
• Instant digital access after purchase

Video Support Included

Mae includes detailed video support beginning with the zipper construction and continuing through much of the remaining pattern. I'm not just showing you where to sew. Along the way, I explain why I'm using certain techniques, what I'm watching for, what can happen when things go differently, and the little adjustments I use to get a cleaner result.
Think of the videos as extra teaching alongside your pattern, right where seeing and hearing the “why” can be more helpful than another photo.

The PDF contains the complete instructions for making Mae. The videos support selected portions of the construction and are not a complete start-to-finish sew-along.

Pairs Well With

Frankie Zipper Pouch makes a useful coordinating pouch and another chance to practice zipper tabs. For more guidance on structure and clean bag finishes, Sew Better Bags eBook is a separate educational resource.

Important Information

This is a digital sewing pattern with immediate access after purchase. No physical pattern or finished bag will be shipped. The PDF pattern and private video access are for the purchaser; please do not share the pattern or private video links.

Legal & Usage

© 2026 Be Mandy Things. All rights reserved. This pattern is for personal use only. Handmade items made using this pattern may be sold on a small, handmade scale. Please credit Be Mandy Things as the designer. This pattern may not be copied, shared, reproduced, or distributed in any form, including digitally, without written permission from the designer.